The Virtue of Selfishness

by Ayn Rand

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1,644 ratings, 3.50 average rating, 107 reviews (more data...)

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2		11%
1		8%

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published

March 2001 by Blackstone Audiobooks (first published November 1st 1964)

details

Audio Cassette

isbn

0786119551 (isbn13: 9780786119554)

description

Ayn Rand here sets forth the moral principles of Objectivism, the philosophy that holds man's life--the life proper to a rational being--as the standa…more

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Sep 26, 2007

Gene Wagendorf III rated it:

(review of isbn 0451163931)

bookshelves: non-fiction

Read in July, 1999

recommends it for: Those with conficts of interest/morality

I didn't really get this book when I first read it, but having read it multiple time since, it's become like a bible. Rand outlines her Objectivist philosophy and explains the concept of rational self-interest. This book will turn you into an asshole once you read it, someone will smack you, you'll read it again, pick up the part everyone misses (about morality being intrinsic, not non-existent) and then you'll live a happier, more whimsical life.

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Mar 18, 2007

jessica rated it:

(review of isbn 0451163931)

This book once meant a lot to me. When I was 15. If anything written by Ayn Rand means a lot to you and you're not going through adolescence, you should be ashamed of yourself. Yeah, I know I sound like a self-righteous douchebag, but seriously. Give me a break.

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Jul 13, 2008

Shea rated it:

(review of isbn 0451163931)

I could write an entire dissertation on the inconsistencies of Rand's philosophy and the arguments she makes, but I'll behave and limit myself to just one criticism: she flagrantly disregards the meaning of the term "ethics" and argues that a purely "selfish" approach (i.e. one that is concerned only with one's self) is not only a rational thing to do, but it is, in fact, an ethical approach to take.

The first part of her argument does make sense if you boil rational...more

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Jun 30, 2008

Ibrahim rated it:

(review of isbn 0451163931)

bookshelves: literature

This woman, Ayn Rand, is more bizarre than bizarre can ever be! Who in the big, wide world would be in his right mind and still write a book to praise selfishness?! As if to be self-centered needs to be praised or called even virtuous! And she calls that philosophy! But with that spirit in which she praises selfishness you will find that a common theme in all of her writings. Look at Emmanuel Levinas,a real philosophers who never ceases to assure us that the "others" are we and for oth...more

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May 15, 2008

Tim rated it:

(review of isbn 0451163931)

Read in January, 1997

Altruism ain't all its cracked up to be.

Although she tends to take things a bit too far, Rand touches on an often overlooked point of life: we are the ones best-equipped to care for ourselves. It is a wonderful and necessary aspect of humanity when we chose to show charity and care for others, but when is it appropriate to sacrifice ourselves for the well-being of another? You would jump into a rushing river to save your child, but would you do the same for an elderly stranger? A you...more

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Jun 16, 2008

Mary.dooms rated it:

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Read in May, 2008

The best thought I embraced from this book was a simple, yet powerful, soundbite: "A plant will not destroy itself, but man will".

Towards the end of the school year, a couple of kids in class had some serious self-destructive behavior--not just your run-of-the-mill, "I didn't do my homework." I dropped math for the day and we had an outstanding class discussion about how a plant will grow around a rock to seek light, and that roots grow deep to seek water--doing e...more

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Apr 12, 2009

Eric_W rated it:

(review of isbn 0451163931)

bookshelves: philosophy

Read in January, 2008

Ayn Rand was not afraid of turning conventional wisdom on its head. For millennia, one of the few ethical principles that prevailed across cultures was the value of altruism, i.e. , giving up your life for the benefit of others. Rubbish, writes Rand.

Rand was as anti-community and pro-individual as anyone I have ever read. Adamantly opposed to coercive state and religious power, she built a philosophy, Objectivism, on rational thinking and reason. She became too dogmatic and rigid for...more

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Apr 10, 2009

Kevin Rogers rated it:

(review of isbn 0451163931)

Ayn Rand was one of the most controversial thinkers--and successful fiction writers--of the 20th Century. Her detractors would claim that there is little to distinguish her fiction from her philosophy: that both are the result of a fantasist's distorted perspective on the world, tainted by an extreme egoism and fueled by some rather profound delusions. Her supporters would claim that it is the world as we know it that is distorted, mostly through the insidious influence of the philosophy of a...more Ayn Rand was one of the most controversial thinkers--and successful fiction writers--of the 20th Century. Her detractors would claim that there is little to distinguish her fiction from her philosophy: that both are the result of a fantasist's distorted perspective on the world, tainted by an extreme egoism and fueled by some rather profound delusions. Her supporters would claim that it is the world as we know it that is distorted, mostly through the insidious influence of the philosophy of altruism, and that Miss Rand's philosophy is the only antidote to a world gone mad and hurtling toward an orgy of self-destruction. (This kind of extreme, polemical speech is fairly common in Randian discourse, no matter which side you are on.) The truth, as in most cases, lies somewhere in the middle.

