The conflict of political philosophy revolves around people and issues. The adoption of Ayn Rand as heroin by Paul Ryan and Rush Limbaugh among others recalls to me the days of discovering Friedrich Nietzsche.
In 1947 I graduated from High School in Redwood Falls, a community in southwestern Minnesota. Then, in a strange turn of events for our family, off I went to Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota. Strange because college going was not in the family tradition.
In the Freshman year one of the courses introduced us to Frederich Nietzche through one of his writing, "Thus Spake Zarathustra". It was apparently a shock treatment for we who came into the city from the hinterlands and the primitive lives of farm people. Now, Hamline is a school based in the Methodist Tradition and is the earliest founded college in Minnesota. Why then would Nietzsche be on the first list of assignments?
Because Hamline was and is a liberal arts school in a religious tradition that holds in high regard the reasoning powers of people and the value of exposure to world traditions that do not fit with much American tradition. The value of such exposure cannot be underestimated.
Ayn Rand simply presents many of the Nietzsche ideas in a more contemporary format. Of course, God has died, say these prophets of a more highminded future for humanity. A humanity not encumbered by the primitive and supernaturalist notions of religions, especially Christianity, is the only reasonable future. It is every person for themselves. Regard for the unrich and the unfortunate is a sign of weakness and depravity. Rise above it all and be the Supermen said Nietzsche ( and so did Adolph Hitler).
The role of religion today is up for bid by all kinds of philosophies and power groups. I trust that Paul Rand and others who are fascinated by Rand will look beyond the here and now struggle for power and domination. At least recognize that Christianity does have some redeeming values that could benefit the human race.
In 1947 I graduated from High School in Redwood Falls, a community in southwestern Minnesota. Then, in a strange turn of events for our family, off I went to Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota. Strange because college going was not in the family tradition.
In the Freshman year one of the courses introduced us to Frederich Nietzche through one of his writing, "Thus Spake Zarathustra". It was apparently a shock treatment for we who came into the city from the hinterlands and the primitive lives of farm people. Now, Hamline is a school based in the Methodist Tradition and is the earliest founded college in Minnesota. Why then would Nietzsche be on the first list of assignments?
Because Hamline was and is a liberal arts school in a religious tradition that holds in high regard the reasoning powers of people and the value of exposure to world traditions that do not fit with much American tradition. The value of such exposure cannot be underestimated.
Ayn Rand simply presents many of the Nietzsche ideas in a more contemporary format. Of course, God has died, say these prophets of a more highminded future for humanity. A humanity not encumbered by the primitive and supernaturalist notions of religions, especially Christianity, is the only reasonable future. It is every person for themselves. Regard for the unrich and the unfortunate is a sign of weakness and depravity. Rise above it all and be the Supermen said Nietzsche ( and so did Adolph Hitler).
The role of religion today is up for bid by all kinds of philosophies and power groups. I trust that Paul Rand and others who are fascinated by Rand will look beyond the here and now struggle for power and domination. At least recognize that Christianity does have some redeeming values that could benefit the human race.
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