For Show 060, Mosley and Arthur discuss how best to bring Objectivism into the culture and ways that this is currently being done.
In order to influence the culture, one important factor is changing the academia. Presenting Ayn Rand’s ideas in schools is a great way to get young minds to start thinking about philosophy from a perspective that they might not otherwise consider because of the ideas that they have passively accepted. The Ayn Rand Institute influences the academia through various programs such as offering free classroom sets of Ayn Rand’s novels, holding essay contests on those novels, organizing campus clubs, providing talks, etc. (This is a non-exhaustive list.) Also, the Institute runs The Objectivist Academic Center which provides classes that systematically present the philosophy of Objectivism to help train the academics of the future. If you are a student and wish to help change the schools, some things you can do are: try to convince teachers to participate in the free books/essay contest program, start a campus club, and request The Undercurrent for your school.
Another way that the culture can be affected is through the media, bringing Ayn Rand’s ideas to audiences that may not have otherwise heard of them. ARI intellectuals frequently appear on television and radio spots (such as Yaron Brook on the Fox Business Network), release op-eds, and submit letters to the editor. Writing letters to the editor is a great way that anyone can promote Objectivism.
There’s also something else that everyone can (and should) do: live Objectivism. People need to see the unity between theory and practice, so it helps to lead by example. Besides this, there are all sorts of activism by which one can contribute. Diana Hsieh has created a website for Objectivist activism, OList that is worth checking out if you’re interested.
For details on what Ayn Rand had to say on this topic of influencing the culture, see the essay “What Can One Do?” in Philosophy: Who Needs It.
The show ended with a great discussion on the use of the words “selfishness” and “greed” and whether they help or hurt the cause for Objectivism.
We hope to see you next week! (We’re working on a scheduling a debate.)
Younger and newer Objectivists tend to be more optimistic about efforts to spread the philosophy to the masses than older ones. I think this is for two reasons. First, younger Objectivists tend not to appreciate that Objectivism is 50 years old already. It hasn’t exactly taken the world by storm these last 50 years and that creates serious doubts as to whether it will have better luck in the next 50.
Second, newer Objectivists haven’t had much personal experience trying to spread it themselves. It isn’t easy. I’m sure you’ve told your friends and family all about it. Any converts yet?
Objectivism is repulsive to most people. Maybe you guys will succeed in changing their minds.
There’s no doubt that progress, whatever the degree, has been made, continues to be made, and can be made further — and I think that’s worth fighting for, even if the ideal isn’t fully realized in our lifetime. Don’t you?
Also, I do not think that spreading Objectivist ideas is a difficult task because it can be done by any person in a variety of ways, some of which have been described above. It can be as simple as writing a letter to the editor or sharing a book with a friend. You don’t have be a professional philosopher refuting every claim.
In Colorado, we found that by focusing on a specific issue of importance to people (health care), we could really inject our ideas into the debate.
The Freedom and Individual Rights in Medicine (FIRM) is not an Objectivist group, but a an ad hoc group of the type recommended by Ayn Rand in “What Can One Do?” (Philosophy: Who Needs It). The founder Lin Zinser, is an Objectivist, as are several members. Here is what we accomplished in our first year.
http://www.westandfirm.org/blog/2008/02/year-end-results.html