Miss Rand (as she is always referred to by her followers) was the founder of the philosophy of Objectivism. She presented that philosophy in a series of novels, the culminating magnum opus of which was Atlas Shrugged, a sprawling neo-scifi quasi-futurist melodrama that has become a perennial bestseller since its publication in 1957. (The Fountainhead, which I think is a far superior book from a strictly literary perspective, came out in 1943, and was intended, in her words, to be "a portrayal of the ideal man".) Critics savaged Atlas Shrugged almost immediately, but the public took a kinder view of it, and Miss Rand, after a period of depression caused by the lack of serious consideration of her work in academic circles, founded an organization (now known as The Ayn Rand Institute) to promote her philosophy. That organization published a monthly newsletter throughout the 1960's to explain the philosophy in greater detail; Ayn Rand's contributions (and those of her chosen heir, Nathaniel Branden) were then collected into a series of short books further explaining Objectivism in greater detail. The Virtue of Selfishness is one of those books.

And there is much to admire here. Objectivism is based on the belief that reality is real--"A is A"--and that alone is a welcome change from the gibberish that one often encounters in the more esoteric philosophical discussions. The problem is that Miss Rand believes that in life, regardless of the circumstances, A is always A, and it is her "A" which is the correct one. (There is a famous exchange she had during a Q & A on an episode of the Phil Donahue Show, where a guest asked her if she thought she was perfect. "In terms of adhering to my philosophy at all times," she said, "yes, I am." The crowd exploded in hoots of derision. She just laughed at them. And this was in the Felt Forum in Madison Square Garden, with an attendance in the thousands. Say what you will, the woman had guts.) And that's a crucial flaw in the philosophy: to use logic to always come up with the right answer, as though life were a math problem, one must always have all the facts--all the inputs--and in life that is rarely the case. Most of the time we spend in doubt, trying to guess what "A" really is, or going forward on the basis of our experience and intuition. Miss Rand would call this mysticism; most other people would call it "life".

There is a distinct lack of humor and compassion here, as well. Neither of those values have a place in Objectivism, because the standard in Objectivism is always the same: rational self-interest. Everything in Objectivism is self-referential; how one feels about--or what one does for--another individual is based solely on that individual's place in one's own hierarchy of values. It is anathema to the Objectivist to suggest that there is a moral obligation to help someone in, say, a foreign country, even if the means are available to do so. And it is certainly immoral to suggest that society as a whole (meaning, of course, government) has a moral obligation to provide a social safety net for those who have been born ill-equipped to face the challenges of living in a modern society, or into familial or social circumstances which render it nearly impossible to develop into fully contributory citizens. Perhaps worst of all, though, is the idea that any sense of humor about oneself--any form of self-deprecating wit, or sign of humility--is somehow a betrayal of one's very soul. (There is that extremism again.) It sometimes seems, in reading Rand, that she has modeled the perfect human on Dr. Spock of Star Trek fame, which is unfortunate, given that the good Doctor was an alien.

But there is, as always when dealing with Miss Rand, another side to the story. As much as professional philosophers ridicule her as being a crackpot--and there are, admittedly, some howlers in there--for most people (who, frankly, themselves would consider most professional philosophers to be crackpots) there is a great deal of practical appeal in Objectivism, and for good reason: as Miss Rand so succinctly puts it, Objectivism is a philosophy "for living life here on Earth". There is very little angels-on-pinheads speculation here, very little that is off the point. Her focus is always concentrated on the here and now, the reality of living as experienced by individuals every day, and as such there is a great deal of utility in reading her work. To adopt her philosophy wholly is, ironically enough, to abdicate one's individuality, since she always insisted that her philosophy was "perfect" and had to be accepted in its entirety, exactly as she promulgated it. (If you're wondering whether or not there is a high degree of cult-like devotion in the Randian world, the answer is yes.) But if one is willing to think for oneself there is value in reading her work, and The Virtue of Selfishness is a good place to start.

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May 03, 2009

Aloysius Gorgonzola rated it:

(review of isbn 0451163931)

bookshelves: 2009list, non-fiction, philosophy

I read this book in order to understand Rand's philosophy before reading Atlas Shrugged. I figured that for such a big book, I needed to know what was going on before the fact, so I can follow along. Objectivism was a bit difficult for me at first, I had to really understand the philosophy. But as I got through the articles, I began to understand, also to be able to assume what Rand's thinking would be on other issues, & also--& this is how I knew I had really grasped it--began to disagree with ...more

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May 05, 2009

Bill rated it:

(review of isbn 0451163931)

bookshelves: non-fiction, philosophy

Read in May, 2009

This book summarizes Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism. I really like many of the values Objectivism champions: reason, ethics, self-love, self-esteem, self-reliance, individualism, joy, and pleasure. But emphasizing these in absolute terms, as polar opposites to other qualities, creates a lot of problems.

