
The Virtue of Selfishness
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Narrated by:
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C. M. Hernert
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By:
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Ayn Rand
About this listen
Ms. Rand's unique philosophy, Objectivism, has gained a worldwide audience. The fundamentals of her philosophy are set forth in this insightful piece of nonfiction.
©1961 Ayn Rand; 1961 by the Objectivist Newsletter Incorporated (P)2000 Blackstone AudiobooksListeners also enjoyed...
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-
-
Rehashed narrative and bad ideas.
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By: Ayn Rand
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In a scrap heap within an abandoned factory, the greatest invention in history lies dormant and unused. By what fatal error of judgment has its value gone unrecognized, its brilliant inventor punished rather than rewarded for his efforts? In defense of those greatest of human qualities that have made civilization possible, one man sets out to show what would happen to the world if all the heroes of innovation and industry went on strike.
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Be aware that this is an abridged version
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This is the story of a man who said that he would stop the motor of the world - and did. Is he a destroyer or a liberator? Why does he fight his hardest battle not against his enemies, but against the woman he loves? Tremendous in scope, breathtaking in its suspense, Atlas Shrugged is Ayn Rand's magnum opus and launched an ideology and a movement. With the publication of this work in 1957, Rand gained an instant following and became a phenomenon.
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-
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Anthem by Ayn Rand is a dystopian novella that unfolds in a future society where individuality is eradicated, and collectivism reigns supreme. The protagonist, Equality 7-2521, dares to defy the oppressive system and embarks on a journey of self-discovery. As he grapples with forbidden thoughts and explores the forbidden concept of "I," he uncovers the power of individualism and the pursuit of personal identity.
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Extreemly relevant to our current climate
- By Mica on 01-18-10
By: Ayn Rand, and others
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Atlas Shrugged
- By: Ayn Rand
- Narrated by: Edward Herrmann
- Length: 11 hrs and 19 mins
- Abridged
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As passionate as it is profound, Atlas Shrugged is one of the most influential novels of our time. In it, Rand dramatizes the main tenets of objectivism, her philosophy of rational selfishness. She explores the ramifications of her radical thinking in a world that penalizes human intelligence and integrity.
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Edward Hermann's masterful performance.
- By Shawn Levasseur on 07-17-08
By: Ayn Rand
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Goddess of the Market
- Ayn Rand and the American Right
- By: Jennifer Burns
- Narrated by: Suzanne Toren
- Length: 13 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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Burns highlights the two facets of Rand's work that make her a perennial draw for those on the right: Her promotion of capitalism, and her defense of limited government. Both sprang from her early, bitter experience of life under Communism, and became among the most deeply enduring of her messages, attracting a diverse audience of college students and intellectuals, business people and Republican Party activists, libertarians and conservatives.
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Unfortunate
- By Andrej Drapal on 03-14-18
By: Jennifer Burns
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Anthem
- By: Ayn Rand
- Narrated by: Pete Cross
- Length: 2 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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Equality 7-2521 is a young man who yearns to understand “the Science of Things”, but he lives in a bleak, dystopian future where independent thought is a crime and where science and technology have regressed to primitive levels. All expressions of individualism have been suppressed in his world. Obedience to the collective is so deeply ingrained that the very word “I” has been erased. In pursuit of his quest for knowledge, Equality 7-2521 struggles to answer the questions that burn within him.
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Who are the authoritarians?
- By David W on 10-08-20
By: Ayn Rand
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Objectivism
- The Philosophy of Ayn Rand
- By: Leonard Peikoff
- Narrated by: Johanna Ward
- Length: 19 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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This brilliantly conceived book is based on a lecture course given by Dr. Leonard Peikoff in 1976 entitled, "The Philosophy of Objectivism". The lectures were attended by Ayn Rand, who helped prepare them and who also joined Peikoff in answering questions.
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The very best overview of Objectivism
- By L. Hattery on 06-24-05
By: Leonard Peikoff
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Anthem
- By: Ayn Rand
- Narrated by: Paul Meier
- Length: 2 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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Rand's Protagonist, Equality 7-2521, describes a surreal world of faceless, nameless drones who "exist through, by and for our brothers who are the State. Amen." Alone, this daring young man defies the will of the ruling councils and discovers the forbidden freedoms that prevailed during the Unmentionable Times. In other words, he finds and celebrates the power of the self. In doing so, he becomes the prototypical Rand hero, a bold risk-taker who shuns conformity and unabashedly embraces egoism.
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Great Narration
- By Steve on 02-05-07
By: Ayn Rand
What listeners say about The Virtue of Selfishness
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- John
- 12-12-05
Good Luck!
Although Ms. Rand can be very black & white about things (as most in this field tend to be) I found much of what she discusses in this book to be brilliant. I think it would be a better read, as her thoughts deserve more contemplation than the three seconds given between most sentences. WARNING: The narrator is extremely difficult to listen to! Her voice is boring and very cold, giving the impression that we are listening to something evil. If you've recently had some coffee and are in the mood to be challenged then this audiobook is for you. Overall good stuff.
