The 1959 Mike Wallace Ayn Rand Interview

"In an effort to publicize [Atlas Shrugged], Ayn agreed to an interview with Mike Wallace, on his New York television show, 'Night Beat,' the hard-driving program that began his rise to prominence. They liked each other immediately, and were to visit together on a number of occasions over the following years. 'She was perfect grist for the mill of Night Beat,' Mike later said. 'She voiced provocative opinions, she was anti-establishment and utterly unexpected, with a kind of close reasoning and a clarity that one had to admire; it was a remarkable interview. And the calls and letters that poured in about it shook the rafters."

[@brodysbuckinbroncos7697]

Oh, if only modern debates were this polite and results driven, instead of people shouting obscenities at each other.

[@LucisFerre1]

+KSI FlapJaksLol There are no modern debates.

[@asdfasdfasdf3029]

+KSI FlapJaksLol You mean social justice warriors screaming down anyone with a different opinion.

[@jakespivey3716]

I disagree with a lot of what she says but, it's enjoyable to hear someone as smart and as in earnest as she is, argue her beliefs.

[@charlesbarnes6026]

@@asdfasdfasdf3029 I guess you never watch a strump debate...

[@fredslick643]

The highest tribute to Ayn Rand, is that her critics must distort everything that she stood for in order to attack her. She advocated reason, not force; the individual’s rights to freedom of action, speech, and association; self-responsibility not self-indulgence, and a live-and-let-live society in which each individual is treated as an END, not the MEANS of others’ ends. How many critics would dare to honestly state these ideas, & say “..and that’s what I reject?”

[@b-randonprizzindall3521]

Rehash.....She called it in 1959. Jump to about 10:00 and listen. Apply it to today. I want to not believe her, because she is a woman, but she has high emotional intelligence.

[@azmildman]

So she hates Christianity and is an atheist but the same politicians who use her for an excuse, such as Paul Ryan, who, as he claims, at the same time, is a devout Christian and Catholic, and talks about economics being based on the John Galt speech, as if he is a founding father instead of a fictional character in her science fiction novel.

[@skorzenygruppen]

Rand is a arrogant ,stuffed shirt,Talmudic Jew.She and Trotsky must be family members of Red Terror.

[@ProNorden]

The irony: Two folks of jewish ancestry, both of whom changed their names, 'debating' #predatoryParasitism. The difference is "Mike Wallace" is a #predatoryParasite #Corporatist smear merchant. "Rand" is sincerely attempting to describe objective ethics and advance 'radical individualism' ...which she may not realize is being promoted on thIs predatory #judeoCorporatist broadcast network because it might further factionalize, divide, and atomize White America. 'Rational morality'/''moral Purpose' can be the advancement of one's family, group, team, tribe, nation etc. Check Prof.#KevinBMacDonald's #CultureOfCritique trilogy. #GoNationalist✌ #PeaceAndFreeNations✌ #ThinkGandhi✌

[@seahag831]

20:35 She helps him "selfishly" Because "she wants to" not because she's forced to. That's what it's all about.

[@waynekoppa1504]

Time 16:45 Mike Wallace: "Do you actually predict dictatorship and economic disaster for the United States?" Ayn Rand: "Yes, that is the way the country is going."

[@codycross7063]

Even if you don't agree with Rand 100% of the time, she seriously makes killer points in this interview

[@ProNorden]

The irony: Two folks of jewish ancestry, both of whom changed their names, 'debating' #predatoryParasitism. The difference is "Mike Wallace" is a #predatoryParasite #Corporatist smear merchant. "Rand" is sincerely attempting to describe objective ethics and advance 'radical individualism' ...which she may not realize is being promoted on thIs predatory #judeoCorporatist broadcast network because it might further factionalize, divide, and atomize White America. 'Rational morality'/''moral Purpose' can be the advancement of one's family, group, team, tribe, nation etc. Check Prof.#KevinBMacDonald's #CultureOfCritique trilogy. #GoNationalist✌ #PeaceAndFreeNations✌ #ThinkGandhi✌

[@Rock22809]

Simply brilliant. Way ahead of her time.

