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== Rugged individualism ==

== Rugged individualism ==

'Rugged individualism' is a term derived from 'individualism', and denotes the ideal of a righteous life in which the individual never finds that he needs help from anyone in order to remain both healthy and sane in a fallen world. In refusing the offer from the king of Sodom to take a rightful portion of the spoils of the war through which he rescued Lot, Abr(ah)am was motivated by a sense of rugged individualism in mind of God's promises to him.

'Rugged individualism' is a term derived from 'individualism', and denotes the ideal of a righteous life in which the individual never finds that he needs help from anyone in order to remain both healthy and sane in a fallen world. In refusing the offer of the king of Sodom to take a rightful portion of the spoils of the war through which he rescued Lot, Abr(ah)am was motivated by a sense of rugged individualism in mind of God's promises to him.

But, rugged individualism, while implicitly sought by all, is an ideal which is never attained by mere fallen individuals (and thus by all nations made up of fallen individuals). Even Karl Marx, who was the founder of Communistic dictatorship, was driven by the hope of creating a society in which individuals lived righteously without bureaucratic oversight. Ayn Rand, in contrast to Marx, founded a directly purest branch of individualism, but her means are no better, in the end, than those of Marx.  

But, rugged individualism, while implicitly sought by all, is an ideal which is never attained by mere fallen individuals (and thus by all nations made up of fallen individuals). Even Karl Marx, who was the founder of Communistic dictatorship, was driven by the hope of creating a society in which individuals lived righteously without bureaucratic oversight. Ayn Rand, in contrast to Marx, founded a directly purest branch of individualism, but her means are no better, in the end, than those of Marx.