Monday, July 14, 2008
Selfishness
So, a few years ago Micaela bought a copy of Ayn Rand's defining novel "Atlas Shrugged." I was meaning to read it at that time, but never got around to it. It wasn't until last month when a friend of Micaela's was visiting who had started reading it for a book club. She mentioned that one of the issues in the beginning of the book is centered around oil in Colorado. Well, seeing as I now live in the Carbon Valley of Colorado, and there is a derek in the entry to our housing development, I thought I better get on with reading this book. I did, and I enjoyed it very much. I have since read more about the author herself, which has made it even more interesting. I have just started reading an earlier book of hers entitled "Anthem." Have any of you read her work? Please tell me your thoughts...especially if you understand the title of this blog.
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Ammon,
Please excuse my laziness, but I'm going to include my Goodreads review for Ayn Rand's book, Capitalism. Capitalism is the only one of her books that I've read. (I'm sorry, but this review is kind of lengthy.)
This book is a collection of essays on capitalism. While the book was published in 1986, some essays in the book were written as far back as the 60s. As a compendium of essays can do, without carefully selecting included content, some of the essays seem to stray from the main emphasis of the whole. This seemed to be the case especially in the essay about the Berkely demonstrations. While issues of capitalism were addressed, it didn't have the strong economics emphasis that most of the book had.
Reading this book was an interesting experience, because I really do agree with lots of the Free-Market principles that Rand euphorically proclaims. Rand's main theme of this book is that an absolutely free market is the most fair system, that this system is resistant to failures, such as depressions, and that this system will provide the best outcomes for all. I do agree that, if all members of the society act ethically - no cheating or dishonesty in business (this will NOT happen), then an absolutely free market would produce a "fair" outcome for all members of a society. Of course this "fair" outcome would be the dream for social darwinists that believe that the bright and ambitious should succeed and the dim and lazy should fail. I don't disagree that in some sense this may be "fair", although it is never fair for the child of a failing parent. The child can't fail just for being born to people who've chosen not to make the most of the capitalist system. A "fair" outcome can only result if we all start off on a level playing field. We are wrong if we think that all Americans have the same opportunities. Ask the Native Americans or the African Americans if we all start out with equal opportunities. We are also wrong if we think that we can enslave a race or opress and demean groups of people and expect them to function at the same level as soon as we say we are sorry and that on second thought, maybe it is okay if you learn to read.
One of the things that I most love about America is that America is, or should be, a land of opportunity where any member of society can make something of him/herself by hard work and dedication. I don't think that it is the responsibility of the well-off of society to provide luxuries for those who don't apply themselves, but I do believe that we should provide the infrastructure and programs, such as a good robust education, health care, libraries, and food for the hungry, so that ANY young person can feel that they actually can make it out of their low position in life and that they may be free to dream of a future that they actually have the resources and hope to obtain. Am I my brother's keeper? You bet.
Not only would providing hope and opportunity for all make me feel good personally, but it would have uncounted benefits, such as decreased crime. Will we always win with people we help? No, unfortunately, but perhaps after generations of trying we will pull people from a legacy of failure and implant hope in thier souls. Even if we don't succeed in all our efforts, we all succeed personally/spiritually when we help others.
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