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re: Hugh Freeze Quote Ayn Rand????
Posted on 2/4/13 at 12:44 pm to oklahogjr
Posted on 2/4/13 at 12:44 pm to oklahogjr
quote:
our economy is suffering from the same things now that atlas shrugged points out. If you can't see that crony capitalism has taken over and is running new ideas into the ground you're blind.
1. Rand was neither the first nor the last person to point out that businesses shouldn't collude w/ each other to the detriment of the consumer. This is a very run of the mill idea that economists of all stripes support.
2. Identification of a problem isn't the same as proposing a solution. And Rand's "solution" - that we should basically eliminate all gov't influence in the economy lest our superiors retire to some remote capitalist Shangri-La and leave us to fight over the scraps - is utterly ridiculous. It's fiction, I know, but so many take it as fact.
2
Posted on 2/4/13 at 1:09 pm to CHSgc
quote:
2. Identification of a problem isn't the same as proposing a solution. And Rand's "solution" - that we should basically eliminate all gov't influence in the economy lest our superiors retire to some remote capitalist Shangri-La and leave us to fight over the scraps - is utterly ridiculous. It's fiction, I know, but so many take it as fact.
Think of it this way, what if instead of them all disappearing to shangri-la of capitalism they start hording their money (which they are already doing to some extent) and stop putting it all back into circulation. It causes real problems because it restricts new entrants into business from getting funds.
Posted on 2/4/13 at 1:19 pm to CHSgc
Thanks for at least making a coherent argument.
While it is true that Objectivism is not as strongly accepted by academics as other philosophies it is hardly the case it is ignored either. UNC, Pitt, and Texas all have supported research on both and the later 2 have tenured profs who are Objectivists. Rating the success of a philosophy by how popular it is with academics is hardly a pure argument. Most philosophy departments are overwhelmingly liberal.
I agree Rand's philosophy is popular with "lay" people (though I fail to see why that is a bad thing, the Philosophy profs I had in school were the ultimate ivory tower elitists that truly seemed to live in their own world). Rand dealt with reality and the human condition and instead of trying to change human nature people should accept it and work with it. People work in their own self interests and are going to be most strongly driven by that.
I also don't think Rand's philosophy is the whole story. Her combining of her philosophy with economic and political theory are what is interesting and rings true. Does Rand go too far in terms of lack of governmental intervention or relying on people operating in their self interest? Maybe, but that's an opinion. It's a worthwhile exercise to learn about different ideas that may conflict with your own.
While it is true that Objectivism is not as strongly accepted by academics as other philosophies it is hardly the case it is ignored either. UNC, Pitt, and Texas all have supported research on both and the later 2 have tenured profs who are Objectivists. Rating the success of a philosophy by how popular it is with academics is hardly a pure argument. Most philosophy departments are overwhelmingly liberal.
I agree Rand's philosophy is popular with "lay" people (though I fail to see why that is a bad thing, the Philosophy profs I had in school were the ultimate ivory tower elitists that truly seemed to live in their own world). Rand dealt with reality and the human condition and instead of trying to change human nature people should accept it and work with it. People work in their own self interests and are going to be most strongly driven by that.
I also don't think Rand's philosophy is the whole story. Her combining of her philosophy with economic and political theory are what is interesting and rings true. Does Rand go too far in terms of lack of governmental intervention or relying on people operating in their self interest? Maybe, but that's an opinion. It's a worthwhile exercise to learn about different ideas that may conflict with your own.
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