The One Argument Ayn Rand Couldn’t Win

atencio:

William James once argued that every philosophic system sets out to conceal, first of all, the philosopher’s own temperament: that pre-rational bundle of preferences that urges him to hop on whatever logic-train seems to be already heading in his general direction. This creates, as James put it, “a certain insincerity in our philosophic discussions: the potentest of all our premises is never mentioned … What the system pretends to be is a picture of the great universe of God. What it is—and oh so flagrantly!—is the revelation of how intensely odd the personal flavor of some fellow creature is.”

After reading the details of Rand’s early life, I find it hard to think of Objectivism as very objective at all—it looks more like a rational program retrofitted to a lifelong temperament, a fantasy world created to cancel the nightmare of a terrifying childhood. This is the comedy, the tragedy, and the power of Rand: She built a glorious imaginary empire on that nuclear-grade temperament, then devoted every ounce of her will and intelligence to proving it was all pure reason.

I want to buy Sam Anderson a drink and shake his hand. (via syntheticpubes)

Cite Arrow reblogged from atencio
74 notes | | Oct 27, 2009
  1. d43pan reblogged this from rafer and added:
    The one argument ayn rand couldn’t win is the one that happened after she died. You can’t find the bullshit truth any...
  2. rafer reblogged this from mikehudack and added:
    Rafer sez: Her philosophy also moved from pro-rich to anti-poor after the death of her husband. I suspect causation.
  3. klaatu reblogged this from soupsoup
  4. shoesonwrong reblogged this from coyotesqrl
  5. stacyturner reblogged this from syntheticpubes
  6. coyotesqrl reblogged this from hammerito and added:
    Ayn Rand was a failed screenwriter. She couldn’t win a fucking argument with the dude who wrote Troll 2.
  7. crookedindifference reblogged this from hammerito and added:
    FUCK YES. although we seem to have the same opinion so it would benefit to have a counterpoint.
  8. hammerito reblogged this from soupsoup and added:
    Although I disagree with Objectivism as a reasonable way to live, Atlas Shrugged is one of the most important books I’ve...
  9. mopostal reblogged this from soupsoup and added:
    I think this SyntheticPubes fellow may be on to something.
  10. jacknagel reblogged this from soupsoup and added:
    The majority of her [Rand] philosophy is revolting, but her story is just so incredibly fascinating.
  11. abeshafi reblogged this from mikehudack
  12. soupsoup reblogged this from syntheticpubes and added:
    William James once argued that every philosophic system sets out...conceal, first of all,...
  13. feelingsaregross reblogged this from mikehudack
  14. mikehudack reblogged this from atencio
  15. atencio reblogged this from syntheticpubes and added:
    buy Sam Anderson a drink
  16. beautyinthefilth reblogged this from syntheticpubes
  17. peckinpah reblogged this from syntheticpubes and added:
    Her life story/psychological underpinnings seem about as blatant as her fictional works. I’m hardly surprised.
  18. robertschofield reblogged this from syntheticpubes
  19. mmmmmo reblogged this from syntheticpubes
  20. ekstasis reblogged this from syntheticpubes and added:
    “Tell me what a man finds sexually attractive,” Rand wrote, “and I will tell you his entire philosophy of life.”
  21. sizetoosmall reblogged this from syntheticpubes and added:
    William James once argued that every philosophic system sets out to conceal, first of all, the philosopher’s own...
  22. benworcester reblogged this from syntheticpubes
  23. hookersorcake reblogged this from syntheticpubes and added:
    Ann Rand is like U2 both are great when you are 17.
  24. abcsoupdot reblogged this from syntheticpubes
  25. quisqueyano reblogged this from syntheticpubes
  26. syntheticpubes posted this