Becoming An Ayn Rand Hero

A no-holds barred conversation exploring a rational spirituality with Executive Coach Kim Sawyer from TheWealthSource.com. \r\n\n\n\n\n— \r\n\n\n\n\nFor more information goto http://AynRandHero.com​ \r\n\n\n\n\nMark Michael Lewis is The Profitability Coach – guiding leaders to dramatically increase their bottom line in business, relationships, happiness, meaning, and life itself. http://TheProfitabilityCoach.com​ \r\n\n\n\n\n— \r\n\n\n\n\nMark is also the author of the Creating Thriving Partnerships, a 20-hours audio course to create fun, intimacy, and teamwork in your relationships – http://ThrivingPartnership.com​, and the Advanced Romance course to experience passionate, fulfilling, and transcendent sexual partnerships. http://Advanced-Romance.com​. \r\n\n\n\n\n— \r\n\n\n\n\nThe Game Of Heroic Meaning is an free online video course that teaches you how to approach your your projects, your relationships, and your life as a whole like a Sacred Game – where the goal of the Game is to experience increasingly Heroic Meaning in your life – more Prosperity, more Pleasure, more Purpose – for Yourself, Other people you care about, and the Environment in which you live – in the Present moment, in the Short-Term future, and the Long-Term future. \r\n\n\n\n\nJoin us in this Adventure In Personal Responsibility and Make Your Deepest Happiness Your Highest Priority. \r\n\n\n\n\nFor extra lessons, coaching exercises, discussion, Q&Aa, AMAs, and community, goto HeroicMeaning.com –\r\n\n\n\n\n– \r\n\n\n\n\nTwitter @AynRandHero \r\nInstagram @AynRandHero\r\n\nThe post Rational Spirituality 3 – An Exploration with Kim Sawyer – Ayn Rand Hero appeared first on Becoming An Ayn Rand Hero.\r\n

A no-holds barred conversation exploring a rational spirituality with Executive Coach Kim Sawyer from TheWealthSource.com. — For more information goto http://AynRandHero.com​ Mark Michael Lewis is The Profitability Coach – guiding leaders to dramatically increase their bottom line in business, relationships, happiness, meaning, and life itself. http://TheProfitabilityCoach.com​ — Mark is also the author of the Creating Thriving Partnerships, a 20-hours audio course to create fun, intimacy, and teamwork in your relationships – http://ThrivingPartnership.com​, and the Advanced Romance course to experience passionate, fulfilling, and transcendent sexual partnerships. http://Advanced-Romance.com​. — The Game Of Heroic Meaning is an free online video course that teaches you how to approach your your projects, your relationships, and your life as a whole like a Sacred Game – where the goal of the Game is to experience increasingly Heroic Meaning in your life – more Prosperity, more Pleasure, more Purpose – for Yourself, Other people you care about, and the Environment in which you live – in the Present moment, in the Short-Term future, and the Long-Term future. Join us in this Adventure In Personal Responsibility and Make Your Deepest Happiness Your Highest Priority. For extra lessons, coaching exercises, discussion, Q&Aa, AMAs, and community, goto HeroicMeaning.com – – Twitter @AynRandHero Instagram @AynRandHero The post Rational Spirituality 2 – An Exploration with Kim Sawyer – Ayn Rand Hero appeared first on Becoming An Ayn Rand Hero.