[@Rock22809]

So much advanced knowledge of how the world should work in such a small amount of time. She didn't have the internet or the works of the great free market thinkers to learn from. She figured it all out by herself. The amount of courage, as a woman of that time to put forth her views....we are all simply standing on the shoulder of giants like Ayn Rand.

[@CLASSICALFAN100]

Tim Jones So were Lenin and Stalin...

[@erikas.9319]

thank you Greer for showing me Mike Wallace, breakdown. I needed a refresher on Ayn. she truly was a great mind. I first came across this woman's works from a drafting job that I acquired from my pops. with everything that is going on in this world, and everything I am discovering about life, this woman has shown me the way. whoever reads this statement, I want you to know that our world is not lost. we are out there, we can do this together, for our own selfish reasons, to help our happy, lovefilled, joyful lives survive.

[@aligcali]

TV was good in the beginning, straight to the point. You would never get a philosopher interviewed for half an hour nowdays, and if you did then you can bet it would not be on national television.

[@aierser]

I have never heard anybody drop so much heavy knowledge in like under 30 minutes...

[@inurafacititia7352]

This is a Wonderful footnote in American History. Every child in High School should be required to read those two Gigantic novels that Rand is most famous for writing. I do know most college-level courses do require it from time to time - but they're Both high school level learning. If they're "Too Hard" to read by high school kids - keep those dummies back a year or two with that famous "F" for Ignorance.

[@jessesewell7922]

"I do not believe that the majority can vote away a man's property, a man's freedoms." This is by far the most powerful idea that Rand advanced. She is absolutely right in asserting the moral power of this simple idea because this was the central principle contained within the Declaration of Independence - that man was endowed by his creator with inalienable rights. It should be absolute and immutable and she is correct to say that this was the original intent of the founders. The Government can by no means whatsoever strip a man of his natural rights, by decree, by vote, by any means unless that man has committed some type of criminal offense. The Republic was lost when this central principle was abandoned. We just did not know it. We have been watching the funeral every since.

[@justintempler]

Except that Ayn Rand was an atheist, and rejected a creator. Invoking a creator also invokes his morality that commands you to be your brothers keeper justifying the very theft of those property rights you are trying to defend.

[@justintempler]

***** There you go invoking a creator where there is none. Jesus didn't teach "cheerful" giving,it is your DUTY to take care of others whether you want to take care of them or not. Christianity teaches altruism, aka self sacrifice.You're supposed to give up your life to take care of others, like Jesus did. Silly you, Jews are promoters of Atheism???? Since when? P.S. Jesus was a Jew

[@justintempler]

***** Logic told me there was no creator. Invoking a creator leads to an infinite regress. Who created the creator??? Jesus was a Jew my friend, Enjoy your contradiction.

[@b_wellyn]

you'll never know what is outside what can be known because you can't know what anything can't know. Implying there was more outside what you can't know would imply there's an infinite regress of can't knows aka a paradox

[@brownj2]

Jesse Sewell Your post intrigued me because I am ignorant of the bulk of her ideas. AT first blush, I think it is not unusual for fine grain objectives to be in conflict with course grained objectives. In any society, many people will nearly always have to endure the fact, that specific things are not the way that they desire them. The land to build a freeway system can be taken by law and it can be shown, that this benefits the well being of many more people, than those it harms. From this I presume the conflict rests with the question of whether there is a greater good, than ones own. There probably is sometimes, because inalienable rights (as describe in the us declaration of independence) do not seem to prevent any government from taking personal property. The inalienable rights only address the act of pursuing happiness not necessarily achieving it. Anyways I am sure much brighter folks than me have been parsing this for decades and my statements above might be off the mark a bit, so will read more about it and thanks for your interesting commentary.

[@stevehinnenkamp5625]

One word of admiration must be added. Miss Rand is completely articulate and her interview host, Mike, gives her a run for the money.

[@Bamboozled607]

I like the way she calls out his false dilemma 22:00. Looking at this now seems prophetic.

[@victoriajames7301]

She predicted everything. Wise wise woman.