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55 people found this helpful
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- Williamb
- 04-26-14
Don't Blank-Out
What did you love best about The Virtue of Selfishness?
This is a well put together chain of reason and logic. I believe that Socrates would have been won over by Ayn Rand with this one work. Ayn is very patient and very systematic in this presentation. I have spent time studying several popular philosophies, and traditional beliefs. There is so much built-in contradiction in so many philosophies that are explained with impenetrable mysteries that end in unreasonable statements. The clarity of Ayn Rand presents a startling contrast to all those philosophies. She asks only for clear reasoning, not for a leap of faith.
It is a frustrating experience to speak with someone who chooses not to think beyond a point. Art Markman points out in "Smart Thinking" that thinking uses a lot of energy and that the human brain is designed to conserve energy. This may explain the abdication of thinking and reasoning that so many choose when faced with the challenge of thinking all the way through a philosophical presentation.
Please listen to this several times before you decide Ayn Rand, Objectivist philosophy is just wrong. If you are a libertarian, but you have no philosophical underpinning for your beliefs, listen closely to Ayn Rand's challenging essays on Objectivism. If you get tired of thinking, take a break and come back to it, don't give up. Don't decide that your brain is not qualified to reason it out. To allow others to think for you to stop thinking things through and understand clearly what you believe is to throw yourself on the pyre of another's unreasoning sacrifice. It is blanking out. Make yourself valuable to yourself. Work for yourself. You get what you want by providing what others seek or need.
Whether you call it enlightened self interest or selfishness, you are attaining what you seek in a society of peers who reward others who produce what they want. Ayn Rand uses the term selfish to get your attention. To act selfishly, she indicates, it to make your own decisions based on your own resources, perspectives, goals. Helping others is an act of goodwill, not of duty. A charity is only a charity if contribution is voluntary. To give with another's money is taking, not giving.
Is it abusing others to give them a task or job and pay them what at the level they request? As soon as one is rewarded based on need versus based on what they earn, that entire society will parish. Reward for accomplishment is reasonable. One way to look at it is to say that the only thing worth more than gold is trust. I offer my pay (gold) to someone I trust to deliver something I want (plumbing or food, etc.). This is exactly what I offer to those who pay me, trust that I will deliver what I promise. My reputation and demonstrated skills result in the value of what I offer. The value is different to others based on their need or desire.
Ayn Rand lays these simple, reasonable principles end to end in a very logical presentation.
You may ask who will protect me or others from people or organizations who do not deliver what they promise. The role of a government is simple. It is to review the promise as presented (contract) and help enforce this promise for the weaker participant in the contract. Simpler contracts and straight forward trades make it easier for contract participants to understand what to deliver and when. Complex agreements will require help to define the agreement. As it stands now, all the rules, laws, subtleties to commitments makes it impossible for anyone to know where a commitment begins and ends without professional assistance. By complicating the contract with interfering laws and inferences, all parties enter into unknown risks, The one with more influence and professional assistance gains advantages in this system. Reducing government interference benefits the ones with limited means and influence.
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4 people found this helpful
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- mrjones
- 09-21-22
Thinking, explained right.
Anyone and everyone should be exposed to the words that are so honestly spoken in this piece.
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- Millis
- 10-29-22
Inimitable Philosophy
A superbly written book on arguably one of the most important components a person must address. Becoming proud of your individualism
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- Big AJ
- 12-09-22
Compelling case for individualsm
I now understand the hype behind Ayn Rand. Any hardworking successful person listening to this book will recognize the fundamental truths behind Rand’s ideas. The narrator is excellent.
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- DK
- 10-05-16
A Fantastic World View
➳ In a nutshell: Taking care of others is a sign of moral character. One must take care of oneself (selfish as a positive) in order to care for others. Relying on others to take care of you when you are capable of taking care of yourself is the very definition of irresponsible
➳ That's my simple summary of this fascinating book.
➳ Leave a 'yes' vote, if you found my review helpful.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Ken Campfield
- 07-15-20
what a great study in the way america is supposed
loved to listen. this study is better understood by listening than by reading. great voice by the reader
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1 person found this helpful
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- Anonymous
- 12-03-21
Very thought provoking
A little difficult for me to get into at first - it felt somewhat disjointed. Then I soon realized that each chapter is an independent paper focusing on a single topic. After accepting that and focusing on each respective topic, it flowed much better.
Overall, it was very thought provoking!
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1 person found this helpful
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- Kevin Wegner
- 04-02-16
Intellectual Powerhouse!
Ayn Rand at her best. A required reading for those seeking to fully understand Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead.
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- Wardawg
- 09-05-19
Incredible.
I will listen to this book again and again. It is stock full of profound and practical wisdom.
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