Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism

[thesummerqueen]

Go to a counselor.

[Foxaèr]

I cannot remember when I even mentioned creature comforts. I may need a link to that.

Life is hard. That IS life. It is not meant to be easy. Goodness forbid.

Yet, as life, oh, you meant progress, seems to advance, life still suffers as a result.

There has to be a true balance, which we have not yet discovered, whereby we can have progress as well the ideal life of which we all dream yet cannot attain.

Anything can be considered "exciting", what a truly horrible word choice there.

Exciting does not equate to comfort or happiness whereby one no longer worries.

You seem lost to the real worries of the real world.

[bennyboy]

I'm really done arguing with you about this - the fact that we have socialized programs that give everyone clean water, that we're working towards socialized health care, that we have public roads and public education, etc, etc - this is not about "creature comforts". Plenty of people have those things and still live ridiculously hard lives. But those things have also improved their lives - as imperfect as those systems are, they're still better than we were 100 years ago. And a magnitude higher than 500 years ago. This isn't arbitrary it's statistics .

You don't find your family and life exciting? TFB for you - I'm really sorry to hear that. But there are plenty of people who manage to acknowledge how good they have it AND take delight in their life and family and other things. They don't have to go live a scrappy life to do so. I would suggest a counselor to talk about these things.

Shouting "it's statistics" doesn't make it less arbitrary.  You are sending a real mixed signal: "Who the fuck are YOU to tell US what a good life is?  And by the way. . . a quality life is _______, and agree or get shouted at!"

Either you think we should drop arbitrary definitions of subjective terms, or you do not.  You can't have it both ways.  I'm saying that what YOU define as "quality of life" is so by your perspective, not intrinsically so, and was able to provide a personal example that it's a matter of your perspective, not something that is inherently true.

But through all this, Rand looks less and less silly.  If we are going to allow arbitrary definitions, like mine OR YOURS, of what is good or not good in life, then her voice is going to have to stand as a valid perspective on the human experience.

[Foxaèr]

See, quoting is a good thing. Something neither of these people involved in this conversation seem to understand.

Correction, benny understands quoting.

The ice queen has yet to learn it.

[thesummerqueen]

Mael, sweetheart, go find a dick to fawn over.

The fact that I don't have one and don't care for your opinion shouldn't bother you as much as it apparently does to make you follow me around the board and insult me.

And benny, I didn't shout. I stressed. Try looking up happiness indexes.

[Foxaèr]

Mael, sweetheart, go find a dick to fawn over.

The fact that I don't have one and don't care for your opinion shouldn't bother you as much as it apparently does to make you follow me around the board and insult me.

I have not insulted you once. The fact that you think I have speaks more volumes of your self esteem than my mere intention of attempting to debate.

[thesummerqueen]

Uh huh.

Passive aggressives gonna passive.

[Foxaèr]

Uh huh.

Passive aggressives gonna passive.

Trust me, you would know if I insulted you in any way.

I do not hold back.

I respect you too much to subject you to my true wrath.

[Thumpalumpacus]

Given that I don't define it as you imputed, I feel no need to give a deeper reply than this that you're reading.

Color me confused, because you entered this thread talking about evolution and how Rand's ideas don't reconcile themselves well with reality. But summerqueen's idea about how great humanity is doing these days imply an agreement with Rand, since many of the innovators in the world are just the type of people that Rand describes positively, and most of us view negatively.

I sense a SJW. "Who are YOU to tell anyone how to live their life?" That I'm giving the exact kind of reasons that support your original post in this thread is much less satisfying than the chance to *snap* your fingers, waggle your head disapprovingly, and rush to a lady's aid, eh?

Lol, she of all people doesn't need my help. I'm no SJW, anyway, I think as I do based on what I see as the relativism of human life. Perhaps if you'd quit imputing views this conversation would go smoother? This is the second time you've done it here.

My views about Objectivism aren't related to my views on a fulfilling life. That's another assumption you might want to drop.

[Foxaèr]

My views about Objectivism aren't related to my views on a fulfilling life.

I would enjoy a clarification on your views of objectivism.