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Re: Teachers critisism of Ayn Rand

Nitroadict — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 16:51:32 GMT

Jon Irenicus:

Rand was not the type to loose her cool, though. Even in her old age, she was very composed even when she went up against monumentally irritating pricks. So fireworks are not what I'd expect.

For this reason alone, I think a Rand vs. Block face-off would've been perfect.

Re: Teachers critisism of Ayn Rand

Jon Irenicus — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 09:57:28 GMT

Rand was not the type to loose her cool, though. Even in her old age, she was very composed even when she went up against monumentally irritating pricks. So fireworks are not what I'd expect.

Re: Teachers critisism of Ayn Rand

Conza88 — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 02:48:59 GMT

I would love to have been able to argue for anarcho-capitalism against Rand...

And then I'd call her a STATIST for not holding REASON as her highest regard and that she was using EMOTIONS instead of logic and reason.

Then I'd sit back and watch the fireworks.

Re: Teachers critisism of Ayn Rand

Eric — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:59:01 GMT

I should also mention he is obsessed with the New York Times. lol

Re: Teachers critisism of Ayn Rand

Nitroadict — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:32:18 GMT

Eric:

My teacher critizied Ayn Rand today by claiming that her ideas of looking out for number one were because of her hatred for the poor.

Ask your teacher if he/she learned their logic from the Ministry of Good Intentions, and if she disagrees with Ayn Rand due to your teachers hatred for the individual who doesn't rely on others to get by?

Further ask if you should hate & be jealous of others who are well off, and that if such jealously is one of your teacher's ultimate goals in life, which may or may not lead to a miserable existence of propagating newspeak & dishonest venom for the purpose of making other's life's miserable?

...yeah, I really hated public schools.

Re: Teachers critisism of Ayn Rand

Knight_of_BAAWA — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:28:10 GMT

Eric:
My teacher critizied Ayn Rand today by claiming that her ideas of looking out for number one were because of her hatred for the poor.

Your teacher used the fallacy of ad hominem, coupled with a strawman.

Ask your teacher this: if Rand looked out for number one because she hated the poor, necessarily having the government help the poor means he hates the rich. Let him know that if he has any problem with that, he's a hypocrite.

Re: Teachers critisism of Ayn Rand

laminustacitus — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 23:50:03 GMT

Eric:
My teacher critizied Ayn Rand today by claiming that her ideas of looking out for number one were because of her hatred for the poor.

Another socialist trying to take down Rand with emotional arguments, and ad homines rather than actually trying to use reason against her.

Re: Teachers critisism of Ayn Rand

Sphairon — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 21:55:24 GMT

Rand had a deep hatred for those who wanted to take by force that which they do not deserve, and those who have been blessed by fortune with great wealth which they do not seem worthy of.

As for the poor, Rand gives countless hints in her books that she admires the "American way" of going from rags to riches; think about Nat Taggart, basically a tramp gone millionaire, or the reverent way she describes the plain and simple, but hard-working people on the railroad, in Rearden's plants or anywhere.

Claiming that "Ayn Rand is against the poor" is comparable to saying that Michelangelo was against the poor because he did not paint pictures that were affordable to them.

Re: Teachers critisism of Ayn Rand

liberty student — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 21:50:33 GMT

Rand had plenty of people of modest means making something amazing of themselves when government got out of their way.

Ask your teacher about Howard Roarke, and how that character fits into his critique of Rand. I'm guessing, he won't even know who Roarke is.

Re: Teachers critisism of Ayn Rand

wombatron — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 21:48:17 GMT

Eric:

My teacher critizied Ayn Rand today by claiming that her ideas of looking out for number one were because of her hatred for the poor.

He claimed that she thought herself a genius and that therefore the rest of the world mediocre was useless.

He seemed to imply that government could help the poor if Rand let them, and that the only reason Rand had a limited government pro freedom standpoint is because of some deep hatred or anger against the poor.

Thoughts?

Your teacher is an idiot. Rand was guilty of lots of things, but hatred of the poor wasn't one of them. Perhaps hatred of the lazy poor clamoring for welfare, but not the poor qua poor.

Teachers critisism of Ayn Rand

Eric — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 21:35:01 GMT

My teacher critizied Ayn Rand today by claiming that her ideas of looking out for number one were because of her hatred for the poor.

He claimed that she thought herself a genius and that therefore the rest of the world mediocre was useless.

He seemed to imply that government could help the poor if Rand let them, and that the only reason Rand had a limited government pro freedom standpoint is because of some deep hatred or anger against the poor.

Thoughts?