A no-holds barred conversation exploring a rational spirituality with Executive Coach Kim Sawyer from TheWealthSource.com. – What might a rational God look like? – What is an optimal spiritual relationship between Self and God? – How does a rational spirituality make available? For more information goto http://AynRandHero.com​ Mark Michael Lewis is The Profitability Coach – guiding leaders to dramatically increase their bottom line in business, relationships, happiness, meaning, and life itself. http://TheProfitabilityCoach.com​ — Mark is also the author of the Creating Thriving Partnerships, a 20-hours audio course to create fun, intimacy, and teamwork in your relationships – http://ThrivingPartnership.com​, and the Advanced Romance course to experience passionate, fulfilling, and transcendent sexual partnerships. http://Advanced-Romance.com​. — The Game Of Heroic Meaning is an free online video course that teaches you how to approach your your projects, your relationships, and your life as a whole like a Sacred Game – where the goal of the Game is to experience increasingly Heroic Meaning in your life – more Prosperity, more Pleasure, more Purpose – for Yourself, Other people you care about, and the Environment in which you live – in the Present moment, in the Short-Term future, and the Long-Term future. Join us in this Adventure In Personal Responsibility and Make Your Deepest Happiness Your Highest Priority. For extra lessons, coaching exercises, discussion, Q&Aa, AMAs, and community, goto HeroicMeaning.com – – Twitter @AynRandHero Instagram @AynRandHero The post Rational Spirituality 1 – An Exploration with Kim Sawyer – Ayn Rand Hero appeared first on Becoming An Ayn Rand Hero.

A passionate, no-bullshit / no-apologies introduction to the philosophy of Ayn Rand – and how to use it to create an optimal life – a life of Human Thriving. Mark Michael Lewis lays out the 5 key ideas at the heart of Ayn Rand’s moral philosophy, showing how all 5 work together to multiple one another’s effectiveness and create a life and a lifestyle of an Ayn Rand Hero. It also details the 2 central reasons that people dislike Ayn Rand and her philosophy (outside of the fact they haven’t read her work or understood the 5 Traits of the Ayn Rand Hero). It isn’t pretty, but it is clear as night and day. For more information goto http://AynRandHero.com​ Mark Michael Lewis is The Profitability Coach – guiding leaders to dramatically increase their bottom line in business, relationships, happiness, meaning, and life itself. http://TheProfitabilityCoach.com​ Mark is also the author of the Creating Thriving Partnerships, a 20-hours audio course to create fun, intimacy, and teamwork in your relationships – http://ThrivingPartnership.com​, and the Advanced Romance course to experience passionate, fulfilling, and transcendent sexual partnerships. http://Advanced-Romance.com​. The Game Of Heroic Meaning is an free online video course that teaches you how to approach your your projects, your relationships, and your life as a whole like a Sacred Game – where the goal of the Game is to experience increasingly Heroic Meaning in your life – more Prosperity, more Pleasure, more Purpose – for Yourself, Other people you care about, and the Environment in which you live – in the Present moment, in the Short-Term future, and the Long-Term future. Join us in this Adventure In Personal Responsibility and Make Your Deepest Happiness Your Highest Priority. For extra lessons, coaching exercises, discussion, Q&Aa, AMAs, and community, goto HeroicMeaning.com Twitter @AynRandHero Instagram @AynRandHero The post A No-BS Introduction To Ayn Rand – The 5 Traits of the Ayn Rand Hero appeared first on Becoming An Ayn Rand Hero.

