It has now been 13 months since the Feral Capitalist finished reading Atlas Shrugged, and about 16 months since finishing The Fountainhead. Both of these books inspired me to make significant philosophical changes in my life.
Objectivism comes the closest to my own philosophy of living on earth, but be assured that I am an American Capitalist. There are some ideas I do not agree with when it comes to the more outspoken Objectivist blogs and authors. But that is ok, we are free to disagree, and I don’t need nor require the label of Objectivist. My philosophy is my own, and according to Ayn Rand 'all that matters is a self sufficient ego.'
I have started to read Atlas again. I plan to glean even more from it this time. When I first read it, I most identified with Hank Rearden. I wonder if as I progress through the book if I will begin to identify with Dagny, or d'Anconia, or even Galt more than Rearden this time.
Last night, as I was taking a business final, I watched as scores of upper classmen going into their classrooms with business suits on and preparing their presentations in the hallway and it got me to thinking. How are the overall the tenets of Capitalism taught and supported by faculty? How many presentations are geared toward the James Taggart viewpoint that making money isn’t as important as the social responsibility of business and giving the little guy a chance? Then how many of those are given “A’s” simply because they sound fair as opposed to the hard nose presentations of driven capitalistic students?
My best friend is in Graduate school to earn his MBA and he tells me that the James Taggart viewpoint is quickly snuffed out. Blank out arguments such as “it isn’t fair” is quickly silenced unless that statement is promptly supported by rational thought.
I hope that is the case.
-- Lache, the Feral Capitalist
