Apollo and Dionysus

July 20th, 1969: the date that Man first walked on the moon. What did that event represent philosophically, and how was it viewed by the people of the time? What did the response to Apollo 11 say about our culture, and how is it relevant to us today? Join us in Coeur d'Alene on the anniversary of the first moon landing to discuss Ayn Rand's answer to these questions according to her philosophy of Objectivism - a philosophy for living on Earth.

This month we will discuss Ayn Rand's view of the Apollo 11 moon landing, its philosophic meaning, and its relation to the dominant philosophy of our culture. Our primary reading will be the essay Apollo and Dionysus , which was originally a talk given at Ford Hall Forum. Both audio and text versions may be found at the above link. The essay is also contained in the books The New Left: The Anti-Industrial Revolution as well as its later expanded version, The Return of the Primitive.

Optional supplementary reading: The essay Apollo 11, available through the link and also in the book The Voice of Reason. This essay was Ayn Rand's personal favorite, and contains a wonderful description of the launch of Apollo 11, which she witnessed first-hand at Cape Kennedy. The book also contains the follow-up essay Epitaph for a Culture, describing the end of the Apollo program in 1972 and what it meant.

Whether you have read all of Ayn Rand’s works or none of them, whether you are a beginner or already have an advanced understanding, if you are interested in the impact of ideas on our culture and in your own life, you are welcome to take part in the discussion.

In case you cannot make it to the library, the meeting will also be accessible via Zoom. If you plan to attend via Zoom, please join the meeting a little early so we can make sure everything is working for you.

Zoom Link for July 20th Meeting

The North Idaho Objectivism Society meets monthly in Coeur d'Alene to discuss the works and ideas of Ayn Rand and other Objectivist thinkers. Please connect with us on Meetup.com to be kept informed of future events. Further information may be found here: https://www.meetup.com/north-idaho-objectivism/