Enjoy the ride of a conversation about how to use Reason to understand Reality so that you can take Responsibility to Realize your highest values – in true Respect for others.Join Mark Michael Lewis and Zach Doctor as they explore HOW to create authentic, productive, and rewarding relationships by using the core principles of Ayn Rand in everything you do. 1:00 – Defining meta-modernism 9:15 – How OUGHT we treat others? Politics (at the personal level) relative to the 5 traits of the Ayn Rand Hero? 13:25 – An Ontological exporation of what has relationships go well or poorly 19:40 – Relating interpersonally in a way that we “do God’s work” 21:40 – Thriving – Heroic Meaning, Beautiful Profit, Sacred Joy more Heaven, less Hell 24:25 – Unequal distribution of capacities between people, organizations, and communities 29:15 – Creating a community of authentic and rational people 31:11 – Mark’s history and the context that lead to his work with Authentic Relating 35:39 – Turning philosophical clarity into practical real-world relationships to make them Thrive 37:23 – Approaching relating like a Game – so we can clarify our rules/expectations 38:25 – The greatest challenge in relating – Right/Right Relating vs Right/Wrong Thinking and Victim Self-Righteousness 45:12 – Mark and Bryan and Decker – Soul2Soul and the 5 Dimensions of Authenticity 48:27 – The Foundation of the 5 Traits of the Ayn Rand Hero – and Aiming For Better 51:00 – The most important move to make in relationship – Respect 54:55 – The mindset of Psychodynamic Therapy vs. Agency – different dimensions of Self-Realization 58:15 – The Self is the Agent – the Chooser with Free Will 1:01:01 – How Ought Agents interact with one another – Rational Self-interest 1:03:16 – The Principle of The Trader – Respecting the autonomy of the other 1:07:27 – The idea and championing of Dignity 1:07:53 – How Ayn Rand gives Mark so much value – and how people are willfully ignorant of it. 1:10:05 – Exploring ideas about why people don’t like Ayn Rand 1:14:02 – How we apply AYn Rand to individual relationships – trade and mutual agreements 1:16:05 – 2 reasons people don’t like Ayn Rand – 1. People don’t want to take personsl respnsilibilty 1:17:53 – Ayn Rand fans who do not treat people with dignity – don’t recognize the disparity in their power/capacitiies 1:19:45 – What is Power in the postmodern/marxist sense? An example. 1:22:19 – Postmodern and Objectivity analysis of power. 1:26:25 – is Ayn Rand’s idea a Utopia? and/or are people unreflexive and lazy and non-creative and bureaucratic. 1:33:04 – Ayn Rand says that free market capitalism is the only moral system – but in that system, problems occur. BUT there is not system in which problems don’t occur. – Does meta-modernism solve this? 1:37:10 – critiquing something for NOT being a utopia is not a valid critque – you must compare to alternatives – if it is the best possible, the fact that it has problems is an inappropriate criticism UNLESS it is put in context 1:39:53 – A critique of meta-modernism is pro socialist (democratic socialism) 1:41:06 – Exploring parts of the meta-modern political platform Mark Michael Lewis is The Profitability Coach – guiding leaders to dramatically increase their bottom line in business, relationships, happiness, meaning, and life itself. http://TheProfitabilityCoach.com Mark is also the author of the Creating Thriving Partnerships, a 20-hours audio course to create fun, intimacy, and teamwork in your relationships – http://ThrivingPartnership.com, and the Advanced Romance course to experience passionate, fulfilling, and transcendent sexual partnerships. http://Advanced-Romance.com. For more information goto http://AynRandHero.com http://TheProfitabilityCoach.com http://ThrivingPartnership.com http://HeroicMeaning.com Twitter @AynRandHero Instagram @AynRandHero Android: https://subscribeonandroid.com/www.aynrandhero.com/feed/podcast/ The post Relationships, Authenticity, and Metamodernism Oh My! with Zach Doctor appeared first on Becoming An Ayn Rand Hero.

Join Mark Michael Lewis and Marsha Familiaro Enright in a conversation about the importance of Reason and intellectual honesty/humility in the process of education. Discover the experiences that led Marsha to open a summer program and a “Leap Year” college level program for students to deepen their capacity to learn. By creating an environment of mutual discovery in her classes, using a methodology she names The Socratic Seminar, she cultivates each student’s ability to understand and communicate their understandings in groups – such that each person’s contribution adds to the overall depth of understanding. To learn more about The Great Connections series, summer program, leap year, or a future university, goto http://TheGreatConnections.org. For more information about Mark Michael Lewis and his Profitability Coaching or The Game Of Thriving, goto http://TheProfitabilityCoach.com To subscribe to the podcast: itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/becoming-an-ayn-rand-hero/id1094159432?ls=1&mt=2 Android: https://subscribeonandroid.com/www.aynrandhero.com/feed/podcast/ The post Ayn Rand Hero: Education That Empowers with Marsha Enright appeared first on Becoming An Ayn Rand Hero.

