Dictionary
Bob,
You've done very well in presenting Rand's points. I know from experience that
it is very difficult to attempt to explain philosophical concepts to people who
get their philosophy from a Thesaurus.
I might add a quote:
"What is the moral code of altruism? The basic principle of altruism is that
man has no right to exist for his own sake, that service to others is the only
justification of his existendce, and that self-sacrifice is his highest moral
duty, virtue, and value.
"Do not confuse altruism with kindness, good will or respect for the rights of
others. These are not primaries, but consequences, which in fact, altruism
makes impossible. The irreducible primary of altruism, the basic absolute, is
self-sacrifice — which means: the self as a standard of evil, the selfless as
a standard of the good.
"Do not hide behind such superficialities as whether you should or should not
give a dime to a beggar. That is not the issue. The issue is whether you do or
do not have the right to exist without giving him that dime. The issue is
whether you must keep buying your life, dime by dime, from any beggar who might
choose to approach you. The issue is whether the need of others is the first
mortgage on your life and the moral purpose of your existence. The issue is
whether man is to be regarded as a sacrificial animal. Any man of self-esteem
will answer "No." Altrusim says: "Yes."
Ayn Rand — "Faith & Force" in "Philosophy: Who Needs It"
Alec Jason