[@lotus5791]

I am so glad I found out about Ayn Rand. My regret is I didn't know about her at a younger age. She is the very few that can see beyond the illusions of the world we live in and the lies told by our so-called leaders.

[@Itsaboutthewaterlife]

Hey thanks. A very enlightening video. d My friend, we are in big trouble.

[@renascence239]

She's my hero! Thank you for opening our eyes, Ayn!

[@thewanderingamerican5412]

How - how did she do that? Did you ever read Whittaker Chambers or Russell Kirk or William F. Buckley Jr.? No, you didn't. Someone told you about this old ugly witch and here you are worshiping at her large atheist alter sitting under her old dirty black dress. THINK for a minute.

[@danieloverby2958]

Ooh. "Atheist". How scary. And all those ad hominem attacks. That totally invalidates her ideas. And, while I agree with her political views, I'm not even an uber-fan of objectivism in all regards btw.

[@1227norton]

Galactic Vixen I think Mike Wallace should have offered her a cigarette.

[@iurk0_streaming]

It is so entertaining to see her sharp eyes and amused smile at the collectivist arguments she so thoroughly proceeds to shatter with an eloquence and an elegance never before seen, and never again seen in anyone.

[@dek2000utube]

Mike is so locked in to "win-lose" .... he can't GET her at all!

[@amulbobbili3813]

her eyes are very intense,there are no unnecessary words,expressions........ Ayn rand is beautiful..........

[@chriswilson9331]

My favorite book of hers is Anthem. Thanks for posting.

[@swmorgan515]

Great interview. I love the look on her face when he asks a question "how does your morality translate itself into politics?" but then jumps into a speech immediately after asking the question, instead of letting her respond

[@dek2000utube]

If only her respect for psychology and physiology matched her passion and skill in philosophy! Those eyes!!!

[@ShirleyMarieBradby]

As a "selfish person" I do not consider myself to be evil! Why? Because, I know, of course, that I have to interact with others to get what I want or need so I behave in the proper way to satisfy their needs so that I get what I want and since they get what they want too....everyone is happy! However, as a "selfish" person I would not LIE like an altruist and say that I did what I did for YOU....Nope....I did it for ME! Your happiness is just part of the deal! Thank you, Ayn Rand!

[@coletanner5193]

I don't agree with everything she says, but she has great points with regards to welfare, taxes, and several other ideas.

[@Liminein]

Cole Tanner agreed

[@sjkdec18]

It's so impressive how fresh this interview still is. For me, it also means something a bit different on the backdrop of today's technology. With technology, demand in labor will/might always be slack. We all can picture an eventual future where technology/AI could possibly diminish ALL need for labor. From today until that point, I believe people fail to realize that we are on a continuum; and that point where all people need to be employed might now be behind us.

[@Garbo630]

Her eye movements when she speaks are interesting, but I love what she has to say.

[@swanswanson459]

Great interview on both Ayn and Mike.

[@dek2000utube]

"In love ... the currency is virute."

[@phoenixbornagain]

She was magnificent on understanding and standing up for freedom.

[@aerouwid4624]

im died from laughter when i saw that mike had to bring out his crucifix necklace !!!!

[@fwily2580]

It’s a microphone

[@KuritaElite]

I find myself flipping between recognizing and complying with aspects of her arguments, and then arguing with her values at other times. Despite that, I enjoy this dialogue quite a lot...Mike Wallace is an excellent interviewer here! He even lights up a smoke, haha.

[@guitardds]

She says things we are uncomfortable with, yet, the way we often are. She isn't a hypocrite, but rather, brutally honest. Despite the fact we try our best to cloak that honesty in our own lives.

[@MoniqueNR]

I find her scary. My child read her book Atlas Shrugged and abandoned his entire family. We do not even know where he is. He claimed we were not worthy of his love and that he is now a follower of Ayn Rand and that we have no virtue and he does no longer respect any of us. I never expected to lose my child in this manner. It has been a very sad loss for me and his father and respective families. I do feel one needs to be a certain age to read her as if you are in a vulnerable state you could take this to heart and abandon all those who love and care for you and choose a state of objectivism and believe that family love has no value.

