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Objectivist Symbol?

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LiberTodd

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For a philosophy, yes.The difference is that quotes are a symbol representing something that you already know: they are evocative of the philosophy.

A symbol, especially, has a powerful ability to completely replace the very rich set of ideas that is Objectivism with -- a complete non-understanding of those ideas. I contend that Rand would not have approved of a symbol to "stand for" Objectivism because it would encourage some people to believe that the symbol itself had some importance, and furthermore could have functioned properly only if people already understood the referent of "Objectivism". That is still not the case, and was certainly not the case when she was alive.

Wanted to note the curious similarity here to God and Moses damning the tribes of Isreal to wander the desert for forty years because they erected a false idol of a golden calf to worship. It is curious because Objectivism is not a religion and has no mystic appeals to authority, and yet the similarity remains because the epistemological issue is the same. There is only one way to the truth and any other way is necesssarily false.

There already exists a visual and auditory symbol designating the concept of the philosophical system of Ayn Rand: Objectivism. Making another would be redundant. If Objectivism is just too long and ungainly for some uses, then I would suggest some kind of graphic design playing on the 'O'. Steal from Obama, it would be poetic justice.

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"Ayn Rand's iconic favourite photo."

I dont mean to send someone on an errand for me, but could somebody tell me what her favorite photo was?

And I've always thought that Atlas bearing the weight of the world would be at very least somewhat recognizable.

Hmmm, just I side note I remeber that one of the errands was that Hercules had to hold up the world while Atlas himself did the errand of picking an apple.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have that John Galt shirt. :D

In relation to this thread though, I see far too many people with dollar signs on their jewelry or clothing that are clearly not objectivists. You can be sure that anyone with anything reading "Who is John Galt?" is most likely one of three things:

a) an objectivist,

B) a libertarian :thumbsup:

c) a Ron Paul supporter

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Yes - and Atlas had to be tricked into resuming holding the world, too, for not having to was a great relief... ;)

Not to disparage any one or thing (nor will I allow myself to be disparaged: I've fought; and wone, too many battles and have moved beyond what concerns many here), but we've outgrown the dollar sign. It never really was an official symbol that I recall, more like a brand (if you saw it somewhere, like ERGO or the old New Right Coalition: 1970) you got the message. Like Mopsy, it "just growed".

First, as a monetary identifier, it is limited in reference. It links to a free mind by the concept of free trade which then links to Reason etc... It is the end of a chain, not the beginning.

Second, having it's roots and definition as a monetary identifier. other uses add too it which multiplies the meaning which adds confusion. or rather, more confusion.

Third, it has other cultural meanings outside the economic realm. Therefore it has "baggage" that does not pertain to us.

Fourth, it is not of our own design so it is not unique to us. Corollary to that is that it is not fresh.

Beyond that, capitalism is not the essence of Objectivism, nor is it the end all and be all. It cannot be since it is not an irreducible primary.

Given this, I think it's now time for a logo more than a symbol. I have gotten into the rudiments of its design elsewhere.

Edited by Space Patroller
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Absolutely, the dollar sign. Francisco did raise a huge golden dollar sign in the middle of Galt's Gulch, and Ayn Rand often wore one on her collar.

Unfortunately the dollar sign is closely associated with gangster rappers these days. Curiously enough, they have their own version of "A is A" as well, namely the phrase "It is what it is" -- although when they say it, it implies helplessness. Very fitting, I'm sure.

I purchased this small dollar necklace in titanium steel a while back.

http://www.steel-jewelry.com/product_info....roducts_id=3482

The dollar sign is not a good symbol for Objectivism. The dollar is worthless paper and not as good as gold.

How about a lightbulb? The forbidden Enlightenment... (just kidding!) :)

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The dollar sign is not a good symbol for Objectivism. The dollar is worthless paper and not as good as gold.

How about a lightbulb? The forbidden Enlightenment... (just kidding!) :D

Sorry, you can't use my trademark. (eyes left)

But I do think the lightbulb is iconic of 20th century that Rand loved. But does a lightbulb encompass the gravity of a universal philosophy?

Howabout a circle with an equals sign inside? The circle could stand for "O" meaning Objectivism, as well as the universe or the whole of existence. And the equals sign could stand for identity, which is what a conscious being must grasp and use to live in the universe successfully.

Note: Well that didn't look like I expected. Anyone know how to remove the border?

Also: anyone know a vector graphic file type that I'm allowed to upload? I made this in illustrator, then had to dumb it down to a jpeg because I wasn't allowed to upload a tif.

<*>aj

Edited by aristotlejones
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Here's another attempt. At least it's symmetrical now.

A valid philosophy cleaves the universe at its epistemological joints, hence the sectors of a objectivistic "O". Without a means to separate once existent from another and one concept from another, one is left with an empty "O", or the oft-maligned zero.

The symbol also starts from the center, the individual, the self, and spreads from there. As a free country starts from the protection of the rights of the individual, and thereby freedom spreads throughout that country.

And this symbol is something that anyone can write, just like the christian fish symbol. Two crosses and an "O".

Thots anyone?

<*>aj

Edited by aristotlejones
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Howabout a circle with an equals sign inside? The circle could stand for "O" meaning Objectivism, as well as the universe or the whole of existence. And the equals sign could stand for identity, which is what a conscious being must grasp and use to live in the universe successfully.

Also: anyone know a vector graphic file type that I'm allowed to upload? I made this in illustrator, then had to dumb it down to a jpeg because I wasn't allowed to upload a tif.

