Looking to meet Objectivists

[objectiveMan]

Hi there!

I just joined the forum. I am a passionate objectivist and I am looking to meet like minded people here. Such a lovely forum you have.

I live in Finland (a hellish socialist country), but obviously my long term goal is to relocate elsewhere.

[Brant Gaede]

Sweden?

--Brant

just kiddin'

(hellava name got you do)

[syrakusos]

Welcome to Objectivist Living. Unfortunately, you will not find many Objectivists here. Perhaps the term "Objectivish" would be more informative: similar to but different from Objectivism. Some of the frequent contributors explicitly deny any following of Objectivism, except for an affinity for some of Ayn Rand's fiction. Others assert that they are largely in agreement with much of Ayn Rand's non-fiction, but have long since gone off on their own on many subjects and topics and no longer care whether they agree with Ayn Rand (or Leonard Peikoff or David Kelley). My view is that this discussion board is a place of Objectivist culture, but not Objectivist ideology.

Allow me to suggest Objectivism Online and Rebirth of Reason as being more consonant - if not consistent - with the published body of works by Ayn Rand and others.

That said, most of us do know our chapters and verses. If you have a question or want to start a discussion, feel free to jump right in.

As for Finland, it could be worse... Count your blessings... Any country that lets 14-year old children race full-sized cars on ice cannot be all bad.

[Selene]

Finland, you mean the suburb of the Soviet Union?

A...

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Pekka,

Welcome to OL.

Michael

[9thdoctor]

Such a lovely forum you have.

Allow me to suggest Objectivism Online and Rebirth of Reason as being more consonant - if not consistent - with the published body of works by Ayn Rand and others.

Looks like he's already decided this is the place for him. And BTW, weren't you banned from OO?

Finland, you mean the suburb of the Soviet Union?

A...

The Finns fought off the Soviets. Fiercely. If you're going to pick on them, why not for this:

http://news.yahoo.com/finlands-no-good-disappointed-migrants-turn-back-152042061.html

Hundreds of predominantly Iraqi migrants who have travelled through Europe to reach Finland are turning back, saying they don't want to stay in the sparsely-populated country on Europe's northern frontier because it's too cold and boring.

Pekka,

Welcome to OL.

Michael

I don't know about you, but I find the name suspicious. It makes me think of Mike Hunt.

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Dennis,

He sounds like a good kid.

The IP tracks to Finland (to a city called Turku, so he's probably from around there).

I imagine he's looking for girls, too. Girls who know about Ayn Rand.

At his age, God knows I did.

Michael

[9thdoctor]

The IP tracks to Finland (to a city called Turku, so he's probably from around there).

Yeah yeah, and there's a Finnish conductor named Esa-Pekka Salonen and like Ariadne Oliver the fact is I don't know much about Finland. I'll just say that with his first and last name together, if he went to Junior High School in the US, he'd have had it rough.

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Dennis,

Reminds me a little about the awkwardness of the Idaho beauty pageant.

What do you call the beauty queen, Miss Idaho?

Michael

[Selene]

Dennis,

Reminds me a little about the awkwardness of the Idaho beauty pageant.

What do you call the beauty queen, Miss Idaho?

Michael

A groaner and funny...we played a name game in JHS while on the lunch line, always lines with government schools...

Example, "Why did Preston get arrested for rape?"

scroll down.................................

Because Preston Foster!

[Brant Gaede]

Groan

[Wolf DeVoon]

Obviously, humor is not exactly an Objectivist strong suit.

[Selene]

Obviously, humor is not exactly an Objectivist strong suit.

Now now Wolf...

That was Junior High School and reading pre Atlas Shrugged...

A...

[objectiveMan]

Thanks for all the responses.

Welcome to Objectivist Living. Unfortunately, you will not find many Objectivists here. Perhaps the term "Objectivish" would be more informative: similar to but different from Objectivism. Some of the frequent contributors explicitly deny any following of Objectivism, except for an affinity for some of Ayn Rand's fiction. Others assert that they are largely in agreement with much of Ayn Rand's non-fiction, but have long since gone off on their own on many subjects and topics and no longer care whether they agree with Ayn Rand (or Leonard Peikoff or David Kelley). My view is that this discussion board is a place of Objectivist culture, but not Objectivist ideology.

I wouldn't want to limit my dealings to people who meet some strict definition of Objectivism, so that won't be a problem for me. There's a good chance I wouldn't meet that description myself. I am interested in people who agree with the broad principles at least.

It is curious that you find my name so strange. It is a pretty standard name over here.

