Gramlich

Yea, I agree with Ryan. The lyrics, perhaps, could be honed a bit, but I found it fairly enjoyable. I would like to hear more.

Is there a cause of a volitional being choosing to either focus or not to focus?

From the context that the paper was handed to the topic poster, I regarded it as a simple smear. I wasn't getting worked up about the fact that 'someone dare question Objectivism.'

Notice that he didn't give you a page of any actual critiques of Objectivism, just a page of statements, ridiculous or not, that are to be regarded, without any further judgment, as false, with the implication that it's the stance of Objectivism, and, to top it off, if you don't answer it, you're "a coward." This is classic argument from intimidation. It's not an appeal to reason, but an appeal to second-handedness. He doesn't want you to judge a statement to be true but to doubt a statement for being uncommon. A common theme is prevalent throughout the whole paper: the destruction of self-esteem. Every sentence might as well have written before it: "Who are you to judge that: ". In fact, all of those sentences are simply a guise to hide one question: "Who are you to think?" Your classmate's goal was to stop you from thinking and to abscond with reality, whether he knows it or not. He's probably quite the burgeoning Toohey. This paper is a scare tactic and is to be treated as such. I would stop talking to the person who handed you this. To read up more on this behavior, get The Virtue of Selfishness by Ayn Rand and read the essay The Argument from Intimidation.

Nudity is something that should be a private, personal thing. It should be shared with those we value and not with strangers. Nudist colonies are more centered around an apathy of the human body and not a reverence of it. They see a hunk of fat and declare it as beautiful as a well toned muscle. They say that all human bodies are beautiful regardless of their caretaking. However, I too had a problem with Diana Hsieh's post, as I took it as a general disgust of the human body. I've wondered at times why I don't just walk around naked in my house, with my roommates around and all, and I've come to the conclusion that they're not worthy of seeing me naked. I simply don't value them enough, and I they wouldn't appreciate my body as I do. A lover on the other hand...

Thank you for your replies, I took the fellowship.

Isn't supporting the Libertarian Party instead of the Democrats/Republicans something of an ad hoc group? I'm simply supporting the free market and individual rights. I would also expect to get more Libertarians to consider Objectivism than Democrats or Republicans, as I was a Libertarian before I was an Objectivist. When I was a Libertarian, I still held some valid ideals, which I attempted to back up with morality/philosophy, but I still had trouble working out my altruistic wrinkles. I was introduced to Objectivism through my interest in philosophy and capitalism, and I know two friends who followed the same path. Although, both of them are still under contruction, as it were. I think backing the Libertarian Party would get the Objectivist message out there better than backing the other parties, as a growing free market/individual right message would expose more people to Ayn Rand.

Me too

I've recently applied and been offered a research fellowship with NASA. This would look good on my resume and I would be getting experience and get $3,000 to boot. I was wondering whether it would be moral to take this research fellowship, and I was wondering what other objectivist's opinions were.

There really aren't enough capitalist or Objectivist T-shirts out there, anything would really be appreciated.