Join Mark Michael Lewis, John Yokela and Brishon Martin on an epic journey into the land of meta-ethics and the philosophy of Ayn Rand. SHOWNOTES 4:00 how do we build an epistemology that’s based in ethics? 6:00 Rand’s idea of an evolving definition of a concept – knowledge is contextual 9:00 Rand’s model of the self from 3 different frameworks 12:00 the ‘biological self’ and Rand’s definition of the ‘psychological self’ 15:00 Aristotle’s perspective on ‘flourishing’ 16:00 flourishing vs happiness 20:00 the cycle of the self maintaining the self 32:00 what does Ayn Rand mean when she speaks about the ‘self’? 24:00 insanity as psychological death 26:00 shifting how we think about Rand’s work as we refine what she means by ‘self’ 27:00 Rand’s fiction vs her nonfiction 29:00 The Fountainhead & Howard Roark 30:00 how Rand’s characters make Heroic Choices 33:00 integrating Rand’s concepts via her novels 34:00 contradictions between Rand’s novels and her nonfiction work 38:00 what is the difference between ‘rational’ and ‘objective’? 40:00 Terrence Deakin 44:00 Leanard Peikoff 50:00 egoism vs egotism 58:00 the false self 1:07:00 a central critique of Ayn Rand 1:08:00 how we can reintegrate emotions into morality without losing objectivity 1:15:00 Brishon’s story 1:32:00 resolving the problem between Moral Intuitionists and Objectivists 1:50:00 the ‘Big 5’ 1:54:00 AI might replace our physical work – but we need humans to make art 2:05:00 Existentialism and meaning To subscribe to the podcast: itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/b… Android: http://subscribeonandroid.com/www.ayn… The post Ayn Rand Hero: Meta-Ethics with John Yokela and Brishon Martin – Ego As Organism appeared first on Becoming An Ayn Rand Hero.

Join Mark Michael Lewis and Marianna Brashear in a conversation about the opportunity that the USA represents and the ideas that make it inspiring. As an Ukrainian immigrant who now serves as the Manager of Curriculum Development for the Foundation of Economic Education [ FEE ], Marianna earned and MBA in Entrepreneurship and is a passionate advocate for liberty, free markets, and rational parenting. Enjoy the ride of our conversation! – The Economics of Entrepreneurship [3:00] – Why it’s hard teaching millennials [6:00] – The unexpected ways kids understand ‘reason’ at an early age [12:00] – Teaching kids property rights [17:00] – Unless You can truly say no to something, your ‘yes’ is meaningless [20:00] – How Entrepreneurship creates jobs [24:00] – Creating our own ‘Galt’s Gulch’ [45:00] – The essence of entrepreneurial thinking (and why that applies to everyone) [55:00] Part of Marianna’s Story: https://fee.org/articles/how-my-family-turned-a-soviet-nightmare-into-an-american-dream/ https://fee.org/ www.facebook.com/MariannaBrashear www.linkedin.com/in/mbrashear The post Ayn Rand Hero: Marianna Brashear – FEE – Entrepreneurs, Economics, and Real Power appeared first on Becoming An Ayn Rand Hero.

Join Mark Michael Lewis in a conversation with Ed Hudgins, founder of the Human Achievement Alliance, an author, political pundit, lover of technology, and transhumanist. Ed is a passionate force of nature. We explore a variety of topics about how Ayn Rand plays a role in various aspects of lives, including technology, epistemology, ethics, politics, and creative human endeavors. Enjoy the ride! On The Fountainhead. [6:00] How donuts can teach you about your hierarchy of values [11:00] A technique for determining values through ‘rational consideration’ [13:00] How to develop objective ethics [16:00] Donald Trump and dealing with reality [19:00] Idiots and assholes: how not to be either [23:00] Practicing reason and creating good intellectual habits [29:00] Environment vs Humanity – which comes first? [37:00] How to be proud of your achievements [40:00] The values of Roark and the politics of Galt (and how to develop them both) [45:00] Implanting memories in mice, and other awesome breakthroughs [50:00] The consequences of inaction: Precaution vs Proaction [58:00] Why the Elves in Lord of the Rings were tired (and how to plan for a 100-year career) [1:03:00] Are over-eating and altruism related? [1:14:00] Is it altruistic to enjoy playing with your dog? [1:17:00] Why we voted for Trump [1:23:00] Ed [aht] EdwardHudgins.com https://atlassociety.org/search?q=edward+hudgins https://www.facebook.com/edward.hudgins.7 Subscribe to the podcast on Itunes or Android The post Ayn Rand Hero: Ed Hudgins – A Moral Technology appeared first on Becoming An Ayn Rand Hero.

