The loneliest people in the world


Melissa-PBRP

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Hi people,

I just decided to seek out some forums like this, because as an Objectivist, I feel like one of the loneliest people in the world right now.

A little background:

I was a 60's liberal up until the early 90's when some things happened to me that got me questioning all that - the original premises that I was brought up on, that government was supposed to make life fair and easy, were shattered for me. I reread "Atlas Shrugged" and gradually started reading more of Rand's works, along with things like "The Sovereign Individual". I had also become involved in an online discussion group in the late 80's, with some libertarians and anarcho-capitalists and had been thinking that over for quite awhile.

So by the late 90's I considered myself a Libertarian, and by about 2006, I'd made the leap of reasoning to consider myself a full fledged Objectivist. This didn't make me any friends - nearly my whole family were liberals. My sister is all that's left of them now, and she still is, and will forever be. We have to avoid politics.

I was a long term fan of Glenn Beck, from when he started on CNN until the end of Fox News, but the more he started pushing religion, the more I felt pushed away, as I suspect many others did too. But I consider him like a "Paul Revere" of our times, because of all that he exposed about the current administration and what I agree are their plans to collapse and globalize the United States. I do not think that Obama is simply incompetent, a bad leader and inexperienced, though I'm sure he's all of that. But I think that's a simplistic naive view of him and his allies and cronies. I think they really are planning to collapse and globalize the United States, and they are serious about it and trying as hard and as fast as they can, to achieve it. As you can see, Obama has assumed many of the powers of a king or emperor already.

I've also been a fan of Freedom Watch, but have gotten discouraged with it lately, as it seems that about all the Judge can do is chronicle how our freedom is being poured down the toilet - essentially watching as our freedom slips away. I think his heart is in the right place and agree with him on most things, though.

But it was the influences of people like Jefferson and Rand, combined with my own experiences and thoughts, that led me to write and publish "The Planetary Bill of Rights Project" earlier this year.

It's just that lately I'm feeling a bit like it was in vain, almost no one in the world will appreciate it - most people are too invested in their forced-collectivist system, and about the only options left to us, are to just watch the world collapse now, as "Atlas Shrugs".

From Colorado,

Melissa Brookstone

Author and Founder of "The Planetary Bill of Rights Project".

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Melissa,

Hopefully enough of the younger generation will discover the rational view of existence offered by Ayn Rand in her works. Science also offers a secular rational view which can counter the religiosity which is so prevalent.

I was hoping for exponential growth of the Objectivist movement. I still hope for exponential growth but now it is of pro freedom advocates such as the Students for Liberty and Young Americans for Liberty which are growing and will likely be open to Rand's ideas as they grow.

Even the Tea Party might be open to reading the works of von Mises, Rothbard, Bastiat, Rand and others as they wake up.

Not to mention the atheist movement which appears to be all over the internet. Notice the works by Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris lately.

In other words the spread of these ideas will be more complicated but ought to continue to appeal to the young, the intelligent, and those open to listening to reason.

You might be lonely but you are not alone.

galtgulch

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Thanks to both of you.

Yes I've tried FRO online, but unfortunately couldn't afford the cost of their get-togethers. They were meeting at some higher end places.

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I would be quite gun shy about this group.

Contact FRO

If you have general questions about Front Range Objectivism, please e-mail the Overall FRO Leader Diana Hsieh. She can be reached at diana@frontrangeobjectivism.com.

FRO was established over 20 years ago by Lin Zinser, now of the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights in Washington, DC. FRO is now managed by a remarkably knowledgeable and dedicated group of Objectivists.

"Discussion is guided by questions prepared by

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Melissa,

Just so you know you are not alone.

I will always be indebted to Whitney Houston. Considering all the obscene garbage that dominates popular music today, I give her a lot of credit for having the courage to record this. I absolutely love this song.

". . .I never found anyone who fulfilled my needs--a lonely place to be, so I learned to depend on me. . .

I decided long ago, never to walk in anyone’s shadow...

If by chance that special place that you’ve been dreaming of, leads you to a lonely place, find your strength in love. . ."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KjpyHX7X-o

(No doubt I will be taken to task for posting this, but that's never stopped me before.)

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Hello Melissa,

I echo the sentiments expressed by the others on this thread that you are not alone. However, if FRO is not affordable for you I would suggest starting your own Objectivist salon. When I became an atheist I started studying Objectivism and have headed an Objectivist salon for a little over 5 years. The experience has been great! Being able to organize events and meetings where you get to meet new and interesting people who are like-minded.

