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Politics : Evolution -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: GPS Info who wrote (42145)	9/24/2013 9:04:31 PM
From: Solon	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 69300

Rand sets out a philosophy that seemed to work quite efficiently in her Utopian Mountain paradise. But let us consider how far it can be taken in the real world where faith and force and duty and sacrifice are the status quo. Even to mention the idea of Rand and rational self interest is to bring down a volley of scorn from all those indoctrinated in the victim mentality. So it is not that many people do not appreciate her ideas-but rather that society shouts her ideas down and penalises those who attempt to practice them. For instance, where Rand would say we should choose whom we love very carefully and honestly. Because love is far more than a feeling. It is tending to the needs of someone you value. And thus making a rational trade--society is composed of a lot of users. And try to enter some parts of the job market without showing a resume listing the charities you served (with no thought of reward, of course)! This not the utopia described by Rand in the mountains where nobody was trying to use one another. Remember how Dagny was injured and how she was treated with love and assistance because they valued her? But this is planet earth where many many people are trying to use one another--from the shyster selling prayer pillows or special hair that has been prayed over--to the woman or man who marries to improve their income or social status. The people in Galt's community were not a representative cross section of humanity. Indeed, they were the hand-picked elite who (as Atlas) supported the world on their shoulders--a very very small percentage of the population. Rand believed that society ought to be people living together as traders. It is that simple. How do many in our society live together? As looters and parasites. Rand did not leave loopholes for people. You had to go from first premises and go where Reason led. So very few people will entirely embrace her philosophy. One will have been taught by his church that abortion is a sin. Therefore, he cannot follow her philosophy. Another finds pleasure in the self sacrifice taught in the bible...and turning the other cheek and then bending over. Therefore, he cannot follow her philosophy. And so forth. Here is a rare tribute written by a Christian. Most Christians hate her with every fiber of their being but this fellow (although, imo, getting much of it wrong)--yet gets a great deal of it right--and shows a superior understanding of her work than many a devotee. desiringgod.org