Join Mark Michael Lewis and artist Michael Newberry as they discuss the world of artistic creation in the context of Ayn Rand’s philosophy. Michael has been creating figurative art for over 40 years, combining his love of Rembrandt, Ayn Rand, and Puccini. Please be sure to encounter some of his work on his website Michael Newberry Artist, where he also writes articles on the philosophy of art as well as cultural commentary on the contemporary art world. In this episode you’ll hear: Michael’s choice between professional tennis and being an artist [7:01] The importance of goals in life and art [11:30] How he determines what subject/vision to paint [13:00] Evil and beauty in the artistic process – as a self-portrait [16:07] Critiquing Kant’s idea of beauty vs. the sublime [18:12} The three axioms of visual art and painting [30:00] The importance and inspiration of Aristophanes [34:50] The thought and love of his latest drawing – of Puccini [39:37] The relationship between the artist and his audience for a work [44:15] Where to look for the answers to any piece of art [46:48] The byproduct of beauty in his art [49:42] Working based on inspiration and vision vs. commission [51:41] Following your personal vision – not other peoples’ [58:07] What he learned from Leontine Price [1:03:50] The living development of an artist and their style [1:08:27] Being willing to risk for your art, and unwilling to risk not doing art [1;12:48] The importance of discovering, acknowledging, and tapping your genius [1:17:14] Visit Michael at his website or on facebook. Subscribe to the podcast on Itunes or Android: The post Ayn Rand Hero: Michael Newberry – Being A Heroic Artist appeared first on Becoming An Ayn Rand Hero.

Join Mark Michael Lewis and artist Michael Newberry as they discuss the world of artistic creation in the context of Ayn Rand’s philosophy. Michael has been creating figurative art for over 40 years, combining his love of Rembrandt, Ayn Rand, and Puccini. Please be sure to encounter some of his work on his website Michael Newberry Artist, where he also writes articles on the philosophy of art as well as cultural commentary on the contemporary art world. In this episode you’ll hear: Michael’s choice between professional tennis and being an artist [7:01] The importance of goals in life and art [11:30] How he determines what subject/vision to paint [13:00] Evil and beauty in the artistic process – as a self-portrait [16:07] Critiquing Kant’s idea of beauty vs. the sublime [18:12} The three axioms of visual art and painting [30:00] The importance and inspiration of Aristophanes [34:50] The thought and love of his latest drawing – of Puccini [39:37] The relationship between the artist and his audience for a work [44:15] Where to look for the answers to any piece of art [46:48] The byproduct of beauty in his art [49:42] Working based on inspiration and vision vs. commission [51:41] Following your personal vision – not other peoples’ [58:07] What he learned from Leontine Price [1:03:50] The living development of an artist and their style [1:08:27] Being willing to risk for your art, and unwilling to risk not doing art [1;12:48] The importance of discovering, acknowledging, and tapping your genius [1:17:14] Visit Michael at his website or on facebook. Subscribe to the podcast on Itunes or Android: The post Ayn Rand Hero: Michael Newberry – Being A Heroic Artist appeared first on Becoming An Ayn Rand Hero.

