objectivism

<p><a href="/tags/aynrand/" rel="tag">#AynRand</a> is quoted, misquoted, praised, and vilified — often by people who haven’t read her.</p><p>_The Ayn Rand Reader_ offers excerpts from her <a href="/tags/fiction/" rel="tag">#fiction</a> and <a href="/tags/nonfiction/" rel="tag">#nonfiction</a>: her ideas, her voice, her terms. </p><p>If you’re serious about understanding her — whether to agree or disagree — start here: <a href="https://aynrand.org/novels/the-ayn-rand-reader/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="aynrand.org/novels/the-ayn-rand-reader/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">aynrand.org/novels/the-ayn-ran</span><span class="invisible">d-reader/</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/philosophy/" rel="tag">#philosophy</a> <a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/bookstodon/" rel="tag">#bookstodon</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/aynrand/" rel="tag">#AynRand</a> <a href="/tags/objectivism/" rel="tag">#Objectivism</a></p>

<p>👋 Hi, I’m Mark — welcome! This is my <a href="/tags/introduction/" rel="tag">#introduction</a>.</p><p>I share a mix of <a href="/tags/philosophy/" rel="tag">#philosophy</a> (<a href="/tags/objectivism/" rel="tag">#Objectivism</a>), <a href="/tags/perl/" rel="tag">#Perl</a> coding, and the occasional nonsense. You might also see <a href="/tags/ballroom/" rel="tag">#ballroom</a> <a href="/tags/dance/" rel="tag">#dance</a>, <a href="/tags/cosplay/" rel="tag">#cosplay</a>, and <a href="/tags/music/" rel="tag">#music</a> on <a href="/tags/bassguitar/" rel="tag">#BassGuitar</a> — sometimes all in the same week.</p><p>For a great starting point on Rand, try _The <a href="/tags/aynrand/" rel="tag">#AynRand</a> Reader_: <a href="https://aynrand.org/novels/the-ayn-rand-reader/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="aynrand.org/novels/the-ayn-rand-reader/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">aynrand.org/novels/the-ayn-ran</span><span class="invisible">d-reader/</span></a></p><p>You’ll find me every year at at <a href="/tags/dragoncon/" rel="tag">#DragonCon</a> in <a href="/tags/atlanta/" rel="tag">#Atlanta</a>, plus <a href="/tags/deltahcon/" rel="tag">#DeltaHCon</a> and <a href="/tags/comicpalooza/" rel="tag">#Comicpalooza</a> here in <a href="/tags/houston/" rel="tag">#Houston</a>.</p><p>Glad you’re here — pull up a chair.</p>

<p><a href="/tags/aynrand/" rel="tag">#AynRand</a>’s <a href="https://courses.aynrand.org/works/introduction-to-virtue-of-selfishness/" rel="nofollow">original introduction to The Virtue of Selfishness</a> is now online--and it directly contradicts most of the claims people make about her <a href="/tags/ethics/" rel="tag">#ethics</a>.</p><p>If your picture of Rand comes from social media threads, YouTube rants, or second-hand “hot takes,” <a href="https://courses.aynrand.org/works/introduction-to-virtue-of-selfishness/" rel="nofollow">this is the text that breaks the spell.</a></p> <p>Let’s clear out the biggest straw men right away:</p><p><p>❌ “Rand said selfishness means hurting people.”
</p><p>No. She argues that rational self‑interest forbids coercion, exploitation, and parasitism. Predators aren’t “selfish”—they’re short‑range, self‑destructive, and irrational.</p><br><p>❌ “It’s just an excuse to do whatever you want.”
</p><p>She draws a hard boundary between whim and <a href="/tags/reason/" rel="tag">#reason</a>. Her ethics demands long‑range thinking, integrity, and principled action — the opposite of impulse.</p><br><p>❌ “<a href="/tags/objectivism/" rel="tag">#Objectivism</a> celebrates cruelty.”
</p><p>The introduction explicitly rejects cruelty as irrational. Benevolence is not only compatible with <a href="/tags/egoism/" rel="tag">#egoism</a>—it’s a natural expression of a rational, confident person.</p><br><p>❌ “Rand denies moral principles.”
</p><p>She denies sacrifice as a moral ideal. She does not deny <a href="/tags/morality/" rel="tag">#morality</a>. She argues for a code rooted in reality, reason, and the requirements of human life.</p></p> <p>If you want to understand the argument instead of the mythology, read the primary source--it’s short, sharp, and surprisingly accessible.</p><p><a href="https://aynrand.org/novels/the-virtue-of-selfishness/" rel="nofollow">Read more for context on the full book, editions, and themes.</a></p><p><a href="/tags/philosophy/" rel="tag">#philosophy</a> <a href="/tags/individualism/" rel="tag">#individualism</a> <a href="/tags/reading/" rel="tag">#reading</a> <a href="/tags/nonfiction/" rel="tag">#nonfiction</a> <a href="/tags/ideas/" rel="tag">#ideas</a> <a href="/tags/bookstodon/" rel="tag">#bookstodon</a></p>