| | Would you not agree that the unpopularity of the Ayn Rand Institute is attributable to its worship of the woman instead of appreciation for the ideas espoused by her? I would have hesitated to get such a tattoo for all the same reasons I disagree with the ARI. Objectivism is presented as "true" and since, as Rand herself pointed out, nobody has a monopoly on the truth, it seems unnecessary to promote the woman instead of the truth itself. I feel this is the approach TOC has taken and I appreciate the institution for that.
As for Rand "coming up" with good ideas, I would play the devil's advocate by pointing out that her entire philosophy is based upon Aristotelianism, i.e. Law of identity, excluded middle, all that. Moreover, I have found many of Rand's arguments in Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologica. I have also found a moral defense of laissez faire capitalism in Adam Smith's work. So I question how original many of her ideas really are.
To the extent that Rand "discovered" these earlier ideas, repackaged them, and presented them to a new generation of students, she should be applauded. But honoring "truth" with a tattoo of Ayn Rand borders on idolatry in my opinion.
|
|
