Objectivism is basically narcissistic mental masturbation to prove solipsism. It’s gives plausible sounding rational for the virtue of kicking people in the teeth for ones “rational self-interest”, while pretending you are not kicking them in the teeth – because pursuit of ones “rational self-interest has to be good for them as well. Part and parcel of our cultural stupidity that will, most likely, come to an exciting conclusion, some time in our lives, if you are under 60.
Rand was a grouchy old broad that was pissed that her families business was disrupted by the Russian revolution. In her later years, when she was having surgery for lung cancer, she was more than happy to take social security and complained about the pseudo-science of cigarettes being a carcinogen. Obviously, if there was a “market” for cigarettes and it was her “rational self-interest”, it could not be bad thing. She also praised a serial killer for his complete disregard for others and used him as a model for her protagonists. Gushing that “he did not realize other people around him”, as a virtue. Because, you know, thinking about other people is such a hinderance at achieving a perfect state of “selfishness”.
I think she fits in well with the line of thought going back to Aquinas through Hobbes, Locke and Smith. It’s a long line of mental masturbators.
