Ayn Rand's world. Review on FountainHead, The - Ayn Rand

Ever since Ayn Rnd (I am not allowed to use the word ''R#nd'' in the text, so it will be Rnd everywhere) wrote ''Fountainhead” and ''Atlas shrugged'' they have become cult books and influenced millions of people all over the world. This review is less of a review of the books, but more of review on the philosophy they have spawned.

It is time to review the philosophy of Ayn Rnd to see how it applies in today's world. Most of you will agree that today's world is completely different from the America of the period in these books. The economies of majority of nations are virtually free from governmental interference. Politicians no longer have much say in the running of private business and have almost become irrelevant. Beaurocratic control is minimal and taxation systems have been rationalized. In short, an ideal world for the Howard Roark’s to bloom.

Yet by no stretch of imagination can this world called be an ideal world. Free and fair, yes, but definitely not a world, which allows talented people to self-actualize and reach the highest levels of their capabilities. If that would have been so, most of you could have easily become professional writers. But in reality we see the media - TV and newspapers being run by brain-dead, semi-literate journalists who fill the pages with junk about equally moronic celebrities.

Fountainhead tries to redefine the concept of selfishness and makes it virtuous. But what type of selfishness are we talking about? There are two types of selfishness - one is the ruthless selfishness, where self-interest takes precedence over the good of the society, while in the other type of selfishness, the individual does his best, there by contributing to the betterment of the society.

Isn't it naive to assume that in a free and fair capitalistic society, there would be room only for the type of selfishness, exemplified by Roark, a noble and a heroic kind of selfishness? Where do we put a figure like Bill Gates in Howard's world? Mr. Gates plays the game by the rules, but is he the best of his kind? There are smarter geeks out there who would never be able to create empires like Microsoft, no matter how much they try. Selfishness cannot be straightjacketed in such narrow confines.

The danger of Rnd’s outlook is that it exists in a moral vacuum. It is extremely simplistic and impractical in nature. In Howard's world, there are no checks and balances, which ironically allows the first type of ruthless selfishness to devour and destroy the same Howard that it seeks to protect.

Howard's world creates a cruel class system. It creates a system, which rewards only the self-motivated and highly driven individuals. Ayn Rnd sees the other type of people as worthless parasites that do not deserve any respect or love. According to her love and respect are to be earned, not granted. But the reality is that only a small percentage of any population in any society possesses the qualities she admires. The rest are just content to take life as it comes and make the best of it. Such people have no place in her society, neither does she display any concern for people hard-hit by fate - the blind, handicapped, poor and unskilled people.

She completely ignores the spiritual dimensions of life and ridicules the concept of unity of all people, which is contrary to all teachings of all the masters and learned men.

Her world is an eerie place, without love and laughter, a world without singers, dancers or the mystics, a world without compassion and pity.

My advice to every fan of her works would be to enjoy her books as great piece of fiction, appreciate her ideas, but not to take her philosophy to heart. The world is a much better place to live with all its variety, its colour, its differences and idiosyncrasies.