Morality chosen by main characters in AS

[konerko14]

?Where did Dagny, Eddie Willers, James Taggart learn their morals from. Im curious about these particular characters because they all grew up together. In the beginning of AS, Ayn Rand wrote about their childhood- how Dagny and Eddie would love doing productive work, have meaningful goals, and they loved Francisco. But then there was Jimmy Taggart, who felt sacrificing yourself to others was the proper way to live, that placing societys needs above your own is correct, and of course he hated Francisco.

?So what made Dagny and Eddie choose such drastically different morals than Jim Taggart, even though they had the same parents(Dagny and Jim did), they had the same environment. I mean, its definitely not unrealistic for brothers and sisters who have these things in common to have very different views on life, ?but would that not suggest that people are prone to accept certain values.

My fraternal twin brother and I grew up in the same house and environment. I read Ayn Rands writings and he read them too. ?After living through the same general events in life and both now being presented to Objectivism, why would I choose rational morals and he not hardly even be persuaded by the book.

[dizm]

I don't think anyone can know for sure.

I could hypothesize that since Dagy was a girl she had more pressure to prove herself early on. This could have led her to have more experiences where she experienced the benefits of productive work and self esteem. Eddie, being her friend, could have picked up the ideas and seen them in action through her. While Jim, being the son and assumed heir of Taggart Transcontinental would grow up with ideas of entitlement and the superficial benefits of social pull.

As far as real life examples go, your environment is much more than your parents and the city you live in. I assume your brother had diffrent friends than you who. And his friends also had other friends and different parents with different beliefs. It will also be affected by the opportunities you have in school, which teachers you had, which girlfriend's you were with, etc.

I know in my own case, nothing from my social or family environment cause me to be drawn to objectivism. Mostly I look at past efforts and results for my confirmation.

Edited November 27, 2006 by dizm

[Cogito]

The choice to focus and reason, perhaps?

[Ragnar69]

Reversing a costly historical error, I declare: "Sum, ergo cogitābo"

I know very little Latin. Does this mean "I am, therefore I think"? If so, I love it.

[Cogito]

I know very little Latin. Does this mean "I am, therefore I think"? If so, I love it.

I am, therefore I'll think. Thanks.

[Flow]

Where they learned their morals may have been omitted on purpose. Morals are something that one person should apply and practice regardless of backgroud/influence. It's up to the individual.