Prometheus88

This isn't a debate it's a competition for speed-reading. No way this should be considered logical for a debate. A debate presupposes reason as the standard, not the obfuscation of an argument by speed-reading.

I really like this part of the story. For a man like Roark the Aquitania hotel was like his very own child. He visits the unfinished site like one would visit a grave. “An old watchmen lived in a cubbyhole at the back of the ground floor. He knew Roark and let him wander around. Once, he stopped Roark on the way out and said suddenly; ‘I had a son once – almost. He was born dead.’ Something had made him say that, and he looked at Roark, not quite certain of what he had wanted to say. But Roark smiled, his eyes closed, and his hand covered the old man’s shoulder, like a handshake, and then he walked away.” (Rand, 1943, p. 346)

Why do bad things happen to good people? Because it is only good people who, deliberately, stand in the way of bad things.

I think when he makes the point about oil companies destroying nature, he is being honest. I notice that Joe Rogan retreats when Peter Schiff makes a valid argument. So he tends to jump in and out of "playing" the Devil's Advocate, which shows the weakness of his convictions. That being said it is still note-worthy to listen to Peter Schiff make point after point about economics.

The movie was over about an hour in, the rest was just repeat; sex, drugs, alcohol, sex, drugs, cars, etc. Rehashed screenplay, weak dialogue, and weaker character development. Nothing too grandiose besides the budget. Both Scorsese and DiCaprio have done better. Not to mention the atrocious character of Jonah Hill to bring unnecessary levity to every scene.

I first discovered Rand with The Virtue of Selfishness. It definitely enhanced my own understanding of John Galt's speech in Atlas Shrugged.

Thought i would share this for anyone interested. I don't normally listen to Joe Rogan but i do follow Peter Schiff on the economy. Rogan is the devil's advocate to capitalism in the conversation. http://podcasts.joerogan.net/podcasts/peter-schiff

Seems to me that there is a failure of distinguishing the metaphysical versus the man-made. 'Philosophy: Who needs it?', deals with this topic. What IS determines what OUGHT to be, the basis of choice is determined by the metaphysical nature of the entity involved. The universe does not presuppose choice to exist; it is choice which presuposses nature to be, there is no contradiction; it is only the former (nature) which makes the latter (choice) possible.

"You seek escape from pain. We seek the achievement of happiness. You exist for the sake of avoiding punishment. We exist for the sake of earning rewards. Threats will not make us function; fear is not our incentive. It is not death that we wish to avoid, but life that we wish to live. You, who have lost the concept of the difference, you who claim that fear and joy are incentives of equal power—and secretly add that fear is the more “practical”—you do not wish to live, and only fear of death still holds you to the existence you have damned." ~John Galt Take note that there is a crucial, in fact distinctive, difference in those who seek the avoidance of death as a shameful alternative to living life. Since life is a process of self-sustaining and self-generated action, life then entails certain values which we must achieve in order to survive; remember, life is given to man, survival is not. Furthermore, there can be no values without alternatives; growing crops for yourself could be of no value if the fact of dying were not everpresent. It is only the concept of life which makes the concept of value possible, it is the ultimate end "death" which makes all lesser ends possible. One is not productive without failure, one is not proud without achievement, one is not alive without mortality. Any individual who merely seeks to be the cockroach after a nuclear blast, will find that he never sought to defend the values which were destroyed in that blast, he merely wished to avoid values altogether. Pride is a value which must be earned, only a coward will avoid defending his own value in exchange for safety; only the man will know what it was like to be alive.

Simply hearing any man declare that 'free will is an illusion' begs the question, by what faculty of will are they making such a claim? Fallacy of the stolen concept.

Catches the eye with it's design and color scheme. Coupled with a summation of the event that promotes it. Nice work.

I been struggling with a dilemma as of recently and I always engage myself into a question of fundamental principles to as what the dilemma breaks down to. I realize that in any conflict of my interests I must check my premises without bias (emotions, selfless generosity) but with SELFISH rectitude of what's best for my own sake. In conclusion I tend to find a way to express that in a certain form whether it be speaking to friend or writing it down. Today I came up with this and I felt compelled to share it with everyone for it may provide a short but essential boost of self-esteem to those who may just need the words to their own situation: The day comes like swift wind in the night, Where your thoughts follow a path where it can finally see the coming light, That I realize for MY OWN sake did I certainly do this thing right, Not taking you for granted nor serving as a pinch-hitter in your plight, Where my judgement maneuvered curves and corners pulled tight, To say I am abandoned for my certainty to stand up in these heights, Where I scaled and was not cheated a single second of my life, EGO is MY banner and I ask where is YOURS tonight??

Currently reading his autobiography. The man has a way with words.

The Show by Steve Nunez.rtf I'm 22 years old and going to be attending college this January. Lately I have been interested in writing stories of my own and today I finally gathered my wits enough to compose a story. I realize my work and skill is primitive in it's current stage but I am planning on improving my methods in due time. Check the attachment and I would appreciate feedback. Thank you all

It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.--Aristotle

I'd love to volunteer my support but I'm currently serving in Afghanistan. It's time for Human Virtue to prevail. Japan you got my confidence.

I'm a national guard soldier currently in pre-deployment training at Camp Shelby until November sometime I head to Afghanistan. I signed in late '08 and was in training for 35 continuous weeks. So far of my experience I have not noticed too strict a pressure to any religious teachings or ceremonies. Whenever there were services it was voluntary and during ceremonies such as graduation when the chaplain would do a prayer for the entire brigade and family and we were instructed to bow our heads by command, Myself and several others would not and we never faced repercussion. I wholly agree with the article and I do agree its a grave injustice that those soldiers were punished for their dissidence. I personally would have told my squad leader, 1st Sgt and captain that I wouldn't tolerate compromising my convictions and to gladly face their blatant obstruction of my independence;the very same responsibility of judgement I embraced to sign the 6 yr contract to enlist in this VOLUNTARY army.

It is hard to imagine a law more unjust than one that makes life impossible for the people who make life possible.-- Gary Hull

I was so engrossed into the plot, Leonardo DiCaprio's Character and the effects. Overall the movie was an astonishing achievement for cinema and the complexity of mans mind to have produced such a magnificent movie.

I'll admit I hardly remember the original Karate Kid movie, but the new one I can say is not a bad watch. It has its ups and downs. The 'bad' characters are not much display of anything other than obedience and no mercy-or no justice. I think it portrayed the kid's adversity fairly well-by the end the inspiration sets in and he becomes a sort of self-made hero. The love story is more cute than to be taken seriously with children. The master (Jackie Chan) is a character in struggle to move from his past and finds a route in teaching the kid. I enjoyed the movie.

Heres a podcast that may contain some insight for you: http://www.guerrillaradioshow.com/wp-content/uploads/personal-identity.mp3

I think the issue legally is permissible according to the rights of man, the only contention i would see is from a moral aspect. Id agree with rationalbiker on this, when one resorts to force as a means of settling a conflict then he admits that reason is on the side of his enemy since force and mind are opposites, "morality ends where a gun begins". Why would a rational man give up his highest value - his life- in favor of death or opportunity to claim he has caused the death of a man to prove his point? it seems to me a complete abdication of his character, which is his right but not the means of dealing with one another. No man may initiate the use of force upon others since men are ends in themselves correct? if one is defending ones life - not merely his "honor" - is a different topic, self-defense and insecurity are not interchangable.

Very funny lol