Join Mark Michael Lewis and the CEO of The Atlas Society Jennifer Anju Grossman as they talk about how to bring the ideas of Ayn Rand to the wider culture – especially our youth. We especially discuss her thinking behind her provocative choice to write an op ed in The New York Times about how people can BOTH love Ayn Rand AND love God. Learn why Jennifer says, “I don’t think that the problem is not that we don’t have enough philosophically pure Objectivists in the world. The problem is that we don’t have enough people reading Ayn Rand.” In this episode you’ll hear: Using new technology to bring ideas to market. [7:37] The opportunity of introducing Ayn Rand to fresh minds. [10:27] Getting creative and going beyond the “white paper” approach. [13:28] What is required for people to hate Ayn Rand. [14:37] Overcoming the stereotype of Objectivists as harshly judging individuals. [17:58] Aligning with people’s sense of life and guide them to philosophy. [21:00] Dagny Taggart as a feminist icon. [30:25] Expressing our love of our fellow men. [34:23] Don’t be an idiot and don’t be an asshole. [37:26] The Objectivist sense of life vs. philosophy as honey and vinegar. [39:34] The difference between Peter Keating and kindly attracting people to Ayn Rand. [43:19] The story behind Jennifer’s article on loving both Ayn Rand and God. [46:21] Can you be a full Objectivist and believe in God? [52:42] The spiral of becoming an Objectivist. [56:20] The shift towards introducing more people into the Ayn Rand orbit. [58:34] The overarching goals for The Atlas Society – widening the audience. [1:01:55] To read the article Can You Love God and Ayn Rand? goto http://atlassociety.org/commentary/commentary-blog/6108-can-you-love-god-and-ayn-rand To access the many resources offered by The Atlas Society, goto http://AtlasSociety.org http://www.instagram.com/atlassociety/ http://twitter.com/TheAtlasSociety http://Facebook.com/AtlasSociety And to learn more about Jennifer Anju Grossman, http://JenniferAGrossman.com/ The post Ayn Rand Hero: Jennifer Grossman – CEO Atlas Society Social Strategy appeared first on Becoming An Ayn Rand Hero.

In this interview, I sit down with business coach and creator of theWealthSource Kim Sawyer. Our conversation is packed with questions, answers and thoughts that will get you thinking about money, business, value and wealth (and Ayn Rand!) in ways you may not have considered before. The Shadows of Ayn Rand Heroes and the True Source of Wealth: Whether you’re a seasoned ‘Randroid,’ or just getting started reading Atlas Shrugged, I think you’ll really enjoy our dialogue about the pitfalls and traps that we can fall into when reading about Ayn Rand’s characters, what value is (and isn’t) and how to become wealthy in your own life. In this episode, you’ll hear about: The seductive trap of the ‘Ayn Rand Speech’ [10:00] The dangers of using ‘rationality’ to ‘rationalize’ (and how to avoid the most common Objectivism pitfalls that keep smart people stuck) [20:30] How to use Ayn Rand’s characters as ‘roadmaps’ instead of ideals [23:00] Why you should think of yourself as a ‘Frank Lloyd Wright’ building (find out what this means at [29:00]) One of the most powerful forms of Goal-setting (if you have written goals, make sure to listen to this section to make some critical refinements on them) [41:00] The most important (and profitable) investment opportunity EVERYONE has and almost nobody thinks about [49:00] The multiple areas of ‘wealth’ – and why you must profit in all of these areas in order to be truly wealthy (hint: only one of them is money) [56:00] Discover the ‘life project’ that we’re all plugged into (getting clear on this is like taking the red pill) [58:00] The most powerful word in the human experience: Volition [1:00:00] One powerful way to look at Ayn Rand’s work to live a better life [1:02:00] Learn more about Kim Sawyer at TheWealthSource.com. To hear more episodes visit AynRandHero.com or subscribe to the Becoming An Ayn Rand Hero Podcast The post Ayn Rand Hero: Wealth Is More Than Money with Kim Sawyer appeared first on Becoming An Ayn Rand Hero.

