[Stumbling in]

19 hours ago, Repairman said:

Welcome to the Forum, Questor. How much of Ayn Rand's non-fiction have you read? The two novels you sited are excellent, but the broader scope of Objective is not related to stoicism, humanism, nor libertarian politics, although I might understand how someone would make comparisons. I don't know if Ayn Rand ever commented on Thoreau or Gandhi, but she certainly disapproved the transcendentalist and Buddhist schools of thoughts. However, if you have specific questions related to Objectivism, this is the place. And I would strongly urge you to read some of the many non-fiction works, if you have not already.

The only bit of her nonfiction I'm aware of is The Virtue of Selfishness, but I will do some doing and see what else is out there. I have a copy of her letters.   What I took from Thoreau was a belief in self reliance, and a conviction ("On Civil Disobedience") that one  should do what is right, as opposed to what society expects.  Gandhi reinforced those; self-reliance was part of his platform,  and his code of nonviolence made me think about the use of force for the first time.   

11 hours ago, Mindborg said:

Sounds like you think for yourself. All reason leads to the same fundamental ideas. Sure, different ideas must be tested and validated by science, but many things have been tested and demonstrated not to work.

That optimism you talk of is very important. I think too many lose it due to inaction and lack of constant growth. I think internal honesty is essential to keeping that flame alive.

I embraced freethought back in 2006, although the practice took me away from other 'rationalists' who followed the progressive party line on various issues.  Reading The Fountainhead has made me aware of a core problem with that community, as well as others...they are all obsessed with the opinions of others. 

14 hours ago, softwareNerd said:

Welcome to the forum. 

 

Thank you. I must say, the background here is especially pleasing, this image of a city at dawn..

[Stumbling in]

Greetings, all.   I am relatively new to Rand and Objectivism, having read Anthem a couple of years ago and The Fountainhead only the day before yesterday.   I have been progressing toward this area of thought for a few years, after learning to reject state economies in favor of markets, and after developing via Thoreau, Gandhi, and the Stoics a moral code that is virtually identical to the libertarian nonaggression principle. I used to find some meaning in being a "Humanist", but it's been years, and I only mention it here because Rand's book brought back the spirited optimism I used to have before working with the public ground it out of me. But I digress!    Anyhoo,   I'm here to learn more.