💾 Archived View for midnight.pub › replies › 2083 captured on 2022-07-16 at 17:23:48. Gemini links have been rewritten to link to archived content
⬅️ Previous capture (2021-12-03)
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Ah yes I came across her name 5 years ago on twitter, people's posts about her would creep into my feed, I was never one to follow the crowd so after a few of these posts I began to wonder WTF is this all about, a little more research and like you I came to the conclusion she was some quack and yes this I read that passed for quotes from her were unbelievable stupid and made no sense.
Once I figured out that Ayn Rand was just trying to justify egoism by wrapping it up in a half-assed neo-Aristotlean virtue ethic, it was pretty much over. Reading Max Stirner was the coup de grace for any regard I might have had for Rand's bullshit.
What is not supposed to be my concern! First and foremost, the good cause, then God’s cause, the cause of mankind, of truth, of freedom, of humanity, of justice; further, the cause of my people, my prince, my fatherland; finally, even the cause of Mind, and a thousand other causes. Only my cause is never to be my concern. "Shame on the egoist who thinks only of himself!"
Max Stirner: "The Ego and Its Own" (1844)
There's no need to justify egoism. One need only be smart about it, and realize that in the long run it's best to repay kindness with kindness, and give strangers who have done you no harm the benefit of the doubt.
Though I'll admit I still have a bit of trouble with the latter...