You could be a contrast to FRO and be a little more appealing to people who would like to study the philosophy but, like you, can't afford the cost of attending FRO meetings. If you would like some pointers on how and what to do please let me know. It will take a little bit of money but you can recoup the costs with people helping you out and possibly raise money to fund other projects.

Feel free to message me privately if you would like and I can give you advice on what to do and advise you on how it's done. Being an Objectivist can be lonely but it doesn't have to be that way. You have to make your own social circle and its not hard to do.

Hi people,

I just decided to seek out some forums like this, because as an Objectivist, I feel like one of the loneliest people in the world right now.

A little background:

I was a 60's liberal up until the early 90's when some things happened to me that got me questioning all that - the original premises that I was brought up on, that government was supposed to make life fair and easy, were shattered for me. I reread "Atlas Shrugged" and gradually started reading more of Rand's works, along with things like "The Sovereign Individual". I had also become involved in an online discussion group in the late 80's, with some libertarians and anarcho-capitalists and had been thinking that over for quite awhile.

So by the late 90's I considered myself a Libertarian, and by about 2006, I'd made the leap of reasoning to consider myself a full fledged Objectivist. This didn't make me any friends - nearly my whole family were liberals. My sister is all that's left of them now, and she still is, and will forever be. We have to avoid politics.

I was a long term fan of Glenn Beck, from when he started on CNN until the end of Fox News, but the more he started pushing religion, the more I felt pushed away, as I suspect many others did too. But I consider him like a "Paul Revere" of our times, because of all that he exposed about the current administration and what I agree are their plans to collapse and globalize the United States. I do not think that Obama is simply incompetent, a bad leader and inexperienced, though I'm sure he's all of that. But I think that's a simplistic naive view of him and his allies and cronies. I think they really are planning to collapse and globalize the United States, and they are serious about it and trying as hard and as fast as they can, to achieve it. As you can see, Obama has assumed many of the powers of a king or emperor already.

I've also been a fan of Freedom Watch, but have gotten discouraged with it lately, as it seems that about all the Judge can do is chronicle how our freedom is being poured down the toilet - essentially watching as our freedom slips away. I think his heart is in the right place and agree with him on most things, though.

But it was the influences of people like Jefferson and Rand, combined with my own experiences and thoughts, that led me to write and publish "The Planetary Bill of Rights Project" earlier this year.

It's just that lately I'm feeling a bit like it was in vain, almost no one in the world will appreciate it - most people are too invested in their forced-collectivist system, and about the only options left to us, are to just watch the world collapse now, as "Atlas Shrugs".

From Colorado,

Melissa Brookstone

Author and Founder of "The Planetary Bill of Rights Project".

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I would be quite gun shy about this group.

Contact FRO

If you have general questions about Front Range Objectivism, please e-mail the Overall FRO Leader Diana Hsieh. She can be reached at diana@frontrangeobjectivism.com.

FRO was established over 20 years ago by Lin Zinser, now of the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights in Washington, DC. FRO is now managed by a remarkably knowledgeable and dedicated group of Objectivists.

"Discussion is guided by questions prepared by

Shy about which group?

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Melissa,

Just so you know you are not alone.

Thanks Dennis. I didn't mean alone in the sense that I need anyone to complete me. It's just been pretty depressing, watching my country, freedom and prosperity being flushed down the toilet by forced-collectivism, we have left vs right forced-collectivists bickering with each other, while both being the cause of the problem, most people going around thinking that the "system just needs to be fixed, when the system is the problem, and only about 1% of us know what it would take to decisively save our nation, but are being ridiculed instead by the big government statist types. And yes it feels exactly like something out of "Atlas Shrugged".

Melissa Brookstone

Author and Founder of "The Planetary Bill of Rights Project".

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I would be quite gun shy about this group.

Contact FRO

If you have general questions about Front Range Objectivism, please e-mail the Overall FRO Leader Diana Hsieh. She can be reached at diana@frontrangeobjectivism.com.

FRO was established over 20 years ago by Lin Zinser, now of the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights in Washington, DC. FRO is now managed by a remarkably knowledgeable and dedicated group of Objectivists.

"Discussion is guided by questions prepared by

Shy about which group?

Melissa:

Welcome to OL.

Working with the principle of the fruit from the poison tree, Diana Hsieh being the representative tree, Peikoff and ARI as the root, both groups should be handled with an intellectual and philosophical HAZMAT suit:

220px-FlashSuit.jpg

Out of curiosity, what type of victim's sanction work do you engage in to support this repressive statist administration?

