I blame Ayn Rand for the decline of morality in America and even the mass shootings

[MightyMopar]

The right blames the decline of American morality on the hippies but I make the assertion it is a consequence of this immoral self centered "Objectivist" belief system going mainstream. Check out what Gore Vidal said about Ayn Rand back in 1961.

"Ayn Rand’s “philosophy” is nearly perfect in its immorality, which makes the size of her audience all the more ominous and symptomatic as we enter a curious new phase in our society. Moral values are in flux. The muddy depths are being stirred by new monsters and witches from the deep. Trolls walk the American night. Caesars are stirring in the Forum. There are storm warnings ahead."

Read more: http://www.esquire.com/features/gore-vidal-archive/comment-0761#ixzz23gGoewCl

[handmade34]

1. from the article...

"...She has a great attraction for simple people who are puzzled by organized society, who object to paying taxes, who dislike the “welfare” state, who feel guilt at the thought of the suffering of others but who would like to harden their hearts. For them, she has an enticing prescription: altruism is the root of all evil, self-interest is the only good, and if you’re dumb or incompetent that’s your lookout..."

WOW!

[Tom Ripley]

2. I blame Ayn Rand for the decline of narrative skill

[freshwest]

3. Agree totally. Sociopathy has been unleashed on all of us.

[moondust]

4. I'll bet she's popular on Wall Street.

And in corporate boardrooms. She provides an intellectual excuse for rapacious amoral capitalism that some people will choose to believe is some kind of moral justification. So more financialization of the economy --> more Randian amorality.

Gore Vidal was rightly concerned.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

5. I blame Man in the Moon Marigolds

It is about as rational as anything else Vidal had to say

[MightyMopar]

17. Why don't you think think Gore Vidal is rational?

Ayn Rand has the distinction of being dissed by both Buckley and Vidal.

For those who doubt the mainstreaming of this immoral philosophy, look no further than Senator Rand Paul.

[Angry Dragon]

6. ryan embraces the thoughts of a communist

rand is russian so therefore in the eyes of republicans is a communist

[DissidentVoice]

7. Neil Peart

I first heard of Ayn Rand because I was a huge Rush (the Canadian band, not the radio blowhard) fan as a teenager (still am) and their drummer/lyricist Neil Peart was a big follower of hers, at least in the '70s and '80s.

I read some of her stuff in high school and thought "is this for real?" It was so goofy that even as a 17-year-old I could see it!

Anyone who can write a book entitled "The Virtue Of Selfishness" has no moral compass, as far as I'm concerned.

Her philosophy plays into the stereotypical American "lone wolf" archetype...and the Republicans have succeeded in taking Objectivism and wrapping it in a thin veneer of the Constitution.

[hifiguy]

18. Peart has long since distanced himself from Rand.

Experiencing the kind of personal tragedies he dealt with will bring you back to reality in a hurry.

[DissidentVoice]

19. Yes, he has...

I have his book "Ghost Rider" that details the long motorcycle ride he went on after losing his daughter and wife.

I'm talking about the '70s, the 2112 era. That was how I first heard of Rand.

[safeinOhio]

8. Right-wingers are still looking for a loophole

in the New Testament to make greed a moral concept.

[1-Old-Man]

9. And I'd bet that a lot more people have read 1984 than have read Atlas Shrugged

I honestly doubt that more than abut 1% of the population has ever read a single word that Ayn Rand ever wrote.

[slackmaster]

10. I blame Disco

[Nuclear Unicorn]

11. I blame it on the bassa nova. n/t

[TheUnspeakable]

15. the dance of love!

[TBF]

12. I blame Ayn Rand and the bible -

These are the two texts being used to justify violence against all sorts of folks (worldwide) who do not agree with superior white men who think they are better than everyone else.

[cali]

13. wouldn't it be nice if things were actually this simple?

[Overseas]

14. K&R. Well said.

[raouldukelives]

16. I blame Nietzsche.

That is her inspiration. As well as a few other other less than favorable historical figures.
After they all went down a new messenger was needed. She has given a sanitized face to the movement we crushed so many years ago and which is now rearing it's ugly head here at home.

[Tom Ripley]

20. Yes, but she lacks both Nietzche's writing skill and puckish sense of humor

[flamingdem]

21. Yes, Rand and Reagan, hmm now we have Ryan and Romney .. n/t