Sanmu Qi makes a very good point. The kind of altruism that Rand so denigrates is the act of self- sacrifice, martyrdom. But cooperation with others in a win-win situation is how we grow in astonishing ways. Its one of the keys in 7 Habits of Highly Successful People. Very interesting discussion:)   See 5 other replies

Rand is the hero of the likes of Glenn Beck, Hannity and others of the same ilk. That's all I need to know to stay away from this philosiphy. Of course others love the likes of Beck...to each their own I suppose.   See 5 other replies

That animal relationship is mutually beneficial, not altruistic. If one party benefits and another suffers, in the natural world that is called a parasitic relationship.   See 5 other replies

Ironically, you could simply read Darwin. Most people focus on the "survival of the fittest" portion because that probably all they remember from school, but the full text speaks also of how species survive through the use of altruism.And this altruism exists not just WITHIN a species, but also across several. One example that comes to mind is a fish which cannot dig a home, but which can see very well to find predators in advance, partnering up with a species of shrimp which can effectively dig a cave in the sand big enough for both of them, but which itself is blind. The shrimp basically spends the day maintaining the hole in the ground from the shifting sands, and always has a tendril touching the fish who faces outward from the front of the cave. When the fish starts to retreat into the cave, the shrimp feels it, and scoots in just ahead of the fish who provided him with the warning of impending attack.Other features of the theory not widely understood by the general public are that of transcendence (that sometimes a species will jut explore a new means of living spontaneously - speaking to the inherent creativity of life itself). For a better understanding of this, I'd also recommend Fritjof Capra's "The Turning Point".   See 5 other replies

Your perspective is quite interesting! I don't know enough about the history of our economy, so I find your comments about the regulations put in place after the Depression to be fascinating.I read, and loved her novel The Fountainhead, and I found her philosophy of Objectivism quite startling. The idea that self-sacrifice and service to fellow man can be negative and irresponsible... there is some merit there, but taken to the extreme seems to lose all value.Is there a work or website you would recommend for those us seeking to hear both sides of this argument? Thanks!   See 5 other replies