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Originally Posted by Professor S
Go to Amazon. You'll find it pretty easily along with her philosphical works.
As for Objectivism, I think its been widely misinterpreted and even purposely so in history by socialist intelelctuals in our university system. Its not really about being perfect, but that we should always attempt to try and strive for perfection. It is in that effort that we grow.
To read the basics of her philosphy, it is more about recognizing reality, and therefore it flaws and triumphs, and controlling feeling because feelings distort and confuse a proper analysis of reality. Like the name, it is about objectively viewing the world; not concentrating on what should happen, but dealing with what will happen and operating in that realm. Part of this is the recognition that we will never be perfect, but we should always work towards it, because the myth of the perfect can inpire a better good.
Like any philosophy, it is written by a flawed person and can contradict itself at times, but when compared to works of her contemporaries, like Also Sprach Zarathustra and The Communist Manifesto, Rand is the most balanced intellectual ever to walk the earth.
I'm also not an Objectivist, as by Rand's own definition, if you don't believe in everything she wrote, you are not an Objectivist, and I don't. But I'd have to say that of all the modern philosophies, I agree with objectivism the most. And she was an atheist, and I am not.
I'd recommend reading the Wiki on Objectivism and then decide whether you'd want to read more about it. At the very least its an interesting read. Her writings on Rational Self-Interest is especially interesting.
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I've read almost all of the wiki some time before, I might print it out for some bedside reading.
However, I also don't agree with objectivism, mainly because of the every-man-for-himself principle. But almost all of her other views are too harsh as well. And it's based too much on morality. If everybody was a perfect objectivist, it just might work. But when people start thinking outside the lines, and try to find shortcuts through life, it all falls apart.
Anyway, I'm not too qualified to discuss this subject, so I won't make a fool of myself any further.
But I must say that, instead of the philosophy, I'm more interested in how it shapes societies - and not just for Rand and objectivism.
The main reason I wanted to read the classic "1984 and Brave New World" duo and still want to read some others is because I wanted to see how people were affected by events and principles completely different from ours.
And to be honest, I first got into objectivism with BioShock - it caught my interest because of the delicately-designed but horribly-failed community of Rapture. And having heard that it was based on Rand's works (or at least, that it was very close), I wanted some further info on the subject. And that lead me to Atlas Shrugged.
Why do you say that I should read The Fountainhead first?
Re: Whatcha reading?
Hybrid Mode
