Posted by isaac on January 27, 2002 at 20:32:01:
In Reply to: Re: Leeches posted by Diarmuid on January 27, 2002 at 16:51:22:
: Well, Ayn Rand would have blamed the leech's behavior on the creeping Socialism which is polluting the proud, brave, independent "people of the mind".
any rand probably would have blamed the leech's behavior on the leech. please, diarm, don't tell us what rand WOULD say if you don't know what she HAS said. fundamental to ayn rand's philosophy is to not blame the actions of the individual on the society. that's marxism you're thinking about, and in thinking that objectivism is just anti-marxism, yo'ure making a paper-man error.
: Fact: Rand was a childish five who was enraged that the rest of the planet didn't think like fives.
hahaha, that's a fact? that she was childish?
can you back that up at all? how would you define that word, and how would you back it up, in such a way that it's a verifiable fact rather than a personal opinion? i'd be interested to see that.
: Rand wanted organizations to be filled with lone wolves, not team players.
liz's problem is with a classic variety of "team player".
: Rand was deluded enough to believe that a simple embrace of the profit motive in all matters would suffice to turn entire workforces into leech-free zones.
leeches aren't profitable.
: Rand's ideas have taken America by storm for the last 20 years. And the current situation is as close to her Utopia as Stalin's Russia was to Marx's.
diarm, what are you talking about? are you referring to her book sales? atlas shrugged was rated the number 2 influential book in the lives of americans (after the bible) by the library of congress. or are you referring to the proliferation of objectivist clubs and subscribers to the newsletter? if you're talking about the political policies that have been put in place, yo'ure sadly mistaken. likewise if you're talking about leading philosophical trends. moral relativism, affirmative action, progressive education, equal oppertunity... america is full of this shit. hell, more people in the us today believe in astrology than did in medieval europe, when augustine wrote about how there are plenty of (very good) reasons for believing it's nothing but hoodah. our current situation isn't very close to her ideal, you're right about that. it's pretty far from it, and not surprising, since the philosophies she espoused aren't very popular here.
this really kinda upsets me. my country was FOUNDED on (basically) her ideals, and look how it's turned out.
diarmuid, what's so personally offensive about ayn rand? someoen can't even mention her in passing without you throwing a fit. or is it just so i'll talk to you?
isaac