Rand

1. Is Rand correct in saying that if you accept altruism, then you end up with a lack of self-esteem and a lack of respect for others?

I think Rand is absolutely wrong. Accepting altruism does not mean that you have a low self-esteem or a lack of respect for others. I see it as quite the opposite. A person accepting altruism has the utmost respect for human life as a whole; it’s an act of selflessness, so others may live or doing so for the greater good. By acting in an altruistic or selfless way, by saving a drowning stranger for example, a person is showing his or her respect for the value of life. Just because we don’t know the person in danger doesn’t mean that they don’t have a family or loved ones that would feel pain if that person were to die (or drown as in my example). Another example is our soldiers or service members out there who pay the ultimate sacrifice for the greater good because that act of valor, that act of selflessness saving millions or billions of lives every single day, so it’s more having the courage and taking charge and not low self-esteem or lack of respect.

2. Is Rand criticizing ideal or reciprocal altruism? Do you think that she would differentiate between the two? Would you?

Rand seems to be criticizing reciprocal altruism. I think that Rand would differentiate between the two but would have more of an understanding or willingness to follow ideal altruism depending on his personality as a person and his view of the world in general. I can differentiate between the two and reciprocal altruism is more of my style. I do not agree with it 100% but I can look back and find instances where I did something only because I would want someone to do it for me in the future. It is kind of like the saying “Do onto others what you would want them to do to you” that sums it up.

3. Comment on the following quotation: “The proper method of judging when or whether one should help another person is by reference to one’s own rational self-interest...