What we’re about
What is Objectivism? Objectivism is the philosophy of Ayn Rand. Here is a brief summary in her own words, courtesy of aynrandlexicon.com:
"My philosophy, Objectivism, holds that:
Reality exists as an objective absolute—facts are facts, independent of man’s feelings, wishes, hopes or fears.
Reason (the faculty which identifies and integrates the material provided by man’s senses) is man’s only means of perceiving reality, his only source of knowledge, his only guide to action, and his basic means of survival.
Man—every man—is an end in himself, not the means to the ends of others. He must exist for his own sake, neither sacrificing himself to others nor sacrificing others to himself. The pursuit of his own rational self-interest and of his own happiness is the highest moral purpose of his life.
The ideal political-economic system is laissez-faire capitalism. It is a system where men deal with one another, not as victims and executioners, nor as masters and slaves, but as traders, by free, voluntary exchange to mutual benefit. It is a system where no man may obtain any values from others by resorting to physical force, and no man may initiate the use of physical force against others. The government acts only as a policeman that protects man’s rights; it uses physical force only in retaliation and only against those who initiate its use, such as criminals or foreign invaders.In a system of full capitalism, there should be (but, historically, has not yet been) a complete separation of state and economics, in the same way and for the same reasons as the separation of state and church."
*********
This group is not intended to be a study group, merely a place to meet other rationally self-interested individuals and socialize in a context where one can say something blatantly obvious (such as, "Positive discrimination is a blatant violation of the right to freedom of contract") without worrying that some altruist halfwit will try to make you apologize for the racism of which they will accuse you.
If you are curious, please don't be put off by any nonsense you've heard about Ayn Rand, she holds the unique honor of being loathed by the socialist left for her capitalism and by the christian right for her atheism, so there is a whole lot of trash talk about her!
