I recently discoved Ayn Rand and learned about her philosphical views. I found it extremely interesting. The idea that "altruism is immoral" completel goes against all my previous ideas and intuitions, and therefore is quite an uncomfortable idea to entertain, but when I pushed through and read more about what she meant by it, it makes a lot of sense to me. To put it in my own words, she argues that people should not sacrifice themselves for other people if it does not fit with their own needs, because it is equal to suicide. If you help someone, do it because you have a need to do so, not because you think you should do that because you want to be a good person. You are responsible for your own life, and your own happiness. This sounds very healthy to me. I want people around me to live like this, I want my loved ones taking good care of themselves. Most people also have a need to take care of the people around them and to connect with them,  so I don't think that this philosophy leads to people to live self centred lives. It is very counter-intuitive, but it makes sense to me.

What do you think? Do I describe her philosophy well? Is there a flaw in this reasoning? Has this philosophy impacted your ideas as well?

Ayn Rand's philosophy isn't anything short of disgusting for everyone having preserved a shred of humanity. It's sauve qui peut to the extreme without any regard to your fellow human beings.

(July 11, 2016 at 5:26 pm)abaris Wrote: Ayn Rand's philosophy isn't anything short of disgusting for everyone having preserved a shred of humanity. It's sauve qui peut to the extreme without any regard to your fellow human beings.

Would you care to elaborate? Why do you think this? I am interested in hearing your reasoning.

Can't say I agree with you. In fact, fuck her and fuck her philosophy. It's nothing but a justification for her own selfishness and greed.

We're all stuck on this big, blue marble together, and the world would be a much more pleasant place to live if we could all learn to help each other out instead of simply focusing on our own needs and desires. It's precisely because of the selfishness Rand advocates that the world can be such a shitty place to live, and I cannot and will not condone such an attitude.

I don't think it comports with reality very well, that out altruism has evolutionary antecedents. Furthermore the idea that it equates to "suicide" is a fallacious reductio ad absurdum.

Think what the world really needs is more selfishness? Try Ayn Rand: Nietzsche for imbeciles.

Capitalism's main philosophy.
America's #1 ideals.

Deserving a big "No, thank you" from the rest of the world.
Well... add some gov't supervision to keep it fair and it may work...

Poca, we actually do have government oversight.

Interesting to read that so many of you don't agree with her. To be clear, I have not yet made up my mind yet, just saying that it is interesting. I don't accept any philosophies 100%, I just use them to sharpen my thinking and my ethics. I have a strong tendency for altruism, and perhaps I like her philosophy, because it challenges my assumptions and helps me find out why I do what I do.

(July 11, 2016 at 5:59 pm)Thumpalumpacus Wrote: Poca, we actually do have government oversight.

In theory. Like in every other country. But when money calls, politicians tend to answer. Still a little bit more in America with it's institutionalised bribery than in other countries. But we're getting there quickly.