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Nastasya Filippovna

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Did you purposefully or accidentally leave out the points she made as to why she would not want a woman President? I watched that clip the other day, just type in Ayn Rand on feminism on youtube. It's because she does not want a woman in charge of war, and although she didn't mention this, many countries do not respect women in such high leadership positions, which could cause some foreign policy issues. She said she had no other problem with them having leadership positions in any other part of society, including as senators and so forth and that she promotes it even.

I don't know if I've watched that clip or not, probably at some time but that's besides the point. What do you think about Rand's position, if she said it, that a woman shouldn't be in charge of war. You didn't give an opinion, but it seems like you don't have a problem with her opinion.

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Is there a possibility someone who has the article could give us some insight?

Read my reply to Amaroq. The essay isn't very long, compared to others, and I think I summarized her essential point in my second paragraph fairly well; the rest is just my opinion.

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Did you purposefully or accidentally leave out the points she made as to why she would not want a woman President? I watched that clip the other day, just type in Ayn Rand on feminism on youtube. It's because she does not want a woman in charge of war, and although she didn't mention this, many countries do not respect women in such high leadership positions, which could cause some foreign policy issues. She said she had no other problem with them having leadership positions in any other part of society, including as senators and so forth and that she promotes it even.

That is actually the video I watched. Though I watched the whole episode of that show, rather than that one clip.

Rand also said that a woman would be unhappy in such a position.

To quote her directly from the video,

It is not to a woman's personal interest to rule man. It puts her in a very unhappy position. I don't believe that any good woman would want that position.

@RussK

I think you did understand what I was saying, maybe moreso than me, since Rand didn't make it very explicit in the video. I am curious to read this article you mentioned.

I think that there is a difference between the presidency and business leaders. If you're a business leader, there are always other business leaders out there. But as a president, you pretty much do rule over everyone below you. Sure, there may be some admirable men below you in the hierarchy, but they answer your beck and call as long as you two are on the same hierarchy. Besides, surely a more admirable man would have beaten you to the presidency, wouldn't he? If politics is your business and you're at the top, you must be the best politician in America.

If you're at the top of your business, or even in your industry, there's always other businesses or industries in which you can find admirable people of the opposite gender to admire. But in the presidency, where else can you look? Leaders of other countries?

Edited by Amaroq
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I don't think it really matters to me. She believes that on a mental level, women are as capable of any job as men are.

I did find it shocking that she said she wouldn't vote for a female president unless all the other candidates were incompetent, but that's only because she believes it would be unethical for a woman to try to be a Commander in Cheif of the military. She'd be in a position where she wouldn't be happy.

Of course, I don't understand her reasoning for it. I'd be happy if I was the boss of a bunch of burly men =P

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But in the presidency, where else can you look? Leaders of other countries?

If they answered her "beck and call" (in my mind that means always obeying), would they be a person to admire anyway? A hierarchy does not mean less individuality, nor does it mean admiration can only go upwards. A president could literally look anywhere for admiration. That someone reaches the "top" doesn't mean much, it only matters what they do.

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I'd also like to add that, while I've been arguing for and trying to understand Rand's position on female leadership and feminism, Objectivism as a philosophy doesn't (to my knowledge) say anything at all on the issue. As far as I know, Objectivism doesn't say anything gender-specific. So you don't have to agree with what Rand says on the issue. I think that might put the OP's concerns to rest about whether feminism is compatible with Objectivism.

Edited by Amaroq
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That is actually the video I watched. Though I watched the whole episode of that show, rather than that one clip.

Rand also said that a woman would be unhappy in such a position.

To quote her directly from the video,

@RussK

I think you did understand what I was saying, maybe moreso than me, since Rand didn't make it very explicit in the video. I am curious to read this article you mentioned.

I think that there is a difference between the presidency and business leaders. If you're a business leader, there are always other business leaders out there. But as a president, you pretty much do rule over everyone below you. Sure, there may be some admirable men below you in the hierarchy, but they answer your beck and call as long as you two are on the same hierarchy. Besides, surely a more admirable man would have beaten you to the presidency, wouldn't he? If politics is your business and you're at the top, you must be the best politician in America.

If you're at the top of your business, or even in your industry, there's always other businesses or industries in which you can find admirable people of the opposite gender to admire. But in the presidency, where else can you look? Leaders of other countries?

Sorry, I was away from the computer for a week or so. Have you read the article yet? Rand does differentiate between business and President but as mentioned before there are a parallels between the two. Additionally, what about a woman vice-president or one in a lower executive office position? Do they only have people higher than them to admire? This absurdity could also be applied to a woman on the supreme court.

A woman President who couldn't admire the men that she would come in contact with would probably be a woman incapable of doing so anyway.

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Alas, I haven't had a chance to read the article. I don't have The Voice Of Reason. Is the article available to read online?

I believe I was thinking in too constrained a fashion. I think a woman could admire anyone who is of good character, etc. Or should be able to. I'll have to check into that article because I really am curious about how Rand came to the conclusion she did.

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