For example: most men have inner conflicts of values; these conflicts, in most lives, take the form of small irrationalities, petty inconsistencies, mean little evasions, shabby little acts of cowardice, with no crucial moments of choice, no vital issues or great, decisive battles—and they add up to the stagnant, wasted life of a man who has betrayed all his values by the method of a leaking faucet.
Absent context, I notice I’m confused about which sense of the word “values” she’s using here. Perhaps someone can elucidate? In particular is she talking about moral/ethical type values or is she using it in a broader sense that we might think of as goals?
Can’t tell for the Romantic Manifesto, but in Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand uses the word “value” as a synonym of “rule of conduct”. For example, she argue that “rational evaluation” is a correct value for man in the same way that “flying” is a correct value for birds.
She calls her philosophy objectivism because the thinks that correct values, which means rules of conduct that leads to environmental fitness (in her words says : “survival”), are objective.
The first sentence read like sound logic to me (personally, not speaking for other guys), but I couldn’t really figure what the hell she wants from my life from all the rest.
I could explain, but that would be A. a spoiler and B. a potential (and equally idiotic, aka “reach a conclusion already idiots) type of) flamewar that shouldn’t be here.
The first sentence read like sound logic to me (personally, not speaking for other guys), but I couldn’t really figure what the hell she wants from my life from all the rest.
As far as I can tell, that quote is one sentence, so I’m not sure how you’re dividing it up.
“For example: most men have inner conflicts of values;”
This part. It’s an issue I can solve quite easily, but at the same time it feels like the bar is being set lower, rather than higher, and that’s what irks me.
it feels like the bar is being set lower, rather than higher, and that’s what irks me.
The quote is exhibiting a thing not to do, so that doesn’t seem that surprising to me. I’d restate the quote as something like “resolve your inner conflicts, even if that requires dramatic effort, rather than letting them fester.”
--Ayn Rand, The Romantic Manifesto
-- Emerson, Self-Reliance
Perhaps these are two prescriptions for two different patients: The fox and the hedgehog!
Absent context, I notice I’m confused about which sense of the word “values” she’s using here. Perhaps someone can elucidate? In particular is she talking about moral/ethical type values or is she using it in a broader sense that we might think of as goals?
Can’t tell for the Romantic Manifesto, but in Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand uses the word “value” as a synonym of “rule of conduct”. For example, she argue that “rational evaluation” is a correct value for man in the same way that “flying” is a correct value for birds.
She calls her philosophy objectivism because the thinks that correct values, which means rules of conduct that leads to environmental fitness (in her words says : “survival”), are objective.
Funny enough, I’m confused by your distinction between moral or ethical values and goals – aren’t those really the same?
Ayn Rand held that some preferences were rational or more rational than others.
The first sentence read like sound logic to me (personally, not speaking for other guys), but I couldn’t really figure what the hell she wants from my life from all the rest.
I could explain, but that would be A. a spoiler and B. a potential (and equally idiotic, aka “reach a conclusion already idiots) type of) flamewar that shouldn’t be here.
As far as I can tell, that quote is one sentence, so I’m not sure how you’re dividing it up.
“For example: most men have inner conflicts of values;”
This part. It’s an issue I can solve quite easily, but at the same time it feels like the bar is being set lower, rather than higher, and that’s what irks me.
The quote is exhibiting a thing not to do, so that doesn’t seem that surprising to me. I’d restate the quote as something like “resolve your inner conflicts, even if that requires dramatic effort, rather than letting them fester.”