Adam

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Hello Melissa,

I echo the sentiments expressed by the others on this thread that you are not alone. However, if FRO is not affordable for you I would suggest starting your own Objectivist salon. When I became an atheist I started studying Objectivism and have headed an Objectivist salon for a little over 5 years. The experience has been great! Being able to organize events and meetings where you get to meet new and interesting people who are like-minded.

Thanks Mike. Not sure what these "salons" are, but will find out.

We have a little home based business here that's been down by about 60% since Obama took office and started his war on capitalism and attempting as hard and as fast as he can, to collapse and globalize America.

I rather suspect that a lot of people are in the same boat as I am right now.

I have come up with an idea for a new type of auto engine, that might get 15 MPG more, without losing any horsepower, but don't even have the money to patent that right now, it's disgusting. It's the kind of thing that could raise us above the fray, if I can figure out how to get it going. Pondering that.

From Colorado,

Melissa Brookstone

Author and Founder of "The Planetary Bill of Rights Project".

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I would be quite gun shy about this group.

Contact FRO

If you have general questions about Front Range Objectivism, please e-mail the Overall FRO Leader Diana Hsieh. She can be reached at diana@frontrangeobjectivism.com.

FRO was established over 20 years ago by Lin Zinser, now of the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights in Washington, DC. FRO is now managed by a remarkably knowledgeable and dedicated group of Objectivists.

"Discussion is guided by questions prepared by

Shy about which group?

Melissa:

Welcome to OL.

Working with the principle of the fruit from the poison tree, Diana Hsieh being the representative tree, Peikoff and ARI as the root, both groups should be handled with an intellectual and philosophical HAZMAT suit:

220px-FlashSuit.jpg

Out of curiosity, what type of victim's sanction work do you engage in to support this repressive statist administration?

Adam

LOL, what a loaded question that is.

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Sounds like the battle I've occasionally heard about, between the two major Objectivist factions. Haven't gotten into what that's all about, but it seems a bit like the last two Kokopo birds in the world, fighting over which one is the rightest?

Hey everybody, we're verging on extinction - is that really a good idea?

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Melissa's Amazon book link:

http://www.amazon.co...y/dp/1456503588

Yeah, but that's certainly not how I'm supporting myself. It's buried under about 2.5 million other books there, hardly anyone knows it exists, and most people frankly aren't the slightest bit interested, only in how they can fight each other for the most handouts from redistribution of wealth, and the exertion of power and control to tell everyone else how they must live.

I actually developed the book, not only from the influence of Jefferson, but of Rand too. I consider Jefferson the original influence, and think that Rand evolved the philosophy to the next level and this book ( as preliminary and unpolished as it is yet, because of my own present frailties ) is my attempt to evolve it to the next level, and globally.

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So what kind of "birding", Selene? Like flying pigeons?

We have 6 pet birds in the house here, mostly various parrots.

Melissa:

Bird watching.

It also allows me to satisfy my voyeur streak, lol, by giving me cover walking the neighborhood with binoculars! :cool:

Adam

Edited by Selene
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Hi Melissa, I know I'm late to the meet and greet but I want to welcome you to OL. I hope you enjoy our little online community. We are for the most part pretty open to anyone who wishes to explore Objectivism and the ideas of Ayn Rand.

I know how you feel as far as not having people around to share your ideas with. I'm from Chicago which is pretty liberal indeed. I also have a brother that didn't talk to me for nearly 2 years because I posted on my facebook that I was headed to a townhall meeting. Ended up I couldn't even get in the door.

Anyway, I've made some friends in the tea party and admire Glenn Beck and saw him in DC, but as you know, the social conservatism is always there. Restoring honor was like a giant church picnic and everyone was so nice, but had Mike and I outted ourselves as atheists I'm sure people would not have been very friendly towards us. I've been to 2 tea party groups in Chicago and they are like night and day. The first group we attended was pretty far and they chanted babies, guns and Jesus. ugh! The group I go to now meets downtown and welcomes libertarians and all types of people and is more mixed both racially and their political beliefs. We have members from Campaign for Liberty and America's Future Foundation at all the meetings, too, so I feel much more at home there.

You can look at meetup.com for groups related to Rand and other interests and there are some out there. As far as Diana's group, I personally would steer clear of that one just because she spews venom at OL and the Atlas Society. If Lin were still running it, I think it would be fine as she seems to be a very nice woman, although I've only met her in passing.

Over the years I have found that I do not fit comfortably in any group. Not even here, and I own the place... LOL. Everyone is unique and just when you think you've found your happy place, you realize that you are different than the others on a very fundamental level and feel let down again. Happens to me all the time, but just find common ground and build on the good things and you'll be fine.

Kat

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