*Snicker* *Snort*

[eumelia]

Is it funny, or sad that there's an Ayn Rand Club for Philosophy Students at my Uni and they're spamming the entire Humanities student body's email.
The first meeting is next Wedesnday.

Do I go and mock?
Or do I avoid the proto-fascist crazies?

Help me out dear friends.

I'm just... who would have thought? Randians on campus, and they could be anyone. Cooo! Maybe I should go and scope in order to know who to avoid for the rest of my academic career.
When I was a teenager I was a Randian, read all her books, felt that I was Smarter and More Capable than Thou... loved "The Selfish Ideal".
Then I finished adolescence.
Like may things Randinism is a phase.
How can people, students of high theory, philosophy and such actually consider this woman to be anything other than a stylish author!?
Digressing over.

So? Should I stay or should I go? *duh-na-na-na-naa*

Comments

[kaetien.livejournal.com]

I've never read anything by Ayn Rand and have only a vague idea of her and her writing. I get the impression this is a good thing :P

Why even think on it, hun? Don't bother putting effort into getting worked up over this - focus on better things :)

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

Oh I enjoy reading her fiction, I mean, it used to be that I really identified with her characters and sentiments and now I look for the cracks in the text :)

I think I'll go. If only to know who to avoid and who else is there for the same reason as I.

[gonzo21.livejournal.com]

You see, your fundemental logic error there is in assuming that philosophy students are any smarter than any other type of student. :)

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

Pffft again.
I know so many idiots in philosophy, lit, etc that it really doesn't surprise me.
But I'm so locked in my own post-modern bubble of lit/gender theories that I forget that many in the same building are stuck on Heidegger.

Man, this is probably one of most elitist, artsy-fartsy comment ever!!!

[gonzo21.livejournal.com]

Philosophical/lit departments do tend to be full of... what's the word. Bullshit.

But then 95% of higher education is bullshit. It can sometimes be very hard to find the real wisdom in amongst the clutter of all that book learning.

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

But important, sophisticated bullshit!

[shelestel.livejournal.com]

I know, I love it so much! :) Stuck on Heidegger. Priceless.

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

Me too!
I loves it so.
Well, some are stuck on Hegel who is better (in so many ways), but really people! Modernity meet Post-Structuralism, I think you'll make excellent friends.
Post-Structuralism licks their lips at Modernity... I'm looking to undermine you.
Modernity gulps.

[shelestel.livejournal.com]

Stop, I'm horny enough today the way it is ;).

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

Modernity: In everything there is an anchor of Truth.
Post-Modernism: How about we unravel that Truth.
Modernity: What?! You can't unravel the Truth, it exists as it is.
Post-Modernism: Oh yeah! There's marginal Truth, minor Truth, a simulation of the Truth, a cracked Truth... so many... and all from you? How does that make you think? All those truths... crashing, ebbing, cascading, destroyed... rebuilt... together.
Modernity: Oh my...
Post-Modernism: God is dead, you said so.
Modernity: But, but... You're, you're killing me!
Post-Modernism: And isn't that so fucking sexy.

[shelestel.livejournal.com]

[modernity dies, they carry her out; pause]
Postmodernity: Who am I?.. I am so lonely. [an emotional scale from confusion to mild rage] Stupid! Truths! [exists]

[shelestel.livejournal.com]

exits

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

Both versions work in a cracked form of cohesion, me thinks.

[shelestel.livejournal.com]

"cracked cohesion" is almost as good as "accreted monoculture" (gillen):)

[antongarou.livejournal.com]

Now you start getting into problems:Post modernism is somewhat useful when you try to shed light on the fallibility of the ways we perceive reality.The problem starts when you decide there is no such thing as objective reality anywhere- if that was true then I could fly if I thought about it hard enough, which is patently untrue.

In addition, the fact it puts the same value on all moral systems is somewhat problematic, from my POV- why should I *not* judge a value system that calls for the destruction of all people who practice other moral systems, or for continuing bodily harm to children?

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

I don't have the time, nor the inclination at the moment to talk politics (which is exactly where this is going).

You can judge all you like, but you can't ignore the fact that the values you place are your own and not something universal. One person's value system is another person's oppression.
Where's the "objectivity" is that?

Edited to add: Objectivity is not fact. Fact = humans cannot physically fly. Objectivity = being pure of bias. Huge, massive difference.

[mao4269.livejournal.com]

Also, you've mentioned that there's just a *wee* bit of a rivalry between the literature and philosophy departments, and I think it might be rearing it's head in this comment ;).

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

Rivalry?
Between two different faculties and schools of thought... Nah!

[corvus.livejournal.com]

Oh God I hate them. I'd probably jab pencils into my ears if I had to hear them talking about the Objectivist opinion on modern Israeli politics.

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

I'm going to go undercover with a copy of "we the living" so that they don't suspect a provocateur in their midst.

[corvus.livejournal.com]

Oh no! Good luck!

[morin.livejournal.com]

No! you should join me and S. for dinner!

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

It's next Wed, not this coming one.
Is Wed the only day available for you two?

[arnavtul.livejournal.com]

funny a while back there was an ad up on the notice board from someone selling used books and under the category of philosophy it said Ayn Rand etc. Every time I saw it I stared in bewilderment.

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

I remember that too!
I was like... okay, I've used Rand as an example for bad, baseless philosophy, but to actually put her in the same categories as, ya know, Marx or De-Bouvoir or even bloody Milton Friedman!
Bleh!

[sabotabby]

OMG, GO! I mean, if you have nothing better to do. If there's a chance of you maybe taking in a good movie or getting laid, do that instead. But if you have the time to spare in order to make me laugh my ass off at your report-back, DO IT.

(If you haven't noticed, making fun of Randroids is my favourite hobby.)

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

Yes, I know. I always find those stories amusing!

[lilacsigil.livejournal.com]

Go only so that you know who NEVER to date.* No, seriously, don't go there. The dental bill from the teeth grinding will not be worth any potential LOLs.

*exception made for people under 18 who are still writing Mary Sue fic. But you shouldn't date them either.

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

I'm just so curious! I've heard of Ayn Rand societies happening outside of Israel, but never imagined that it actually happened here as well.
I associate Rand with loner, geek teenagers who generally grow out of apathy (like I did).

[thecityofdis.livejournal.com]

Don't go. You wouldn't appreciate them showing up to your meetings with the intentions to mock and ridicule; don't do it to somebody else.

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

No I wouldn't appreciate it, but I definitely understand the urge to go observe something you don't understand.
I don't plan on sitting in the middle of the room and snorting every time someone says something I find distasteful.
I'll leave that for my analysis later.
I've spoken to people who came to various groups of mine with the express attitude for disagreeing (and also to make fun of the naive little feminists/socialists/activits/what-have-you) and yeah it's not fun, but *shrug* it's not something I find personally offensive.

[thecityofdis.livejournal.com]

*shrug* As phrased in your post it didn't sound like observation for the sake of understanding was your goal.

I would find it offensive, and a waste of both your time and theirs. Your mileage, obviously, may vary.

[(Anonymous)]

Oh my effing made up god, I'm gonna have to write a memo to my brain: "stop bilocating to Melody's!"

we're so going.

yael