Ayn Rand's self-contradiction

[Guest guest]

Paddy,

 

Whenever you think that you are facing a

contradiction, check your premises. You will find that

one of them is wrong.

 

--Vince

 

--- Paddy Landau <coach wrote:

> Rand was completely in favour of " selfishness " ,

> which in today's terminology translates to " self-

> interest " . All of her heroes were supposedly

> self-assured and " complete " . Yet all her heroes and

> heroines smoked, which not only numbs feelings but

> also indicates unresolved stress or anxiety.

> This is a contradiction in that the heroes

> specifically were supposed to be mentally healthy

> and filled with the " right " state of mind. All her

> heroines seemed to have a predilection for rape,

> albeit only by the hero. And, of course, her heroes

> were rapists, albeit probably only of the heroines.

> In other words, Rand contradicted her own philosophy

 

> of freedom for the individual.

 

Rev. James Vinson Wingo, DD

" The Huna Rebel "

[Guest guest]

-

Vince said:

> Whenever you think that you are facing a contradiction, check your

> premises. You will find that one of them is wrong.

 

Thank you, Vince, I'll check carefully. In your opinion, which premise or

premises have I got wrong in the example I gave? I have thought hard about

this several times, and clearly I'm seeing the trees, not the forest.

 

Blessings,

 

Paddy

[Guest guest]

Hi Paddy,

 

I was referring primarily to the smoking issue.

 

Linda referred to The Identity Trap, which, in this

case, refers to applying your beliefs and values onto

others or expecting them to have the same ones.

 

Right or wrong … Ayn Rand believed smoking to be GOOD

THING. So, FOR HER, smoking represented power,

self-assuredness, etc. To be contradictory she would

have to “know” the things you say about smoking AND

believe them to be true.

 

It’s kind of like saying Archamedes was contradictory

because he believed the Earth was flat, when EVERYONE

KNOWS the Earth is ROUND.

 

Does that make sense?

 

I don’t have the impression that Rand’s heroines had a

predilection for rape because rape presupposes the use

of FORCE … AND the use of force AGAINST ONE’S WILL. A

predilection for rape is impossible by definition.

 

Thanks for making me pull out a dictionary.

 

I can’t really speak for the sexual proclivities of

Dagny Taggart, et. al. without going back and

re-reading the books.

 

Which might be a good incentive, would it not?

 

Anyway, I had to say, “Whenever you think that you are

facing a contradiction, check your premises. You will

find that one of them is wrong,” because it was such a

key phrase in AS.

 

--Vince

 

PS - Thanks for taking it with the grain of salt with

which it was intended.

 

--- Paddy Landau <coach wrote:

> Thank you, Vince, I'll check carefully. In your

> opinion, which premise or premises have I got wrong

> in the example I gave? I have thought hard about

> this several times, and clearly I'm seeing the

> trees, not the forest.

>

> Blessings,

>

> Paddy

>

[Guest guest]

-

Rev. James Vinson Wingo, DD

> Does that make sense?

 

Yes, thank you, Vince, it certainly does. I have a new viewpoint now that I

shall use in my world.

 

> PS - Thanks for taking it with the grain of salt with which it was

> intended.

 

Actually, it was more " taking it with the idea that I know hardly anything

and I'm willing to learn " !

 

Blessings,

 

Paddy