There is a universal catch phrase that resounds deeply in almost every culture around the world—“Follow your dreams.” I’ve seen or heard it during my time in Germany, China, America and Japan. What I find ironic is that this phrase is so often attached to some advertisement or promotion of a product, company or organization; in today’s world, “following your dreams” is marketed within the context of our consumer culture. The sad reality is that the essence of “Follow your dreams,” has been replaced with something more along the lines of “Follow the dreams we create, market and sell to you.” People are still following dreams, but it is highly questionable whether or not these dreams are actually their own.
Recently I started reading Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged, which along with The Fountainhead are among the most well known of her works. In Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand provides through the artistic form of the novel, her philosophy on life. I am by no means an expert on Ayn Rand, but nevertheless there are a few key points to her philosophy that seem obvious when reading through her works. At the core of her philosophy is an unwavering belief in man; as Ayn Rand sees it, the ideal man is one who is selfishly pursuing his own end for himself. She rejects altruism and any kind of collectivist thoughts that put the whole or the group above the individual; according to her ideas outlined in Capitalism: the Unknown Ideal and The Virtue of Selfishness, Rand believes that the advances of mankind have been brought about primarily through the supreme efforts of a few extraordinarily gifted and talented men who, through their completely selfish actions, were able to lift the whole of human society up on their efforts alone. As far as political systems go, capitalism has been the most effective method of allowing the ideal man to thrive.
Whether or not you agree with Rand’s philosophy, it is still very interesting and is worth understanding. What I find most interesting about her philosophy is that there seems to be some truth to it. Advances in technology and thought can be, for the most part, traced back to a few individuals; passionate, hard working and self-absorbed individuals who had a vision and a goal that they wished to see realized in their lifetime. The richest country in the world, the United States of America, was the product of a few men who came together and set forth to create an institution that would (ideally) serve to protect man’s God-given liberties. Newton paved the way for many of the advancements in mechanics that have made the development of inventions such as airplanes and automobiles possible; Thomas Edison’s invention of the incandescent light bulb made it possible to have light all day and all night without fear of it going out; Mozart and Beethoven have, through their music, forever transformed the influence of music on our lives and our souls. History seems to agree with Rand— all the famous events, discoveries and advances can be traced back to a handful of individuals.
If the best of man is to be found in selfish pursuit of our selfish interests then why isn’t everyone getting with the program? Although I’m sure there are a number of possible answers to this question, the most obvious one is—fear. People, for the most part, are afraid of being themselves to the point where most people have no idea who they even are. We are raised from infancy to “fit in” and to behave to the point where we almost forget that we are first and foremost individuals. It is easier to live according to principles and rules set forth by others, by society, by “conventional wisdom,” religion, than it is to live according to principles that have been decided upon and chosen by the self. Modern society is like a sedative drug that produces a mildly comforting and pleasant feeling that most people are easily addicted to. This is especially the case in our modern consumer culture where instant gratification is the prevailing value and principle that motivates all actions. I think that is why I like the Matrix so much, it’s not only entertaining, but it speaks volumes about the reality of the world we live in today.
Actually when I think about it mankind has probably always been this way. Man started out in the world needing the protection and support of societies from nature and this hasn’t really changed although the forces we are seeking protection against when we opt into this “social contract” of modern society has changed over the millenniums. It seems that this ideal man that Rand posits is the result of evolution and the expected trajectory for man. Man started out needing society, but over the course of evolution, man has advanced to the point where societies have become a hindrance to its development.
Before we I go further I want to clarify the term “selfishness” that Rand uses. When Rand uses the word “selfishness” she is referring, I believe, to an objective pursuit of the self and its interests. In our world it seems that this is looked down upon, which makes sense since the world is constructed of societies; logically, a society would not approve of selfishness because it is a direct threat to the preservation and stability of society whose existence relies on the cooperation of individuals.
What would the world look like if everyone was really doing what they were born to do and were who they were really born to be? I think the world would be much richer, safer and healthier for everyone. People would be happier and that happiness would spread like laughter does in a small room of friends. The earth would also stand to benefit in a world where people, who are fully content with their lives, have no need to take or use more than they need. Finally, I think human advancement in every area would improve, because when people are doing what they were born to do and being who they were born to be, forward is the only direction that we can move in.
These are just some thoughts that I’ve been having about ideal living. I realize many of the ideas have not been fleshed out enough but I think the idea at present has value, which is why I’ve decided to post it. I have yet to fully address the challenges that face the 21st Century citizen in trying to live a life that is true to the self. That is my next challenge.
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Tags: Inspiration1 Comment
1 response so far ↓
< ![CDATA[Hey Kev,
Intriguing thoughts. I'm curious, though, as to where you think God fits into this picture of "selfish" living.]]>