Dominique

Yes but unfortunately AA's approach is to substitute the psychological dependence on God for the dependence on chemicals, which I suppose is the lesser of two evils, but unfortunately puts struggling people in a terrible position. I don't think they really deal with those Psychological issues, they just *switch hit*.

Also to comment more on the question then on the article: Postmodernism : The world is meaningless? Let's not pretend that art can make meaning then, let's just play with nonsense ... I believe Objectivism would also say it is immoral as evasive and contradictory.

Have you guys seen this article?? I just got it in the Google Alerts. Same old bullshit? I think it seems worse because it's almost favoring, but too much emphasis is placed on what the Branden's said.

Except of course for DT's. Alcohol has some pretty strong withdrawal symptoms. Not as strong as Heroin for sure, but it does have a chemical element which increases with continued or heavy use.

Haha, I know, it's a little of both I think

Is it a digression? I really only understood this of *GOD*. I think a great many "floating abstraction-ist Christian-Deist-Mysticists" might do the same. For rational un-integrated adults, god might mostly mean benevolent universe vs malevolent universe (good vs evil) we aren't given much else as an option. I see this as being evident in the (quote un quote) mandate, that Bush supposedly got in the election in regards to religion. It isn't that America is full of mysticism, but that it is wholly benevolent and optimistic and has no philosophy to integrate this except religion (that is generally known and/or accepted) i.e. a default [EDIT:REALITY] reality.

I would condemn that as quickly as you. That statement is foul and leaves a bad taste in my mouth even having only read it. Objectivity is not easy, but justice is sure. If only objectivity was law...

I agree-Ideally that would be the case.

I have no problem with the death penalty as is, if anything I think we (Americans) are too slow to administer it. However, I am quite certainly horrified by the idea of murdering an innocent man. But for my own edification let me ask this: Is it really better to occasionally release a guilty man (when he is a murderer of innocents) then to indict an innocent man accidentally and sentence him to death? The two seem equally heinous to me. EDIT: Actually the accidentally indicted man has worlds more of a chance at life then do the victims of the occasionally released murderer, and although I have no reference to refer, my impression is that far more of the latter actually occur, and what needs to change is the acknowledgement of objectivity and reality as the guiding points of justice. Of course we are not infalliable, but I see far too much "Who am I to judge or to know" and far too little justice. (and edit for clarity)

I actually did laugh out loud at this one! I think of it like saying there's a man on the moon or Santa at the North Pole or that my stuffed animals came to life when I left the room (as a kid). I think in psychology they'd call it "magical thinking". It's nice sometimes to think that there is something larger out there then the petty day to day problems that occur within existence, but today I think of that as "benevolence" and it is no longer a spooky ghost creature, but a fact of nature. I think this was always my belief, but being raised Catholic and leaving that of my own accord-prior to Objectivism I would have called it *god* or *angels* even though I never believed such entities existed as entities in reality-it was just what I called the *idea*.

I think it's a double edged sword. Intelligent people with no clear philosophy might tend to be *lost* which leads to feelings of depression. They might seek the wrong means to fill this void worsening the depression. They might then find Objectivism, and even become initially more depressed, because they see the error of their ways and the hard work to get back on track. Then they might see that finally they are on the right track, and pull themselves up to succeed. A little personal reflection here? Yeah, you might say so.

Sadly my good friends (the intellectual two) are moral relativists. I try not to bring it up (learned my lesson pretty quick on that one) but now they ask all the time, and when I try to explain what Objectivism has taught me, they say, that's all right-we can agree to disagree right? Which I think is more relativism really, and both of their favorite arguments is: "But who decides what's really true?" and I say"Reality just is, noone decides it, they just decide whether or not to accept it" and they say "But whose reality is the right one" and I say "Reality is objective" and they say "But who knows whose acceptance is real and who's is not" and I say, "Reality allows no contradictions" and they say "But who decides what a contradiction is?" *sigh* Needless to say the relationships have become quite strained, but we've been friends for years so I keep trying to explain. I tell them just to read the books but for some reason they refuse. I think I've biased them by bringing it up right away, I was just so excited with what I had found. It's tough.

