I read "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand several years ago, calling her philosophy "objectivism". I felt she had some valid points as pertaining to free-enterprise and being upwardly mobile, but as for human relationships and a humane society I thought vile. As a whole I thought extremely flawed and brutal. My conclusions are that of my memory, not a freshly read book...but I think this is pretty close to her views.
Background. Ayn Rand grew up in Russia during the Russian Revolution and following purges under Lenin and later Stalin. She emigrated to the United States prior to WWII. She is, without a doubt, the epitomy of a right winged capitalist; no doubt influenced by her experience with the opposite. She claimed to base much of her philosophy on Aristotle ("prime motivator"), and her slogan was "objectivity".
All persons born into society must stand on their own feet. No one person should be required to support another. Every one person is born with a certain measure of ability expressed in different ways ie, art, science, industry, music, etc. You should use this ability for the benefit of yourself ONLY. By benefit I mean material, namely wealth, the only true measure in her view. There is no shame in being rich if those riches were a result of your ability and effort.
Everyone has different abilities. Example I am good at fixing automobiles, you are good at plumbing. I pay you to fix my toilet, you pay me to fix your car. Even trade. You are good at building airplanes, I am not; so I pay you money I earned though my own efforts and ability for the priviledge of being a passenger. If I am sick, I pay the doctor for his services. If I cannot pay, I do not get treated. If we are both carpenters, and you are better at building cabinets than me, then you deserve to get paid more than me. Who cares if I, the lesser carpenter, starves or not. That is my problem. Survival and prosperity of the more able.
It gets more pure than that...say if you saw a man drowning. You should not go save if if he does not have the ability to repay you. Selflessness is a delusion, there is no such thing. Everyone has a selfish motive. Some have a motive which is the desire to benefit from the efforts of others. These people should be let to starve. Other people have the motive to benefit themselves through their own efforts, and these people should be rewarded. Doing something for another without getting repaid by that person is immoral. If you are born, say, handicapped, then so what. He has no ability to stand on his own or contribute to society, let him starve.
