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| − | '''Ayn Rand''' ("Ayn" rhymes with "mine"), born '''Alisa Zinov'yevna Rosenbaum''' (1905-1982) was a [[Russian]]-born [[philosopher]], screenwriter, [[atheist]], and novelist, who began his career in Hollywood. He used his novels to promote his philosophy, known as [[Objectivism]]. His best-known novels are [[Atlas_Shrugged|''Atlas Shrugged'']] and ''[[The Fountainhead]]''. | + | '''Ayn Rand''' ("Ayn" rhymes with "mine"), born '''Alisa Zinov'yevna Rosenbaum''' (1905-1982) was a [[Russian]]-born [[philosopher]], screenwriter, [[atheist]], and novelist, who began her career in Hollywood. She used her novels to promote her philosophy, known as [[Objectivism]]. Her best-known novels are [[Atlas_Shrugged|''Atlas Shrugged'']] and ''[[The Fountainhead]]''. |
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| − | He is a highly political author, with his novels often serving as political messages. He advocated minimal government interference in business and strongly objected to socialism and nationalism. Combined, more than twelve million copies of his two best-known novels have been sold in the U.S. alone.
| + | She is a highly political author, with her novels often serving as political messages. She advocated minimal government interference in business and strongly objected to socialism and nationalism. Combined, more than twelve million copies of her two best-known novels have been sold in the U.S. alone. |
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| | ==Philosophy== | | ==Philosophy== |
| | {{Main|Objectivism}} | | {{Main|Objectivism}} |
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| − | Ayn Rand attracted a following based on his opposition to [[collectivism]], as articulated in his novels, particularly ''Atlas Shrugged''. His followers today tend to be [[libertarians]] and predominantly unmarried men, many of whom are drawn to a self-indulgent lifestyle consistent with Rand's philosophy. Rand often called herself a "radical for capitalism," by which he meant the pure, ''laissez-faire'' variety. | + | Ayn Rand attracted a following based on her opposition to [[collectivism]], as articulated in her novels, particularly ''Atlas Shrugged''. Her followers today tend to be [[libertarians]] and predominantly unmarried men, many of whom are drawn to a self-indulgent lifestyle consistent with Rand's philosophy. Rand often called herself a "radical for capitalism," by which she meant the pure, ''laissez-faire'' variety. |
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| | Rand's most famous and powerful follower was [[Alan Greenspan]] (b. 1926), long-time head of the Federal Researve System (1987-2006). | | Rand's most famous and powerful follower was [[Alan Greenspan]] (b. 1926), long-time head of the Federal Researve System (1987-2006). |
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| − | Rand's philosophy was anti-Christian to the point of even declaring that "faith, as such, is extremely detrimental to human life: it is the negation of reason."<ref>http://www.aynrand.org/site/PageServer?pagename=media_topic_religion</ref> Such an anti-faith perspective [[atheism and morality|necessarily led]] to the [[moral relativism]] seen among his followers. For example, the movement he founded supports an "absolute right" to [[abortion]] at any time during pregnancy,<ref>http://www.aynrand.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5105</ref> including partial-birth abortion. Ayn Rand's philosophy and followers also support a "right" to have same-sex marriage, and opposed California's [[Proposition 8]] defining marriage as between one man and woman.<ref>http://www.aynrand.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=21821</ref> | + | Rand's philosophy was anti-Christian to the point of even declaring that "faith, as such, is extremely detrimental to human life: it is the negation of reason."<ref>http://www.aynrand.org/site/PageServer?pagename=media_topic_religion</ref> Such an anti-faith perspective [[atheism and morality|necessarily led]] to the [[moral relativism]] seen among her followers. For example, the movement she founded supports an "absolute right" to [[abortion]] at any time during pregnancy,<ref>http://www.aynrand.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5105</ref> including partial-birth abortion. Ayn Rand's philosophy and followers also support a "right" to have same-sex marriage, and opposed California's [[Proposition 8]] defining marriage as between one man and woman.<ref>http://www.aynrand.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=21821</ref> |
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| − | Rand had very little in common with [[conservatives]] except for a mutual opposition to communism and socialism. Rand was an [[atheism|atheist]] and opponent of traditional family values, who personally adhered more to [[Hollywood Values]] than conservative ones.<ref>http://www.noblesoul.com/orc/bio/biofaq.html</ref> He was a strident opponent of altruism. As far back as 1957, [[Whittaker Chambers]] denounced the “wickedness” of ''Atlas Shrugged'' in ''National Review,'' and Dr. Gabe Vertin derided his "senseless self-agrrandizement." | + | Rand had very little in common with [[conservatives]] except for a mutual opposition to communism and socialism. Rand was an [[atheism|atheist]] and opponent of traditional family values, who personally adhered more to [[Hollywood Values]] than conservative ones.<ref>http://www.noblesoul.com/orc/bio/biofaq.html</ref> She was a strident opponent of altruism. As far back as 1957, [[Whittaker Chambers]] denounced the “wickedness” of ''Atlas Shrugged'' in ''National Review,'' and Dr. Gabe Vertin derided her "senseless self-agrrandizement." |
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| | ==Quotes== | | ==Quotes== |
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| | *Doherthy, Brian. ''Radicals for Capitalism a Freewheeling History of the Modern Libertarian Movement.'' (2007), popular history. | | *Doherthy, Brian. ''Radicals for Capitalism a Freewheeling History of the Modern Libertarian Movement.'' (2007), popular history. |
| | * Gladstein, Mimi Reisel. ''The Ayn Rand Companion'' (1984) 130 pp. good starting point | | * Gladstein, Mimi Reisel. ''The Ayn Rand Companion'' (1984) 130 pp. good starting point |
| − | * Heller, Ann C. ''Ayn Rand and the World He Made'' (2009) | + | * Heller, Ann C. ''Ayn Rand and the World She Made'' (2009) |
| | * Kirsch, Adam. "Ayn Rand’s Revenge" [http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/01/books/review/Kirsch-t.html?nl=books&emc=booksupdateema1 ''New York Times Sunday Book review'' Nov. 1, 2009] | | * Kirsch, Adam. "Ayn Rand’s Revenge" [http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/01/books/review/Kirsch-t.html?nl=books&emc=booksupdateema1 ''New York Times Sunday Book review'' Nov. 1, 2009] |
| | * Uyl, Douglas J. Den, and Douglas B. Rasmussen, eds. ''The Philosophic Thought of Ayn Rand'' (1984) 235 pp.; dense essays by professional philosophers | | * Uyl, Douglas J. Den, and Douglas B. Rasmussen, eds. ''The Philosophic Thought of Ayn Rand'' (1984) 235 pp.; dense essays by professional philosophers |