James Bond Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 Hi, it's great to be here. I'm curious to know how many other people here are also the only objectivists they know? Or do you maybe have objectivist friends/spouses/children? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randroid Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 Hi, it's great to be here. I'm curious to know how many other people here are also the only objectivists they know? Or do you maybe have objectivist friends/spouses/children? A poll would be good for this. Anyway, lonely objectivist here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chops Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 My wife is as close to an Objectivist as I know, though she has some traits that are non-Objectivist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pokarrin Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 I'm all alone myself, though my sons will be Objectivist if I have any say in the matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 Also alone, but planning to do my best to make reason a part of my newborn son's life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoroneus Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 Not alone. Created 3 Objectivist friends. Or rather they created themselves after reading the material. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckleslord Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 Have 2 Objectivist friends and one that's on the edge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanjavalen Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 (edited) Before I moved to Colorado to be with my fiance (K-Mac, she posts here way more often than I) I was part of the North Texas Objectivist Society (NTOS.) There are be parties twice a month, on average, where 20-35 other people came. Mostly students of Objectivism, tho a few people farther along than that and the occasional curious soul who was not an Objectivist but wanted to know more. Also once a month an after-work get together in Dallas, about 5-10 people usually attended those. Very family-friendly atmosphere as a lot of the attendees were married and a few couples had kids that would tag along (ever play with an Oist-raised kid? They are extra fun!) In Colorado they have FROG - the Front Range Objectivist Group. They are more academically focused (we get together mostly to discuss one of Rand's works) and meet less often, but we have been getting busy stirring up the social events here and its working out well. I can't imagine not living near a bunch of other Objectivists, its a very big value-add to my life. NTOS is really the only thing I miss about Texas, as it had a slightly different character than FROG - and I made a lot of my best friends there. Edited March 10, 2009 by sanjavalen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian0918 Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 I was alone until last weekend when I drove an hour to the nearest Objectivist meetup. I had a blast! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zip Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 The lone Objectivist in the enemy camp of Ottawa, Ontario Canada... They don't have a chance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alfa Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 I'm not sure... I have one friend who introduced me to Objectivism, and he is someone who I admire very much, but I don't know if he fully agrees with the philosophy(never cared to ask him about it, what I know for sure though is that he's the most rational person i've ever met). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pathannarris Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 My parents and brother are both Objectivist leaning, but not true Objectivists as they are christians and believe in god. Other than that, I am working hard to make reason a part of my girlfriends life, but I have no true friends who are Objectivists. I wish I live further east in Texas as the NTOS is pretty organized over there, but I live in El Paso, so no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEgoist Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 My closest friend is at least an Egoist. He is struggling, still, with his belief in a creator/prime mover being. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris.S Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 (edited) The lone Objectivist in the enemy camp of Ottawa, Ontario Canada... They don't have a chance! there's gotta be more in that sink-hole. i'd think military personnel would be easier to sway - i've had some positive chats with my mom (who's posted at CFB Petawawa). i've seen a few others from here in Toronto, just haven't met any. my fiancee is pretty open to being objective, just not Objectivist. she's had a lot of education from York U, and is skeptical about many -isms. Edited March 10, 2009 by Chris.S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-Mac Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 What sanjavalen said! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEgoist Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 What sanjavalen said! That sounds very nice. I would simply love to have people around me to discuss philosophy with besides one person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dianahsieh Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 Unless you live in the middle of nowhere, you can create a thriving Objectivist community in your area. Interest in Ayn Rand's ideas is at an all-time high. Capitalize on that! It's not difficult to get started. Create a web site, set up a mailing list with Google Groups, advertise (e.g. on Objectivist forums, on FaceBook, and with Google ads), and start a once-a-month discussion group for anyone seriously interested studying Objectivism. For a model, see Front Range Objectivism, particularly the "FROG" discussion groups. You might start with an Atlas Shrugged Reading Group at a local library. I'd be happy