  Athens v Sparta
by Peter Cresswell
It is our minds that make us distinctly human. It is our very means of survival, & our chief glory; it is the human mind that is responsible for a Beethoven symphony, a Shakespearean sonnet, an Aristotelian treatise (& the glories of dark ale & red wine). As a bird teaches its young to fly, & a lioness her cubs to hunt, so too must we humans teach our infants to think - to use the mind they are born with. (Read more...)
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 Frank Lloyd Wright
by Peter Cresswell
A remarkable film on this architectural genius ably demonstrates both his genius and his struggle - the reasons for his struggle can be deduced from the commentary, while the visual presentation of the products of his genius is worth the price of admission ten times over! (Read more...)
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Top Five(ish) Films
by Peter Cresswell
Having been asked by the SOLO Headmaster to choose and discuss my top five films while avoiding, for the most part, the obvious Objectivist canon, I have found that to name only five is too difficult, and I herewith protest that to demand five is blatant and unforgivable rationalism. Thus unencumbered by my protestations, I present my top bunch, excluding docos, and in no particular order… (Read more...)
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 Civilisation under siege
by Peter Cresswell
This was a declaration of war - but a declaration by whom, and against what? (Read more...)
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 The Bridge that Couldn’t Be Built
by David C. Adams
They said it could not be done. The strait between San Francisco and the Marin headlands is three miles long and a mile wide, and here the frigid Pacific water rushes violently into the bay, swept above by fog and rarely-ceasing wind. (Read more...)
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 Lux Ex Nihilo
by David C. Adams
Frederick Hart championed what is so viciously scorned today: form, meaning, and an exalted view of man — and offered it to a public starved for such values. His is now the most popular contemporary sculpture in the country, as thousands are moved by what a man pulled to life from stone. Fighting against a tyranny of ugliness and destruction, Frederick Hart created beauty, and won. (Read more...)
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The Ninth
by David C. Adams
Likely you have been touched by its painful beauty, made to stand a little straighter, eyes closed, as that familiar pulse of notes, in their simple phrase, moistens even the hardest eyes. Ah, that's the Ode to Joy! Such simple notes, laughing, exultant, and at once there is nowhere you do not see beauty. And while its melody is with you, your steps ascend to stars. (Read more...)
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 Exterminating Ellsworth
by David C. Adams
If we are to regain our freedom, it is not the politicians or the pressure groups which must ultimately be destroyed, but the life-hating spirit of Ellsworth Toohey. (Read more...)
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Bill Gates: Hero, Coward
by David C. Adams
Is there any hope? The historic antitrust suit against Microsoft is about to resume, and it seems a sure bet that the ill-named Department of Justice will have its way. The ever-eager fist of the state, fed by envy, shall crush a tall poppy for its crime of growing so high so fast. What can we conclude? Such is the dour fate of those who succeed today. Such is the hope for re-establishing the freedom which has enriched the world. Down the dark pit we fall. (Read more...)
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The Rediscovery of Freedom
by David C. Adams
Americans have forgotten the spirit of their Revolution. The memorial statues have chilled to so much icy metal, the stretches of land on which blood was spilled in the name of freedom are now zoned, regulated, and barren. Independence Day celebrations consist of families relieved to be off work, picnicking and watching fireworks, without ever wondering at the connection between the bounty of food on their barbecue and the men who died for liberty. The country's vitality is largely momentum, lasting waves from the explosion of the Industrial Revolution. The great, defiant spirit of a nation has faded to an indefinite fog. (Read more...)
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Reply to Ust
by David C. Adams
I would like to comment on several points made by Dan Ust in his article, "Romanticism: Beyond Rand." (Read more...)
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 Rand Among the "Queers"
by David C. Adams
It is not the statist left which is the natural ally of gays and lesbians — but a philosophy which celebrates individuality, achievement, and joy. Given the chance, the philosophy chosen by this young man — and countless others like him — will be: Objectivism. (Read more...)
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 Credo
by David C. Adams
A poem. (Read more...)
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For Mario Lanza
by David C. Adams
A poem. (Read more...)
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Reality Check
by Lindsay Perigo
The title of my speech tonight is "Reality Check." I want to take stock, to identify fallacies & pointers that have emerged over the years, to give you all something to think about as we carry the battle forward. And carry it forward we must - I for one have no intention of folding the tent. (Read more...)
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The Contested Legacy of Ayn Rand by David Kelley
by Lindsay Perigo
In the end, as Luther admonished in his rebellion against papal authoritarianism, we must all march to our own drum-beat. Sometimes, inevitably, we will bumble, stumble & flail. But help is at hand – The Contested Legacy of Ayn Rand, above caveats notwithstanding, offers many invaluable, powerful, historically significant lamp-lights & warning signs along the way. Incontestably, it will be a proud part of the legacy of David Kelley. (Read more...)
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Singing Solo
by Lindsay Perigo
This is a call to arms, to rebellion; a call to move forward to the next stage of human evolution & step out of the primordial swamp of the cultural status quo. It is an invitation to enlist with SOLO - Sense of Life Objectivists. (Read more...)
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A Personal Statement
by Lindsay Perigo
The IOS was about to become my new employer — David had offered me an exciting new position there which I was due to take up on June 1. (Read more...)
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A Nineties Dropout - An Interview of Lindsay Perigo by Bruce Jesson
by Lindsay Perigo
An interview by me of Lindsay Perigo could possibly have been a cantankerous affair. It would be hard to imagine two people more dissimilar politically. Perigo believes in individualism and capitalism, and is an advocate of Ayn Rand's theory of Objectivism; whereas I am known for my socialism. (Read more...)
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The Fatal Deceit
by Lindsay Perigo
Hayek, a leading contemporary advocate of capitalism, turns out on closer inspection to endorse the fundamental premises of capitalism's enemies. (Read more...)
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The Collapse of the Anti-Mind
by Lindsay Perigo
As the above venerable occasion wore on, so the New York Times reports, Mr Quine was given a second chance. Had he thought of something insightful while his colleagues were opining? He replied, "I really have nothing to add." We should be thankful for that. (Read more...)
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Kelley/Nola/Perigo Debates
by Lindsay Perigo
A debate on whether logic has anything to do with reality. (Read more...)
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Flirting with Friedrich
by Lindsay Perigo
To answer the question, was Nietzsche an individualist?, it is necessary first of all to remind ourselves what individualism is. It is the doctrine that the individual is an end in himself, not a means to the ends of others; that he is sovereign over his own life, and may be constrained only when he threatens the sovereignty of someone else. It is the view that one should live by one's own judgement and respect the right of others to do the same. It upholds the paramountcy of the individual over the group — it treats the individual and his rights as the starting point in all issues. (Read more...)
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Philosophy for Life
by Lindsay Perigo
When I personally disagree with one of my contributors, I usually don't bother to say so. On this occasion, I'm going to make an exception & take issue with Bryan Register (page 36), since the subject is something dear to my heart - philosophy. (Read more...)
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Starship Astronaut the Rational Egoist
by Monart Pon
Starship is the integration of artistry and machinery created by man's science, technology, and philosophy for generating, sustaining, and enhancing the rational, continually growing life that reaches from Earth and Sun to flourish in Free Space, among the stars. (Read more...)
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