I liked Anthem. I read it first, and I was surprised when I started reading TF, because the main character is of such a similar mind and profession...So I'm curious: would it be within the boundaries of objectivism to say that each person has his own views, and the world would be best if each person followed his own calling? This makes a lot of sense to me because of the different needs that different people have (illustrated by MBTI). For instance, I and the other NF's I know value altruism, and this is an important piece of the whole. Scientific advancement is also an important element of humanity, as well as art. We each have our niche, and we all follow and enforce these laws within ourselves. That is my view on the state of things, which could be considered a practical, working objectivism. But I just do not understand why altruism should be cut out of the picture. I will read on this subject someday, but can someone briefly explain this to me?
Then you would lean more toward Libertarianism (hey, you're in good company *coughs*) For a matter of record, Libertarianism encourages altruism, rather than relying on the state.
There are positive foundations of Objectivism in my eyes, but the negatives bear more weight for me.
some random (albeit, illustrative to my negative points) quotes from Objectivim website:
"You cannot say 'I love you' if you cannot say the 'I'," wrote Ayn Rand. According to Objectivism, a person's own life and happiness is the ultimate good. To achieve happiness requires a morality of rational selfishness, one that does not give undeserved rewards to others and that does not ask them for oneself.
"An artwork must therefore be accessible to comprehension at the level of perception. It must be recognizably representative of something. A painting that presents a figure or scene is art. Paint splotches are not. "
"Objectivism holds that there is no greater moral goal than achieving happiness."
'The few times Ayn Rand spoke publicly about homosexuality, her remarks were disparaging. She said that homosexuality is a manifestation of psychological "flaws, corruptions, errors, [and] unfortunate premises" and that it is both "immoral" and "disgusting"'
"Objectivism rejects any notion of the supernatural as incompatible with the objectivity and regularity of nature as identified by reason. There is no credible evidence of miracles, magic, or other supernatural phenomena in nature." (in reference to religion)