[Mikee]

Welcome Pekka! I'm an admirer of a couple of your countrymen, Mikko Salo, crossfit champion, I followed his competitions and videos for a few years. So sorry his injuries prevented him from defending his title. He was quite popular over here, I don't know if he was known much in his home country. For some time I've been following Timo Lauttamus on his youtube channel (19Kamau79). What a beast! I particularly like his winter treks around his home. I'm drawn to the stoic and understated nature of the Finnish athletes, possibly because my grandfather was born in Orebro, Sweden, the men that raised me were something like that. I'm looking forward to your posts and point of view.

[objectiveMan]

The Finns fought off the Soviets. Fiercely. If you're going to pick on them, why not for this:

http://news.yahoo.com/finlands-no-good-disappointed-migrants-turn-back-152042061.html

Hundreds of predominantly Iraqi migrants who have travelled through Europe to reach Finland are turning back, saying they don't want to stay in the sparsely-populated country on Europe's northern frontier because it's too cold and boring.

Yeah, this is a huge issue over here. Our treasonous government is opening our borders to the so called "refugees" and putting them on social security with all benefits. We have had some demonstrations against this, in a country where public demonstrations are very rare. But yes, Sweden is even worse than us.

I imagine he's looking for girls, too. Girls who know about Ayn Rand.

At his age, God knows I did.

That would be nice, but I guess there aren't many here since the group of active participants does not appear to be that big.

Welcome Pekka! I'm an admirer of a couple of your countrymen, Mikko Salo, crossfit champion, I followed his competitions and videos for a few years. So sorry his injuries prevented him from defending his title. He was quite popular over here, I don't know if he was known much in his home country. For some time I've been following Timo Lauttamus on his youtube channel (19Kamau79). What a beast! I particularly like his winter treks around his home. I'm drawn to the stoic and understated nature of the Finnish athletes, possibly because my grandfather was born in Orebro, Sweden, the men that raised me were something like that. I'm looking forward to your posts and point of view.

Hi Mikee, thanks for the welcome. I am sorry to say, but I have not heard of these athletes. Interesting stuff though.

[studiodekadent]

Pekka,

This isn't an orthodox Objectivist forum but as a non-orthodox Objectivist, I'm glad to see you here. Welcome.

[objectiveMan]

Pekka,

This isn't an orthodox Objectivist forum but as a non-orthodox Objectivist, I'm glad to see you here. Welcome.

Thaks for the welcome. I look forward to learning what this non-orthodox Objectivism means.

[Wolf DeVoon]

I look forward to learning what this non-orthodox Objectivism means.

Other joints like ObjectivismOnline and ARI, for instance, don't question or explore anything outside the text of Ayn Rand and they treat Objectivism as a "closed system" that can't be rethought or expanded. Other people on this forum, especially the proprietor MSK, would probably explain that differently; I'm only speaking for myself. There is a critical tradition in Latter Day Objectivist circles, notably the "dialectical" hooey (ahem) interpretations peddled by Chris Sciabarra and his scholarly Journal of Ayn Rand Studies cohort.

From a historical perspective, dialectics grasps that any system emerges over time, that it has a past, a present, and a future. Frequently, the dialectical thinker examines the dynamic tensions within a system, the internal conflicts or “contradictions” which require resolution... to alter it fundamentally. [sciabarra, "Dialectics in Rand's Philosophy" in The Russian Radical]

I’m adhering to the old Spanish proverb that says: "Take what you want, and pay for it." I’m taking what I want from Rand’s legacy, and paying for it—by assuming responsibility for my own interpretations and applications. Call me a Randian or a post-Randian or a neo-Objectivist or an advocate of Objectivism 2.0, or even the founder of Sciabarra-ism. But don’t call me an Objectivist... I have never argued that my own innovations on subjects like dialectics or homosexuality are part of Objectivism. [sciabarra, Free Radical, May 28, 2004]

Speaking again for myself, it's my opinion that Miss Rand did very little work in the philosophy of law, where I made an effort to adapt Objectivist metaphysical and epistemological principles (without referencing Objectivist ethics or Lockean natural rights) into certain principles of public justice and due process that emerge organically from the practice of law.

[Selene]

This is a worthy effort.

However, that path will get you shunned by the "effete open-minded anointed and chosen few" over at the "Pious Pope Peikoff the First Tabernacle and Whorehouse."

Still a better path and I am sure ours will cross on that path if we haven't already.

A...

[Guyau]

Welcome to OL, Pekka.