Like most Western philosophers, Rand is a dualistic thinker, which I find simplistic. To her, value and morality are objective, inherent in human nature. There is Self and Ot...more This book summarizes Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism. I really like many of the values Objectivism champions: reason, ethics, self-love, self-esteem, self-reliance, individualism, joy, and pleasure. But emphasizing these in absolute terms, as polar opposites to other qualities, creates a lot of problems.

Like most Western philosophers, Rand is a dualistic thinker, which I find simplistic. To her, value and morality are objective, inherent in human nature. There is Self and Other, Moral and Immoral, Good and Evil, Right and Wrong, and one should never hesitate to cast judgment on those who are Wrong, or compromise in the slightest bit on these fundamental values. Nations that are Right may invade nations that are Wrong, and impose their morality on that nation, because Wrong nations are outlaws. Of course, Ayn Rand is the authority on Right and Wrong, although this is neatly couched in the claim that her advocated morality is objective.

She seems to be reacting against a world that I'm unfamiliar with--a world divided between creative people who just want to do their thing, and parasites who just want to steal all their hard work. Fleeing as she did from Soviet Russia, I get this. So maybe I'm just a spoiled American, but I've never seen the world divided in this way. Ironically, most of the parasitism I'm aware of are by corporations, for which Rand advocates nearly zero regulation. Much of the property they steal or pollute is inherently communal, impossible to divide and protect in the way Rand advocates. Rand believes the only rights are individual rights, that there is no such thing as a collective.

Objectivism also distinguishes between selfishness and a hive mentality that she calls altruism. Maybe I'm being thrown off by the word "selfishness," which she admits she uses for shock value. She does believe in ethics, and says that selfishness would make the world a better place, though she never explains why in this book. But even with a strong code of ethics, focusing on self-interest misses out on the full possibilities of love and compassion, which can be learned and practiced, and encompasses and requires self-love. That is what altruism is for me. There are few places besides Rand's writing that I've seen altruism equated with self-sacrifice. How can someone be of service unless they have their own needs met and they find joy in it? Maybe that's all Rand is trying to say, but if so, then I admit I've misunderstood her, which is apparently common among her readers.(less)

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Aug 05, 2009

Richard rated it:

(review of isbn 0451163931)

bookshelves: deep-shit

Read in August, 2009

recommends it for: People who like Carlos Castaneda

This book is a terrible introduction to Rand's ideology of Objectivism. This book quotes Atlas Shrugged so often that I began to wonder if it wasn't just a clever advertisement. In fact, in the middle of my copy was wedged a reply card that you can fill out and get more information about her Objectivist Foundation, which for me puts this book firmly into the L. Ron Hubbard camp of cultish idiocy. [EDIT: I also discovered that the previous reader of this library book had left their bookmark be...more This book is a terrible introduction to Rand's ideology of Objectivism. This book quotes Atlas Shrugged so often that I began to wonder if it wasn't just a clever advertisement. In fact, in the middle of my copy was wedged a reply card that you can fill out and get more information about her Objectivist Foundation, which for me puts this book firmly into the L. Ron Hubbard camp of cultish idiocy. [EDIT: I also discovered that the previous reader of this library book had left their bookmark behind. It was a Taco Bell receipt for two chicken burritos and a water ($1.91, paid with exact change), putting this book firmly into the College Student camp of not having enough money for bookmarks or food.]

Don't get me wrong, I actually agree with some of her ideas. But rather than a practical philosophy, Objectivism appears to be mostly a rationalization for her existing beliefs, and a poorly argued one at best. Mind you, I only made it forty pages before giving up and throwing this book across the room.

Her logic is so circular at times that British scientists could calibrate their instruments with it (apologies to SNL's portrayal of George Michael's ass). This book is mostly a series of declarative statements that appear like logic, but can best be described as Pig Logic. Ifway Away enthay eebay. She starts with how we have to define our 'virtue' via the sensations of pleasure and pain, but then says that no, since we're rational we have to use our reason to figure out what our moral and ethical system should be. Then she goes on to rationalize commonly-held virtues, but in the context they come off as excuses for her superiority complex.

I can see why a lot of people in college would like this. Flush with their own nascent intellectualism, Rand's ideology is an excuse to pretense, to get all holier than thou on less intellectual pursuits. You know what? There's nothing wrong with watching action films for the awesome explosions, sub-human though they may be.

