#aynrand — Public Fediverse posts

#AynRand’s original introduction to The Virtue of Selfishness is now online--and it directly contradicts most of the claims people make about her #ethics.

If your picture of Rand comes from social media threads, YouTube rants, or second-hand “hot takes,” this is the text that breaks the spell.

Let’s clear out the biggest straw men right away:

• ❌ “Rand said selfishness means hurting people.”


  No. She argues that rational self‑interest forbids coercion, exploitation, and parasitism. Predators aren’t “selfish”—they’re short‑range, self‑destructive, and irrational.

• ❌ “It’s just an excuse to do whatever you want.”


  She draws a hard boundary between whim and #reason. Her ethics demands long‑range thinking, integrity, and principled action — the opposite of impulse.

• ❌ “#Objectivism celebrates cruelty.”


  The introduction explicitly rejects cruelty as irrational. Benevolence is not only compatible with #egoism—it’s a natural expression of a rational, confident person.

• ❌ “Rand denies moral principles.”


  She denies sacrifice as a moral ideal. She does not deny #morality. She argues for a code rooted in reality, reason, and the requirements of human life.

If you want to understand the argument instead of the mythology, read the primary source--it’s short, sharp, and surprisingly accessible.

Read more for context on the full book, editions, and themes.

#philosophy #individualism #reading #nonfiction #ideas #bookstodon

Die bizarre Ideenwelt der Silicon-Valley-Elite

In der ARD Audiothek gibt es eine Reihe Podcasts, die gut recherchiert und tiefgründig erklären, warum und mit welchen Zielen die Tech-Oligarchen gerade tun, was sie tun.

👉 https://kaffeeringe.de/2025/08/29/wie-tickt-big-tech/

#ARD #AynRand #BigTech #Deutschlandfunk #DonaldTrump #EffektiverAltruismus #ElonMusk #Extropianismus #Hörtipp #JeffBezos #Kosmismus #Longtermismus #MarkZuckerberg #PeterThiel #Podcast #Rationalismus #SiliconValley #Singularitätsglaube #TESCREAL #Transhumanismus #USA #Wirtschaft