[@ShirleyMarieBradby]

Many people want to continue to dream and "sleep" peacefully.....because ignorance is often confused with bliss! Knowing too much shatters the comfortable illusion! What if the "dream" is actually a "nightmare"? What if no one really WANTS to wake up? Yes! There are none more deaf than those who do not want to hear; and none more blind than those who do not want to see!

[@matthewbissonnette4949]

I somewhat agree with the theme Fountain Head; that sometimes ordinary people instinctively rip down visionaries and that if a man creates something and it is a labor of his genius then it is his and he has the right to destroy it if he wants to.

[@dogfacedponysoldier1692]

Thank you for posting

[@thecommish2012]

Genius. Pure genius. She was ahead of her time and timeless at the same time.

[@jordistafford]

Thanks for uploading this interview, it was good but oddly I crave a cigarette now.

[@chalsea9]

In her Book "The Anthem" she corrected many of her aspects. She showed the negative affect of Collectivism and promoted that Individualism was the reason we are really free, but she raised the importance of love. Love might not be completly unsacrifing but it is a good thing because you are not enslaved to anybody.

[@freedomsorator2217]

Actually she against hypocrisy... I love her... great woman.

[@M60gunner1971]

I bet she stinks like an ass.

[@Arrwmkr]

Ironically we know clearly that trying to make yourself happy, as she teaches, results only in unhappiness. Instead fulfilment and it's by product of happiness comes from seeking to aid others.

[@SikMisfits]

She is sharp as a tack, can't shake her.

[@SikMisfits]

CLASSICALFAN100 I know she is gone. And the world is still the same ol' place it was. I'm know you couldn't effectively argue against anything she stated in this interview, so you felt you'd make a disrespectful comment instead. But look, it's okay that you don't quite understand things yet. You will when you continue your research. Hopefully.

[@SamKGrove]

You can ignore reality, but you cannot ignore the consequences of ignoring reality. Ayn Rand

[@gaiasclea6115]

“In love, the currency is virtue.” 🙏🙏🙏

[@emmarose4234]

A few years ago, I was reading a (since deleted) WikiHow article: How to Write "KARL MARX" on Your Underwear. It told you how to, obviously, write "KARL MARX" on your underwear. (The waistband portion, to be exact.) The warnings section read: "If you accidentally write "AYN RAND" on your underwear you will have to burn them." Shame I can't link to it.

[@alexanderthegreatest7742]

Excellent interviewer, to be honest.

[@DANTHETUBEMAN]

inalienable individual rights, everyone should be looking for these today. it must be harder to argue with her point of view today in 2013.

[@robertplatt643]

"Objectivism is still relatively unknown in America..." funny how things never change.

[@traceyglazebrook6252]

these comment threads, from ayn rand interviews, are a treasure trove.

[@dannydiddle]

I'm objectionable. Thank you, Ayn Rand!

[@7777777323]

wow , Id like to see the movie , I cant find it in its entirety ...............peace

[@PlAyInSomeBluez]

With no anti-trust laws, many industries (airline, electric, television) would become monopolized naturally. The idea may seem divine in theory, but I don't see it working in practice.

[@petonovy]

For me is very clear what she is talking about: 1: reason is product of human's brain only - it leads to survival (because it is based on explaining reality and proving natural laws - include laws of human mind) 2: selfishness is orientation of an individual to own ENVIRONMENT - include people worth to trust, to voluntarily share knowledge with and do business with; reason based 3: faith is based on trust in fantasy - which is (even if collective) opposite to reason because it ignores proof

[@riopato2009]

Kind of interesting to see Wallace smoke in an interview discussing collectivism, meanwhile he wouldn't be able to do this at all today because of her warning of collectivism.

[@iagreebut6813]

riopato2009 i see what you did there

[@noelocc777]

Genius.

[@stricklandfan]

They do compete. The price isn't the same at every gas station. I've seen .20 differences at gas stations a mile away from one another (that's $4.00 for 20 gallons). Why do you think some gas stations added convenience stores to selling gas, to attract more customers. I've driven past one station to go to another station just because I wanted something at the store. As far as gas itself, there isn't a free-market in petroleum, it's subsidized and controlled by cartels as well.