What is that supposed to mean ? I'll take it that you mean I'm too brilliant to have been that stumped by it I like these sort of things, I way overthought this one though, and they even warn you not too a million times. I think I wanted it to be harder than it was so I refused to check that option until I had exhausted other possible theories. Silly Silly me It was fun though and now I sent it to all my friends to see how long it takes them.

Haha, I just got it. Took me longer than I like to admit. Does that mean I'm a *Bill Gates*

Here we go again Yes we have an abundance of human dictionaries and spell checkers here see the thread here:

And rightly so, I noticed that

I'll be doing that when I start back in Sept. Entirely on line schooling, but they have video conferences and chat rooms and forums like this I guess. It will be an experience but I'm trying to go in for E-business so I guess it will be good practice. I won't have to worry about absences, that's for sure You can log in whenever is convenient and there's no set class time.

One comment I have on this. I had very good teachers in high school, although I hated them. One teacher was AP govt. and she's a teacher I'll never forget. At that time I wanted to go into politics, but she taught the class like the rules of politics. "Play the game" so to speak. Needless to say I didn't do very well, though I passed (I don't play games) So even though I resented my teachers effect on my GPA, she taught me everything about politics (would you compromise your virtue or your message for the arbitrary whims of the "official") I took two years in Community College (plan to go back next fall) and they taught straight from the book, which after my rigorous high school classes were practically an insult. To me arbitrary attendance rules were so aggravating I actually dropped out (after all, I was putting myself through, and getting A's on everything but attendance). If they were giving quizzes, yeah, I would've made more of a point to go to every class. I mean it's my fault for not sucking it up, but as a working student, I feel my time is valuable, and if I am paying for the classes, it is my decision to go if it is stimulating, as long as I pass their assignments-seems fair to me, but then maybe I've been immature, hence my second upcoming attempt.

Not to keep this going so off topic, but I just had to point out that almost every post in this thread has a typographical error. Indivuduals –Jmeagan Capitolize-B Royce Whose-Gnomer (I’m thinking you mean who is?) Doesnt-Hal (doesn’t) I just thought that was sort of ironic. Feel free to delete this post with the others on this topic if that is the outcome

I remember Mr. Wizard. I always liked that. The Magic Schoolbus is a little newer, but I liked that one also, someone else here mentioned Bill Nye, and I was also a Ducktales and Batman fan. I'm also looking forward to the upcoming movie. It's funny that we liked a lot of the same shows. I couldn't have said my reasons then for sure. I never watched Captain Planet either, I mean I've seen it, but I thought it was boring. I don't watch TV anymore though unless I am hanging out at someone else's house. Too much of it as a kid maybe, it just really turns me off now. My bf though has HD TV so we watch alot of the IMAX specials. I enjoy those.

Politics is a branch of Philosophy. How practical is a branch without any roots? Without even the trunk? Doesn't matter how many people try to call the dead branch a tree, it still isn't going to bear fruit.

First off Toolbox, I think you have awesome quotes I wasn't doing so hot before I picked up Ayn Rand. It re-inspired me and I'm working through a lot of things now with the help of Objectivism. Finally realizing where contradictions stem from, and having the tools to locate and change your premises, is better than any wonder drug. I can honestly say she's changed my whole life. I wouldn't say it cured my depression, I'd say it gave me the tools to cure my own, which I'm in the process of right now.

My take on it was that she was part of the fall out of over regulation imposed since Enron. Not to mention she was a woman and had a double burden of extra media following her every move since she is one of the highest powered women CEO's, so she had alot going against her. Not that it's an excuse, but she wasn't neccessarily incompetant, it could have happened to anyone in her position. I have a brief bit on her at the end of my blog post for today (one of my posts, should be the second one down). As for who is replacing her and where she is headed I'm not sure. I'll look into it though myself probably after the weekend.

I'm attached to my computer. I work online, I play online, and my *family* is on line, so it's kinda like asking how I manage to walk and chew gum Most the time it's no problem, but every now and again I trip over my keyboard. A question for you though. Do you enter many forums this way? Asking what they are talking about and why they make time to do it? Maybe it's a research project on forums in general?

Greetings Adleza! I was very moved by my first experiences with Ayn Rand also (in November). Now I am into her non-fiction, and there is quite a lot to learn This forum has helped me to concretize a couple of things so far, and to pull my head back when I feel it lifting off Nice to meet you, and welcome.