I like the circle and its symbolism. It can also be the finite context of knowledge. But the equal sign as a stand in for identity is weak. First, it is simply wrong to think that the Law of Identity can be expressed as A=A, it is A is A. Second, the Law of Identity is does not distinguish Objectivism from other philosophies.

What is essentially Objectivist is the theory of concepts. At the same time as it dissolves the problem of universals, it establishes epistemological unit-economy and creates a hierarchy of knowledge.

A single vertical line in place of the equal sign could be the idea of unit economy, being like a finger and the numeral one, the universal unit. To think and especially to perform an integration is to create "one from the many".

"E Pluribus Unum" makes a great Objectivist latinized slogan, come to think of it.

(p.s. use a gif or png for a bivalue graphic file)

edit

A valid philosophy cleaves the universe at its epistemological joints,

I disagree, a valid philosophy is as noncontradictory and unified as the universe which it is about. The 2 crosses are visually busy, and look like an asterisk. Overall, inside a circle it looks like a wheel with spokes.

Edited by Grames
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I made this one. But I think I remember seeing something like it somewhere.

post-6209-1239280252_thumb.png

It has the A is A for objective reality, the I for individualism the $ for capitalism and the O for objectivism / universe and it is an eye as symbol of reason.

Edit: black on black doesn't look too good, but you should see it if you click on it.

Edited by Tordmor
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I made this one. But I think I remember seeing something like it somewhere.

I do like your design, and it reminds me of the RIC symbol that was sold years ago.

Reason, Individualism, Capitalism wrapped around two people holding a shared dollar sign.

However, I was assuming that any symbol should be fairly simple in design so that it would be recognizable at a distance, and simple to reproduce. (as with the christian fish)

The problem with creating an iconic graphical symbol is that there are already so many out there.

I like the idea of a single line inside an O, as it does speak to the individual, but I was trying to stay closer to the metaphysical - epistemological levels of the philosophy than the political.

>>A valid philosophy cleaves the universe at its epistemological joints,

>I disagree, a valid philosophy is as noncontradictory and unified as the universe which it is about.

Then a philosophy would be a practical impossibility as it would not show us how to distinguish one concept from another by the use of a rational epistemology. Yes, the universe is whole and without joints, but it is not obvious. We create a philosophy, and more specifically, an epistemology, to teach us the aspects of the whole, and when we grasp everything that is knowable, only then is the universe unified in our mind. Are you saying that everything you know and say is noncontradictory and unified, or maybe you still have something to learn about the universe? I sure do. And for that reason, I need a means to separate and categorize and classify and simplify and finally integrate.

>The 2 crosses are visually busy, and look like an asterisk. Overall, inside a circle it looks like a wheel with spokes.

I was going to go with only three lines, but it it looked funny, and it was easier to make two crosses.

And I don't really think it looks like a wheel, as long as the spokes are not too close to the edge of the circle.

Your mileage may vary...

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I made this one. But I think I remember seeing something like it somewhere.

post-6209-1239280252_thumb.png

It has the A is A for objective reality, the I for individualism the $ for capitalism and the O for objectivism / universe and it is an eye as symbol of reason.

Edit: black on black doesn't look too good, but you should see it if you click on it.

That thing looks sinister. It coud work well for the Objectivist secret society. :(

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Yep. I need to make a thread elaborating on the similiarities between the Green Lantern Corps and Objectivism. There ARE similiarities, and they are interesting.

You have my attention. :lol: As for symbols, after thinking for awhile, I really don't think Objectivism needs one. Isn't "Who's John Galt?" iconic enough?

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Just created this. Personally, I had a hard time choosing colors, but I think these are best. That's something that may ring a bell to me quite quickly, as a-may-be-Obama-something as it seems as first:

I'm afraid the crescents on the ends of the bar in the O make me think of Islam. What was your thought in styling the intersection of the bar and the O that way?

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I'm afraid the crescents on the ends of the bar in the O make me think of Islam. What was your thought in styling the intersection of the bar and the O that way?

I just wanted to make the bar, that means "I" and the "O", that means "Objectivism" well connected with each other, meaning non-contradiction and consistency.

I have made a crescent-free version.

Juxtyssymbol2.bmp

Edited by Juxtys
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I just wanted to make the bar, that means "I" and the "O", that means "Objectivism" well connected with each other, meaning non-contradiction and consistency.

I have made a crescent-free version.

I like that much better. The "I" is clearly an "I" without Islamic undertones <_< . What is the purpose of Objectivism having a symbol? Isn't dissemination of Objectivist ideas a necessary prerequisite so that non-Objectivists understand what the symbol represents, or do you think that a symbol would provoke people to understand what ideas it represents? I can't say that the peace symbol or the anarchy symbol have prompted me to further investigate the ideas underpinning them.

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I like that much better. The "I" is clearly an "I" without Islamic undertones <_< . What is the purpose of Objectivism having a symbol? Isn't dissemination of Objectivist ideas a necessary prerequisite so that non-Objectivists understand what the symbol represents, or do you think that a symbol would provoke people to understand what ideas it represents? I can't say that the peace symbol or the anarchy symbol have prompted me to further investigate the ideas underpinning them.

Symbols are very good at drawing peoples attention. I think such a thing would be good to help O'ism win the information war.

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Symbols are very good at drawing peoples attention. I think such a thing would be good to help O'ism win the information war.

Precisely. Also, symbols allow to expressing an idea in the art without propaganda much easier.

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