[@MrsProdos]

In other words, no one could work out such a philosophy sincerely and mean it? I've read her novels, her essays, her work on epistemology, her "Romantic Manifesto",and her personal journals and letters. From all of that I am convinced that she was no media whore. Her thinking was complex and nuanced, and she examined her ideas right down to the foundation. If anyone ever meant what she said, it's Ayn Rand.

[@Ecite]

Such a shame that she is primarily ignored in the philosophical world. She puts fourth one of the best philosophies (which I happen to fully agree with) in humanity in my opinion. Especially regarding existence and reality.

[@816austin]

I think we should take these values and build a city deep under the water where no one can tell us what to do! I have a feeling it might end badly...

[@justintempler]

"So if i understand this egocentric greed philosphy correctly" You don't understand it correctly, you're not even close.

[@henriquedeoliveira7835]

The standard example are public utilities. It doesn't make sense that each house will be served by three electricity companies, as what can be done by three can be done just as effectively by one. Other examples are industries that are very capital intensive, such as chip makers. In these industries that are large gains of scale, which make them natural monopolies.

[@Paultheguitarist]

"The majority has never been offered a choice between control and freedom" That says it all right there. We're born into the american dream and we stay asleep our whole lives.

[@brigetteturner9091]

And She was Right on Where this Country was Headed!

[@josepherwin8709]

Whereas many of the social assistance programs that are in operation in this country were, in fact, created through legislation, a vast majority of the economic outlay for them has been created and grown through bureaucratic or judicial procedures.

[@PoetlaureateNFDL]

One of Mike's all-time great interviews! Great job. Rand comes across ad a rather cold individual I think.

[@theflyingdutchman2542]

And Jesus never said "one should love another more than oneself" in fact he said the opposite " Man should love another as he loves himself". Rational egoism is compatible with Christ's teachings. If you want to be happy, and you think that is done by being altruistic, then you should do everything in your power to be as altruistic as you can. This requires that you first take care of yourself and your own future, and then care for others.

[@Dillinger86]

basing morality on logic and reason makes more sense than basing it on faith and belief, and any intelligent human being should know that faith and belief is an absence of truth.

[@justintempler]

That's the reason Ayn Rand consistently criticized Anarchist Libertarians.

[@ameerali2435]

Great woman -must have lived for this generation-Thanks u for ur great work Ayn Rand

[@aierser]

4.10 look at her eyes darting around hahahahah i just about spat my drink out :P

[@Ecite]

I believe there are more implications that she doesn't go into detail about behind that quote; however, to be fair I haven't read her philosophy on morals fully yet. But from my perspective, virtues can be logical if they parallel with reality. Logic and morale can be connected. For instance, what makes a good person is having the ability to recognize that his actions affect other living entities around him. I could go into more detail via mail given the character limitation here if you'd like?

[@allanindenver1561]

Separation of state and economics!!! Does that square with the Constitution's allocation to Congress of the power to regulate interstate "commerce"?

[@Iteachu2beninja]

Rand says that there has never been a monopoly without Government intervention. What about John D. Rockefellar?

[@emocuta]

This helps me escape the chaos going on in our pathetic society right now. THANK YOU and long live Ayn Rand.

[@teresas8173]

Esther Mocuta ..... our society is pathetic because of selfishness, greed, and disregard for our fellow citizens. All people deserve love, even those with many flaws. Human beings are social creatures, we need each other. The only possible exceptions might be narcissistic sociopaths that don’t need, give, want, or even deserve love, such as Rand or Trump.

[@emocuta]

Gail Teresa I’ll have to completely disagree with you, but thank you for your input.

[@atlaszevi8822]

gail.... youre delusional. also our society is trash here in the west because our corrupted politicans figured out how to *masquerade Cruel Intentions with acts of Virtue, Open Mindness, and Tolerance, and LOVE* Love can lead to irrational behavior. Hate is limited. i hate our society, for reasons that are utterly different from yours, gail. _hate can be a virtue too_

[@LucisFerre1]

To suggest that causeless love is ligitimate is to sugest just as strongly that causeless hate is ligitimate. When you love someone, you love them for a reason or reasons.

