Marxism & Islam: Toxic For Institutions of Higher Learning (Ayn Rand)
Living for the sake of others is cannibalism.
Altruism
Ayn Rand would have been a strong supporter of America 1st. One of the most profound lessons I’ve taken from Ayn Rand (one I deeply wish more people would grasp) is her radical redefinition of selfishness and selflessness.
Rand’s philosophy turns conventional morality on its head, exposing how these terms have been weaponized to manipulate individuals and societies, particularly in the American context.
Her ideas resonate powerfully when you consider how the concept of “selfishness” has been twisted into a cultural cudgel, shaming people into surrendering their hard-earned labor and wealth under the guise of being “selfless” for the greater good. In Rand’s view, selfishness isn’t the petty, exploitative stereotype we’re often taught to despise but it’s the rational pursuit of one’s own life, happiness, and values, free from unearned guilt or obligation.
She argued that true selfishness means living authentically, producing value through your own effort, and trading it fairly with others, not bowing to demands for sacrifice. Selflessness, on the other hand, is the real villain in her framework: it’s the altruistic trap that insists individuals must give up their own interests for others, often enforced through moral pressure or coercive systems.
This distinction hits home when you look at modern America. For decades, the notion of “selflessness” has been used to chain the American people into a cycle of overreach, both domestically and globally. High taxes, ballooning national debt, and endless foreign aid or intervention are justified as noble sacrifices for the “good of the world.”
Politicians and cultural voices preach that it’s selfish to keep what you earn, to prioritize your own family or community over distant causes. Yet, as Rand would point out, this isn’t nobility: it’s a surrender of individual sovereignty. Continue reading Altruism, Islam & Marxism (Ayn Rand)
