Ayn Rand

[asterroc]

I haven't ever read Ayn Rand, and I have no intention of doing so. However, I am told that the author of the series I am currently reading, Terry Goodkind, is heavily influenced by her works, and her concepts of "objectivism" and "enlightened self interest." Anyone care to explain these concepts to me in shorter form?

Comments

[galbinus-caeli.livejournal.com]

"Me First!"

[zandperl.livejournal.com]

It's got to be about more than just selfishness. See my comment above about where I think it's relevant in the series I'm reading.

[gemini6ice.livejournal.com]

afaiu, "egoism" is the ADMISSION of selfishness and the acceptance that your own needs come first. It's also the belief that everyone really is completely selfish and just does not admit it. I am in this camp. Everything you do is for yourself: your actions are based on what you believe, in the moment, will bring the greatest degree happiness/satisfaction/contentment. Doing something for others can (and often does) give you a feeling of pride or self-appreciation, even if you do not flaunt it. If you give a dollar to a homeless man, it's not because you want him to have a dollar, it's because his having a dollar gives you happiness. It's a subtle distinction.

[gemini6ice.livejournal.com]

objectivism is an encompassing philosophy that embraces egoism and concludes that rational indulgence will lead to the greatest happiness. A society that protects individual freedoms and rights will lead to the greatest happiness for everyone.

[galbinus-caeli.livejournal.com]

Not much really. But you wanted short.

Basically her philosophy is that of enlightened self interest. If all people, working with perfect information and perfect rationality, worked toward their own best long term interests, and those of their children, then everyone would do well, and the most elite people would do best.

The thinking is that people operating under enlightened self interest will not oppress other people, because oppressed people may rise up and make life difficult for the elites.

So, the elites will make sure that life is acceptable to the proles, and so that those proles don't make the elite's life more difficult. That the elite will only take for themselves enough that it does not degrade life for the non-elites.

This will all allow every person to rise to their own best level.

It isn't a terrible philosophy, just unrealistic, primarily in these factors.

Perfect information

Perfect information about what the results of all possible actions is never available. Without this, imperfect choices may be made.

Perfect Rationality

People do not perfectly evaluate situations to predict the best outcome for their actions

Absolute Control

Bad things do happen that are not within people's control (yet). No reasonable amount of preparation can prepare for a major earthquake or tsunami.

Unenlightened selfishness

Unless everyone in a society/environment perfectly practices enlightened self interest, some people are going to take advantage of others and mess it up for everyone.

Just plain bad decisions

People make bad choices sometimes. They get pregnant. They have car accidents. They get themselves into debt.

So, until we have perfectly rational people, in a fully controlled environment, with perfect information about current and predicted future conditions, objectivism is simply an unrealistic philosophy.

It still has some interesting and attractive features. Just as Plato's Republic, and Moore's Utopia, and Jesus's Kingdom of God do.

[zandperl.livejournal.com]

It reminds me a bit of the concept of enlightened anarchy then, in that it too could result in a utopia ideally but in practice is impossible to carry out (due to things like criminals and outside nations).

[galbinus-caeli.livejournal.com]

I haven't heard of the term enlightened anarchy, but it sounds like another way to describe the same sort of thing.

[zandperl.livejournal.com]

Well, anarchy is a system of government. Self-interest is a set of personal actions. Objectivism I believe could exist in a laissez-faire capitalist society.