I like Rand's writings because she gets to the core of the issue. Powerful words that make sense. Is she
perfect? Of course not.
daozen wrote:Capitalism loves Rand's objectivism as she helps justify the system, a selfish system that fails to acknoledge the communal nature of human beings, depends on endless consumption, allows hierarchies to develope a section of people with overwhelming power over others, and has devastating effects on the environment, hence our selves.
How are you defining capitalism, then?
"
Capitalism is a social system based on the recognition of individual rights, including property rights, in which all property is privately owned."
-- A.Rand
The so-called "capitalism" we are experiencing is mixed in with state controls ad nauseum. Our current system gives capitalism a bad name, it is not true
laissez-faire capitalism. Such an animal, we have yet to experience. Heck, we can't even own our own means of exchange i.e. money, without the state getting involved.
Where does a system based on true individual rights disallow people from being social and being benevolent (as I infer from your characterization of man having a "communal nature"), where all actions and agreements between people are voluntary in nature, and those that are not, would not be tolerated. This would, of course, necessitate a certain number of persons in said society to hold a proper rational philosophy to keep any thugs in their place, hence the importance of philosophy.
Now, if by "communal nature", you're saying that the proper social system should be communism/socialism/altruism . . . which all say that man does not exist for his own sake, but for the sake of others. Others have hold over your life. You have a hold over another's life. By what standards? How does one decide what is owed and what can be taken from another? Is this life, or anti-life? Can a system as such be voluntary, and stay voluntary? Once it's not voluntary, then are you saying that the initiation of force is a moral action . . . because . . .why? Because the individual owes his life to the greater good.
Sorry, that doesn't work for me.
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I realize that this is all off-topic.
There being no shortage of writing on this all important subject, and me not being a professor of same, and no end of arguments between the theories of differing social systems, I will now leave you to your own research and thinking on this matter.
Peace.