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The leftist publication The Nation paid Ayn Rand a backhanded compliment by featuring a photograph of Atlas Shrugged in an advertisement for gift subscriptions.
The ad reads, “It might be too late to change Uncle Norm, but there’s still hope for the kids.” It claims that The Nation offers “proudly independent” and “painstakingly truthful” content—implying that Rand’s ideas are the opposite.
Consider the basic orientation of The Nation and of Rand’s philosophy to see which properly lays claim to pride, independence, and truthfulness.
The Nation promotes government policies that violate rights and make people ever more dependent on government—in defiance of man’s need of independence in order to live as a human being, by the judgment of his mind, and the pride that follows from such independence. By contrast, Rand’s philosophy explicitly upholds independence and pride among the primary virtues; it recognizes that, to live a human life, man must be free to act on the judgment of his own mind.
The truth, according to The Nation’s philosophy, collectivism, is whatever conforms to the “social conscience” (however defined). The truth, according to Ayn Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism, is the individual’s recognition of reality.
Atlas Shrugged would make a great Christmas gift for “Uncle Norm” and the older kids as well. Some of the younger kids might be ready for Rand’s Anthem. But all of the kids are ready to learn that independent thinking is their only means of knowledge; that self-interested action is essential to their lives; and that freedom is essential to self-interested action.
And of course, if you’re looking to purchase gift subscriptions to a periodical that genuinely champions the virtues of pride, independence, and truthfulness, that would be The Objective Standard.
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