She places great value on not blindly accepting what 'authorities' say but in thinking for oneself. Thanks, Ayn, for legitimizing my intellectual and physical rejection of your so-called philosophy. I'm going to continue to think that my life is worth something, and that necessarily, there are things that I think are worth dying for.

I fully understand that I'm rejecting the bulk of what she's written on the basis of forty pages. I know that a lot of people really dig Objectivism who know far more than I do. I welcome an education in how Objectivism isn't just an excuse to unfettered corporate monopolies and personal greed at the expense of the sheeple she despises. But those forty pages weren't captivating in the least.

I think that if I had just read Atlas Shrugged I might have been more receptive to her ideas. Couched in fiction, her declarative style would have been just another fictional character spouting just another fictional ideology with the promise of rationalism at its core. As it is, The Virtue of Selfishness comes off as Nietzsche For Idiots.(less)

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Nov 16, 2009

Christopher rated it:

(review of isbn 0451163931)

Owns a copy — Read in November, 2006

This book by novelist and philosopher Ayn Rand, (author of "Atlas Shrugged" and "The Fountainhead") is an ethical treatise on her philosophy of Objectivism, which sets out the principles of rational egoism—selfishness—and is the answer to thousands of years of the ethics of self-sacrifice—altruism.

This morality is based on the needs of man’s survival, with one’s self as the standard of value, (hence selfishness,) and the pursuit of one’s own happines...more

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Jul 14, 2009

Anna rated it:

(review of isbn 8371508409)

Read in July, 2009

Dla Ayn Rand najlepiej było by się wyzbyć lub ograniczyć uczucia poza tymi związanymi z egoizmem, a altruizm zostawić tylko na sytuacje krytyczne np. katastrofy samolotów, pociągów czy statków, gdzie ważne jest ratowanie życia drugiego człowieka. Cnota egoizmu pozuje egoizm i kierowanie się rozumem jako najbardziej słuszny pogląd na rzeczywistość.

Ayn Rand stworzyła filozofię obiektywistyczną sprzeciwiającą się takim pojęciom, poglądom czy ideologiom jak kol...more

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Jul 14, 2008

Jon rated it:

(review of isbn 0451163931)

Read in January, 1999

Rand's points often seem interesting except for one huge logical flaw that will well up and ruin her whole argument. Her enormous arrogance often gets in the way as well. A useful philosophy to follow if you believe that you are smarter than everyone else and that only your own happiness really matters in the end.

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Jul 13, 2007

Christopher Stephen added it (review of isbn 0451163931)

Read in March, 1999

recommends it for: anyone willing to understand the selfishness isn't inherently evil....

This is a basic look at Rand's philosophy. It isn't too wordy and it is easy to read....is a great supplement to reading her fictional works, and to better understand some of the basics of Objectivism. My particularly favorite entry is actually by Nathaniel Branden, and is titled "The Psychology of Pleasure."

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May 17, 2009

Dave rated it:

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After reading Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal, I started this and was thinking- Oh boy, another collection of articles from Rand's Objectivist newsletter. Turns out there is a lot of good stuff here. The theme that runs through these essays is much the same as Unknown Ideal, as well as all of Rand's other works: In a truly free society, the individual is all-important. No man should be sacrificed, in whole or in part, for the benefit of another.

There are two articles here that I think ...more

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Feb 18, 2010

Sequoia rated it:

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Read in January, 2010

The double standard of selfishness is at the core of capitalist thought. Selfish whims are not compatible to what Rand means in her application of rational objectivism. However,it seems that should one misinterpret the axioms of objectivism, the ego may be driven to trap the masses in a never ending cycle of fear and consumption while a small few gather the spoils. Objectivism works for capitalism because it seems to justify injustice. I reread this book to keep track of our nation's neo robber...more

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Oct 03, 2007

Colin Gabriel is currently reading it (review of isbn 0451163931)

bookshelves: currently-reading

I heard it will make you an asshole.. I can't wait

on a side note I have a problem with reading while driving

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Jan 23, 2010

David Robins rated it:

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Read in January, 2010

A philosophical treatise on individual rights, beginning from fundamentals such as whether we need values, the definition of value, and the core value of life and a defense of the right to life. From that right come all other rights, such as the right to liberty and property. Individuals must deal with each other respecting those rights, i.e., through trade and never coercion or theft, with the role of government being only to protect those rights; there is no other morally justifiable way to li...more

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Aug 27, 2009

Barry Behrmann rated it:

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bookshelves: currently-reading

Read in September, 2009

This was a heavy read, but very thought provoking and I'd almost go so far as to say aweinspiring. The title is controversial as is the content due to the non-politically correctness of it all. When I listened to Rand's explanations, though, a lot of it resonated with my personal views of the local and global society around me. It has also greatly stretched my thought processes in some areas. I think a lot of the principles described in this book are those which the United States was founded...more

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