Ayn Rand
(* 1905 St. Petersburg, Russia - +1982 New York City)
Ayn Rand was one of the most influential figures in the intellectual life of the United States during the second half of the 20th century. Her novels are among the all-time bestsellers of the American book market. Nevertheless she is almost unknown in Europe until now.
After leaving Russia and arriving in Hollywood in 1926 she started a career in the movie industry. She learned to express herself in English and started to write short stories and screenplays. Ayn Rand's first novel “We the living” deals with her experiences in the communist Russia and shows her commitment to the virtue of individual freedom.
She became famous with “The Fountainhead” in 1943. The main character, architect Howard Roark is a creative hero and an exemplification of Rand's radical individualism.
After the publication of “Atlas Shrugged” in 1957 Ayn Rand turned to Non-Fiction. She created a philosophy which is called “Objectivism”. In her own words objectivism can be described very briefly as follows:
- Metaphysics: Objective Reality
- Epistemology: Reason
- Ethics: Self-interest
- Politics: Capitalism
In many essays she argued in favour of individual freedom and capitalism and against statism. Thus she influenced many Americans, among them business people, politicians and scholars.
Literature
| Ayn Rand: | The Fountainhead, Indianapolis 1943, various editions. |
| Ayn Rand: | Atlas Shrugged, New York 1957, various editions. |
| Ayn Rand: | Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal. New York: New American Library, 1967 |
Internet:
Text by Sascha Tamm