[@yell50]

John Lennon's song Imagine is very much in the way she was thinking

[@PlAyInSomeBluez]

Yes, they would. Look up a natural monopoly, not simply a monopoly. In the case of television, where Dish, Direct TV and Comcast have a decent amount of market power. Entry to that market is so hard due to the barriers involved: sunk costs, gaining customers, and predator pricing from the Big 3 who have bottomless pockets. If it weren't for anti-monopoly laws, surely these firms would either merge horizontally or become OPEC v.2 and simply agree on raising the price for us consumers.

[@j1607760]

Mike dealt with her skillfully. She ducked an dodged his questions like a coward. She essentially says you should only love someone for their virtues. Wallace then points out how her husband mooches off her and she doesn't tell us what virtues he has that justifies this personal welfare. So much for "standards." Then he asks if one person controlling a vital resource should be allowed to coerce the government. She doesn't answer whether they should be or not, she just says they couldn't. -cont

[@dek2000utube]

She does not distinguish between agape love, romantic love, and love as admiration.

[@goldenphoenixpublish]

"His (man's) highest moral purpose is the achievement of his own happiness and that he must not force other people, nor accept their right to force him..." All well and good -- people should not impose on other's nor should they impose on him. However, it might have been a more complete (and sustainable) philosophy had Ayn promoted a life lived in harmony with the natural environment. For humanity DOES impose on the natural world and through such imposition makes it less and less likely that true happiness will be achieved by future generations of humanity -- not to mention other species sharing the planet...

[@farrukh9710]

Man they never do interviews like this anymore. Thinkers are absent from mainstream T.V.

[@nonosh]

His existence is not a myth; but his divinity/mysticism most likely is as mythical as the other Indo-European religious movements/beliefs before Jesus's time. The free exchange of ideas and culture throughout history sourced the comparative characteristics among many ancient religious texts & traditions.

[@justintempler]

Rand's philosophy is based on Aristotle, if that's radical I'm Santa Claus.

[@JeffersonDinedAlone]

Wallace does not have a clue as to what Rand is addressing throughout the entire interview, nor does he have any interest in gaining one.

[@anishaimagesolutions6097]

To the trolls below please read her books before denigrating her for appearing on this dumb show - she is a genius despite your negative comments. Put your money where your mouth is and do something equally better. Gamers take note - she was the real inspiration for the Bioshock Trilogy. Loved the game. According to Rand: My philosophy, Objectivism, holds that: Reality exists as an objective absolute -facts are facts, independent of man’s feelings, wishes, hopes or fears. Reason (the faculty which identifies and integrates the material provided by man’s senses) is man’s only means of perceiving reality, his only source of knowledge, his only guide to action, and his basic means of survival. Man-every man-is an end in himself, not the means to the ends of others. He must exist for his own sake, neither sacrificing himself to others nor sacrificing others to himself. The pursuit of his own rational self-interest and of his own happiness is the highest moral purpose of his life. The ideal political-economic system is laissez-faire capitalism. It is a system where men deal with one another, not as victims and executioners, nor as masters and slaves, but as traders, by free, voluntary exchange to mutual benefit. It is a system where no man may obtain any values from others by resorting to physical force, and no man may initiate the use of physical force against others . The government acts only as a policeman that protects man’s rights; it uses physical force only in retaliation and only against those who initiate its use, such as criminals or foreign invaders. In a system of full capitalism, there should be (but, historically, has not yet been) a complete separation of state and economics, in the same way and for the same reasons as the separation of state and church. (Source: The Ayn Rand Institute, from a short description of Objectivism given in 1962. All preceding hyperlinks link back to the Ayn Rand Institute’s site.) In a nutshell, Rand believed that no human being “owed” any other human being in the world anything, save to be free from the threat of violence from each other, and that every man and woman should be allowed to pursue their own happiness and economic interests without regard to anyone else. Her theories hold many diverse implications for politics and economics, as well as religion, but the creators of BioShock primarily use the game to explore a single question that Rand takes for granted in her fiction and in her philosophy: “What would a society look like if everyone were really only in it for themselves and owed no allegiance to anyone but themselves?” So people actually have a problem with this? What sad worlds you have enslaved yourselves in! Too many talk shows too little intelligence methinks.