Wolf wrote in #19 that at the site Objectivism Online they “don’t question or explore anything outside the text of Ayn Rand and that they treat Objectivism as a ‘closed system’ that can’t be rethought or expanded.” My own contribution at that site does not fit that mold, and in these last few years I’ve posted there, I’ve interacted with some very thinking (i.e., independent thinking) persons. And I was given my own always-showing Corner there by the proprietors, eyes wide open. That site has far less interest in politics than this one. This one is mostly political in its posting activity, although, as you see from my Corner here, my own main writings here are not.

I have gathered that there are a lot more men than women who are Objectivist or Objectivist-like in their philosophic views. That is the imbalance at these posting sites as well. I’d like to wish you fortune in finding romance. I’m acquainted, over these forty-eight years since I discovered Rand, with many splendid matches such as you seek. I would encourage you to join Facebook for this purpose. You could quickly find Objectivists there, including young and female, perhaps some near you. Also, as it has worked out, there is much friendly discussion of Rand’s ideas there. More in a day, really, than in these posting sites together in a week.

Wolf gave the impression that The Journal of Ayn Rand Studies is about its founding editor’s views, i.e., Chris Sciabarra's views (which were earlier set out in his intellectual biography Ayn Rand: The Russian Radical), specifically his notion of dialectics and his use of it in looking at Rand’s thought. That is incorrect. My own contribution to JARS had nothing to do with that, and about ninety-five percent of the articles that have appeared there have nothing to do with that. They are scholarly articles on all sorts of facets of Rand and her ideas.

Stephen

PS – I’m not an Objectivist. I’ve drawn much value from Rand’s writings for my own philosophy and life. (Including my gay romantic life: two relationships; the first, 22 years [he died]; the second, nearing 20 years and with prospect of many more.) I’m a stickler for accurate representations of philosophies, including representations of Rand’s. I’m friendly towards Leonard Peikoff on the one hand and David Kelley on the other, and with their associated institutions, the Ayn Rand Institute and the Atlas Society. People on sides naturally want you to side. I’ve always declined on this one, and I know folks with views closer to Rand’s than my own are close to Rand's who have also never bought into that (intellectually puffy) split.

[objectiveMan]

Welcome to OL, Pekka.

Wolf wrote in #19 that at the site Objectivism Online they “don’t question or explore anything outside the text of Ayn Rand and that they treat Objectivism as a ‘closed system’ that can’t be rethought or expanded.” My own contribution at that site does not fit that mold, and in these last few years I’ve posted there, I’ve interacted with some very thinking (i.e., independent thinking) persons. And I was given my own always-showing Corner there by the proprietors, eyes wide open. That site has far less interest in politics than this one. This one is mostly political in its posting activity, although, as you see from my Corner here, my own main writings here are not.

I have gathered that there are a lot more men than women who are Objectivist or Objectivist-like in their philosophic views. That is the imbalance at these posting sites as well. I’d like to wish you fortune in finding romance. I’m acquainted, over these forty-eight years since I discovered Rand, with many splendid matches such as you seek. I would encourage you to join Facebook for this purpose. You could quickly find Objectivists there, including young and female, perhaps some near you. Also, as it has worked out, there is much friendly discussion of Rand’s ideas there. More in a day, really, than in these posting sites together in a week.

Wolf gave the impression that The Journal of Ayn Rand Studies is about its founding editor’s views, i.e., Chris Sciabarra's views (which were earlier set out in his intellectual biography Ayn Rand: The Russian Radical), specifically his notion of dialectics and his use of it in looking at Rand’s thought. That is incorrect. My own contribution to JARS had nothing to do with that, and about ninety-five percent of the articles that have appeared there have nothing to do with that. They are scholarly articles on all sorts of facets of Rand and her ideas.

Stephen

PS – I’m not an Objectivist. I’ve drawn much value from Rand’s writings for my own philosophy and life. (Including my gay romantic life: two relationships; the first, 22 years [he died]; the second, nearing 20 years and with prospect of many more.) I’m a stickler for accurate representations of philosophies, including representations of Rand’s. I’m friendly towards Leonard Peikoff on the one hand and David Kelley on the other, and with their associated institutions, the Ayn Rand Institute and the Atlas Society. People on sides naturally want you to side. I’ve always declined on this one, and I know folks with views closer to Rand’s than my own are close to Rand's who have also never bought into that (intellectually puffy) split.

Thank you for the welcome, and for all the information.

[dldelancey]

There are some girls here. Just sayin'.

[objectiveMan]

There are some girls here. Just sayin'.

Hi, nice to meet you.

[Selene]

There are some girls here. Just sayin'.

Hi, nice to meet you.

Now is the time to ask what her sign is...oops...nevermind...