Virtue of Selfishness
What does Ayn Rand mean when she describes selfishness as a virtue?
Ayn Rand rejects altruism, the view that self-sacrifice is the moral ideal. She argues that the ultimate moral value, for each human individual, is his or her own well-being. Since selfishness (as she understands it) is serious, rational, principled concern with one’s own well-being, it turns out to be a prerequisite for the attainment of the ultimate moral value. For this reason, Rand believes that selfishness is a virtue.
In the introduction to her collection of essays on ethical philosophy, The Virtue of Selfishness (VOS), Rand writes that the “exact meaning” of selfishness is “concern with one’s own interests” (VOS, vii). In that work, Rand argues that a virtue is an action by which one secures and protects one’s rational values—ultimately, one’s life and happiness. Since a concern with one’s own interests is a character trait that, when translated into action, enables one to achieve and guard one’s own well-being, it follows that selfishness is a virtue. One must manifest a serious concern for one’s own interests if one is to lead a healthy, purposeful, fulfilling life.
Tags: face tattoos, Howard Roark, Jereme Rogers Back, the Atlas Society, the Fountainhead
May 15, 2010 at 7:12 pm |
Who is JR Galt?
May 15, 2010 at 7:29 pm |
JR is the Neil Peart of skating
May 15, 2010 at 8:06 pm |
I love this post. It would also be an interesting post to make a theoretical argument that JR’s personal ethics fall more in line with Satanism as described in Anton La Vey’s The Satanic Bible than they do with Christianity as described in The Non-Satanic Bible. There are lots of sound arguments there.
Perhaps I will write this post. Perhaps I will not.
May 15, 2010 at 11:32 pm |
Someone has to let JR who he speaks on behalf of.
May 15, 2010 at 11:33 pm
Someone has to let JR know who he speaks on behalf of.
May 16, 2010 at 10:22 am |
Oh yes Watson, The Satanic Bible is closer to JR´s back than the Christian ditto..
May 16, 2010 at 1:40 pm |
seems that he’s totally not listening to the recomendations of p-rod
May 16, 2010 at 2:27 pm |
Should have called it Randroid.
Or Repeat.
Or Yes Master.
Or VOS-batum.
May 17, 2010 at 2:26 am |
excellent post
May 17, 2010 at 9:18 pm |
http://chrisnieratko.com/
May 18, 2010 at 10:18 pm |
Wonder how JR is going to resolve the cognitive dissonance caused by Ayn Rand’s disdain for christianity and the weakness of spirit it represents.
What’s the next brainwash he’ll subscribe to? Scientology? Rastafarri?
Actually, republicanism usually follows Randroidism….
May 19, 2010 at 2:11 pm |
Jereme Rogers still rapping, Austyn Gilette’s breakfast?….How about a post on something worthwhile like This Time Tomorrow?
May 19, 2010 at 2:35 pm |
I think JR is actually an alien
May 19, 2010 at 7:21 pm |
[…] off of the Ayn Rand theme here, an old Bill Simmons barstool conversation starter known as “How Much Would You Pay,” […]
May 20, 2010 at 2:36 pm |
enough of this kid already.
June 1, 2010 at 9:40 am |
Wheres an update? c’mon c’mon c’mon already
June 3, 2010 at 8:27 pm |
yeah. duh. what he said ^^^
June 4, 2010 at 12:51 am |
um what they said ^
June 4, 2010 at 4:26 pm |
I’ve been worried, concerned, and anxious. I fear that PL is suffering a personal crisis. I hope it’s not the case. I hope his family is OK.
June 7, 2010 at 5:10 am |
^ what everyone else said
I love this blog and your writing. What’s up?
June 7, 2010 at 5:26 pm |
what they said re the lapse of posts. sending good vibes!
June 7, 2010 at 10:41 pm |
No crisis, between recent travel, intense work-life, home-life, clumsily guiding a major personal financial transaction and err, skating, something (or several somethings) had to give, among them the longwinded ramblings in this blog-space. This situation may or may not persist. Briefly–
-Lucien Clarke has recorded among the best parts of the year in Chris Mulhern’s well-made “This Time Tomorrow.” Much attention to detail in the day-to-night transitions and a slew of this-gen Love Park footage that could really almost be its own little video all by itself, where Ishod Wair would have the last part and everyone does fakie nosegrind b/s 180s out. One question I have though is whether two quick ollies up make a frontside boardslide down a five-stair rail more compelling than it otherwise might be.
-the Element “shoe” video, bizarrely or not, appears to be one of the best outputs of the year footage-wise. The pantherlike Levi Brown works weekends as a skater between bookings as a bodice-ripper cover model.
-The Berrics’ shot at pay-for-play online content somehow devolved from ushering Shane O’Neill into the pro ranks to a kinda weird “SUPPORT SHANE” campaign that smacked of some type of telethon. Nollie b/s heelflip was pretty bananas
-also I was made aware the other day that there is a BATB3 going on, that Eric Koston mercilessly heelflipped the Lutzka out of contention, Chris Cole already won and the stakes are a used cell phone once owned by Colin McKay who appears to be finally aging past his early 20s
-can’t believe it took this long for someone to surreptitiously record JR banging cocaine while rapping alone in the bathroom
-enjoying the economical use of sequence frames in the Stevie Williams DGK ad, also, the phrase “bubble guts” drawn from the Stevie Williams interview in TSM
-saw LRG’s “Chico” and wondered if the shearing of Adelmo JR’s dreads is like um supposed to symbolize the end of an era, ie the repurposing of LRG as a forum for Black-Boxers. Rob G had an “old dudes stand up” moment with the switch noseblunt and Jackson Curtin, still my vote for skateboarding’s best dresser, made the coolest part.
-haven’t seen MFWTCB, wishing this were otherwise
June 8, 2010 at 5:06 am |
Good to hear all’s fine.
Can’t wait to see Lucien’s section in TTT. His style is so good. looking forward to see whatever Palace Skateboards end up putting out.
MFWTCB didn’t blow my mind but then I’ve always somehow never quite got the whole Blueprint love. That being said, Neil Smith steals the show and Brady’s style is as enjoyable as ever. And you’ll be pleased to hear Chewy Cannon still skates even faster than Busenitz.
Talking of Chewy appreciation have you seen this episode?
http://www.dontwatchthat.tv/channel/pwbc/episode/pwbc-40-big-man-ting
In fact every episode of PWBC is amazing. Best skate show that’s ever been done.
June 8, 2010 at 9:35 am |
adelmo didn’t actually shave his dreads. That was Gerwer doing the backside flip dressed as adelmo. they pulled the ol’ switcharoo
June 9, 2010 at 1:22 am |
dude, Pilot Light, seriously, even your reply in this comment thread is great reading (to me at least). I would like to say thanks for your time.
June 9, 2010 at 10:25 pm |
Wait, Gerwer skates? Weird, I thought he gave that up in his deal with the devil to be skateboarding’s Joan Collins.