[@kurt.wilkinsongardendesign]

seacow1970 who is your genius?

[@Kkramer027]

Bioshock may have been meant to be based off of objectivism but the people who made it must not have known what objectivism is. Bioshock is in all reality a portrayal of anarchism. If it was a society based on objectivism the government would not have let the people infringe on other peoples rights. Murder is punishable by the government in objectivism and in Biohock its not, that is an Anarchist society

[@denekawaful]

I agree and I just want to say I admire people who stand up for the individual. Nothing says communism like those who are closed minded especially with ideas are shared by women...I know this one well. thank you for your intelligent comment.

[@quidnick]

Yeah these ideas have been hammered out and practiced (albeit secretly) through the centuries. She simply added some 'subtle modifications' as you say herself.

[@scribbled309]

As you present the options in multiple choice fashion--no, d is not necessarily the opposite of a. But when she says her morality is based on "reason, not emotion" (her words, not mine) she is implying that the two are at the very least in conflict with one another.

[@charronfamilyconnect]

I think a man can live within his own rationality to pursue his own happiness without infringing on others, and vice versa as long as he separates himself from society. Then Ayn Rands dream can be realized. So I propose that each man have his own designated area to run his own life freely, independately, and outside of the grid of society so that he can no infringe on others etc... How about the Alaskan Wilderness as a starting place where there is still unsettled lands? Do we have any takers?

[@Janaricious]

I think its time the media bring the intellectual wave back and slowly re-educate the US people back to sensibility!

[@blockigiffluffles]

I'm surprised how much of myself I see in Ayn Rand. Even before I discovered the critical factors of objectivism, I felt the same way. It's really a shame that she's no longer around.

[@ceyhun9402]

..."Because you see, I am in love with him selfishly, it is to my own interest to help him if he ever needed it. I wouldn't call that a sacrifice because I take selfish pleasure in it."

[@lourak613]

Wallace gave her a run for her money. She almost faltered a few times under the pressure of his formidable challenges.

[@dek2000utube]

Forced service is an oxymoron!!!

[@wpollock1]

I think her best work is the Fountainhead. I do not agree with her agnostic viewpoint, but I do agree with much of what she says. If the U. S. taxed only for roads, infrastructure and a basic safety net, we all would have a very strong economy. Lets just look at the collectivist economies that show us the wisdom of much of what she states. Pick away at certain small areas of her philosophy, but she has proven right about socialism, communism and where we are headed.

[@wpollock1]

Nice to know....Care?

[@denekawaful]

Ayn Rand isn't the first intellectual to be better at writing and thinking that public interviews and entertainment.

[@justintempler]

When Alan Greenspan was an objectivist in the 60s and 70s he preached against the Federal Reserve and argued it shouldn't exist, that it creates distortions in the market, and creates bubbles etc etc. Alan Greenspan becoming the very thing he preached against and holding the interest rates at below the rate of inflation for 2 years after 911 that caused the crash has absolutely nothing to do with Objectivism. You blame people for what they are, not what they used to be.

[@justintempler]

"..each of us should have his own system of roads, his own hospital, his own airports, his own harbors and so on.." If you get that from her philosophy, it is you who is being ridiculous.

[@sethapex9670]

We love others not for the virtues that they present but so that we may promote those virtues in them. A gardener does not sow and tend seeds because the seeds themselves are good, instead he takes such pains to bring them to what they may become. Truly a man who is absent virtue as well as any capacity for virtue is not worthy of love, he is a truely loathsome and contemptible creature, a branch that produces no fruit and should be pruned. But very few men have such a lack of virtuous potential. In fact, it is generally only those who believe themselves to be entirely virtuous, rightly or wrongly, that lack the potential for improvement, and therefore are unable to be loved. The truth of the matter is that everyone who truly accepts that he could possibly be more virtuous is more worthy of love than he who claims he could not possibly be more virtuous or only claims that he could be more virtuous in order to get such love without any intent of improvement.

[@denekawaful]

Well said!