to spend a half hour on the phone with anyone interested in doing that. Or better yet, since I'm still busy writing my dissertation, you can ask about how to do it here -- or on a NoodleFood Open Thread. If you want it, make it happen! You can do it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-Mac Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 (edited) That sounds very nice. It is very nice and I feel fortunate to have so many Objectivists around me to socialize with and, more importantly, learn from. Not that it compares to face-to-face conversations/social events, but the chat room on this website is a social area, of sorts. The conversation is usually less confrontational and more light-hearted than the forum. Even a more intellectual or philosophical discussion in chat is more productive for me since you can respond and get a response instantly. Edited March 10, 2009 by K-Mac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zip Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 there's gotta be more in that sink-hole. i'd think military personnel would be easier to sway - i've had some positive chats with my mom (who's posted at CFB Petawawa). I was posted to Pet for many moons. Small world i've seen a few others from here in Toronto, just haven't met any. my fiancee is pretty open to being objective, just not Objectivist. she's had a lot of education from York U, and is skeptical about many -isms. LOL, again a small world. My youngest Daughter is going to York. Graphic Design. Definitely not a bleeding heart type artist though. She wants to make money. Makes a Dad proud Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEgoist Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 Unless you live in the middle of nowhere, you can create a thriving Objectivist community in your area. And unfortunately, I DO live in the middle of nowhere. However, I am planning on moving to Buffalo soon and when I enroll in college, I will start trying to develop an Objectivist campus group for UB and perhaps Western NY in general (Since I know of no others). But yeah, as of right now there isn't much of a chance in a small town that is filled with high school dropouts and about 15 churches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nacirema Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 Unless you live in the middle of nowhere, you can create a thriving Objectivist community in your area. Interest in Ayn Rand's ideas is at an all-time high. Capitalize on that! It's not difficult to get started. Create a web site, set up a mailing list with Google Groups, advertise (e.g. on Objectivist forums, on FaceBook, and with Google ads), and start a once-a-month discussion group for anyone seriously interested studying Objectivism. For a model, see Front Range Objectivism, particularly the "FROG" discussion groups. You might start with an Atlas Shrugged Reading Group at a local library. I'd be happy to spend a half hour on the phone with anyone interested in doing that. Or better yet, since I'm still busy writing my dissertation, you can ask about how to do it here -- or on a NoodleFood Open Thread. If you want it, make it happen! You can do it! You know, I've been thinking about starting an Objectivist club and/or paper at my college. With encouragement like this, I just may go ahead and do it next semester. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maximus Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 All alone here, although I'm sure there are more around somewhere. There seems to be a lot of Libertarians and States-Righters, though, and many, many fundy Christians. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tordmor Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 No objectivists in Germany. Not even close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Bond Posted March 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 I'm pretty much alone..I have one friend knows a bit about the philosophy, so I can talk to him. I still wish one mega-rich objectivist would decide to invite objectivists to come and live on his fleet of 400+ yachts. Mobile gulching. I went there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dianahsieh Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 Suppose that you've made reasonable efforts to discover other Objectivists in your area. (And by that, I don't mean that you've just not happened to run across any yet. I do know Objectivists in Germany, for example. I mean that you've actively sought them out -- and come up short.) Then what can you do? Apart from "keep looking," I have two suggestions: (1) Try to introduce potentially interested people to the philosophy. For example, create a free-market, atheist, literature, or philosophy reading group, and include plenty of Ayn Rand. Or create an "Atlas Shrugged Reading Group" for anyone interested in the novel -- perhaps particularly targeting college students who can enter the essay contest. Or ask your friends to read Ayn Rand's novels or essays because you want to discuss them with someone. (That's how my husband was introduced to Ayn Rand.) (2) Do something on the internet to connect Objectivists with your interests, even if they're from far across the globe. You might not be able to go out for a beer together every Wednesday night, but you can become friends. You might also find Objectivists (or potential Objectivists) in your area by such contacts -- provided that you actually advertise where you live. (That's how my husband and I met.) Clearly, some Objectivists need to get over a "woe is me" attitude. They need to stop wishing and expecting that others provide for them. If that's your attitude, then you're acting more like James Taggart than Dagny Taggart. But Galt helps those who help themselves. :-) If you want something from life, go get it! If it's not available for the taking, go make it! Take some responsibility for achieving your values! Have some courage! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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