Join Mark Michael Lewis and philosophy Professor Stephen Hicks in a conversation about an honest approach to knowledge and human thriving. In this episode, you’ll hear: Why you should always take arguments at their best [10:15] The reason why many philosophers are ‘left’ [16:00] How Objectivism is an ‘outlier’-philosophy [19:00] 3rd Generation Postmodernism and the Weaponry of Affirmative Action [25:00] Pronoun wars [35:00] The Value-Creators, and why they matter [48:00] The Top “Success Traits” of an entrepreneur [56:00] Being the entrepreneur of your own life [1:02:00] The choice to make your work beautiful [1:07:00] Stephen Hicks received his Ph.D. in philosophy from Indiana University in 1992 and has, for the last twenty years, taught philosophy at Rockford College, in Rockford, Illinois. He is the author of articles on postmodern philosophy, the philosophy of history, Ayn Rand ’s philosophy of Objectivism , free speech on campus, modern art, and business ethics, among other topics. His book Readings for Logical Analysisis a companion volume to David Kelley’s The Art of Reasoning. In 2004, Hicks brought out Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism and Socialism from Rousseau to Foucault , a work sponsored in part by a grant from The Atlas Society, publisher of this magazine. In 2006, he scripted and narrated a documentary called Nietzsche and the Nazis. In 2007 Rockford College received a $925,000 grant from the BB&T Charitable Foundation, which will be used to establish a Center for Ethics and Entrepreneurship , with Hicks as its head.   The post Ayn Rand Hero: Postmodernism and Making Work Beautiful with Professor Stephen Hicks appeared first on Becoming An Ayn Rand Hero.

What happens if intelligence grows faster than values and ethics? The first atomic bomb was detonated on July 16th 1945. The dizzying leap forward in our capacity to harness energy for fuel and for ammunition changed the way we understood politics, war and the protection of our own existence as a species. Artificial Intelligence is bringing up a lot of the same fears (except this time it will be able to think for itself — in a manner of speaking … ) In this episode, Jay Friedenberg, scientist, author, and artist, joins me to discuss the dangers, the exaggerations and some of the implications of what an ‘intelligent technology’ might mean, the ethical implications that we need to consider and how we can move forward. Check out some of the highlights: Learning to be focussed on your work [4:00] Why literature matters, and how it can help us [5:15] The Two ‘False Alternatives’ of the Future (Terminators vs Utopia) [15:05] The competitive advantages with new technology [25:00] How technology effects the art we make [31:00] Using technology to enhance our rationality [38:00] Rationality and Ethics: Values in artificial intelligence [40:15] What happens if computers become ‘Logically Omniscient’? [50:00] Learn more about Jay at his faculty page or his artist website. The post Ayn Rand Hero: Reasoning With A.I. w/ Jay Friedenberg appeared first on Becoming An Ayn Rand Hero.

This episode, I invited composer and author Matthew Zachary Johnson to discuss the ‘moral power of music’. We discuss the power that certain kinds of music have to integrate (or frustrate) certain emotional experiences in real-time.  There are some powerful tips and insights into how you can use music to your benefit that I highly recommend checking out. “Let me write the songs of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws.” ~ Andrew Fletcher Definitely check out his book, Emotions in Life and Music. Some of the highlights include Aesthetics, Ayn Rand and human greatness [14:30] Don’t be an idiot, don’t be an asshole [19:00] How music can tell you about your emotions [28:00] The moral power of music (and the power of Elvis) [30:00] Psychological signatures of emotions [39:30] How music can help us integrate difficult, challenging emotions [52:00] Redefining and understanding ‘popular’ music [1:03:00] Music from the neck down, music from the waist down [1:10:00] Battlefield metaphysics and heavy metal [1:20:00] The ‘Catharsis-as-purging’ fallacy [1:26:00] Make sure to check out the Dvorak New World Symphony as mentioned in the episode!   The post The Moral Power of Music – Matthew Zachary Johnson appeared first on Becoming An Ayn Rand Hero.

Robert Tracinski is a writer, lecturer and commentator on a wide range of topics – including politics, philosophy, objectivism, futurism and much more. His latest work can be found at The Tracinski Letter and Real Clear Future – @Tracinski on Twitter – a must-read resource for all rational, objectivist thinkers who want current news and trends discussed in a clear, well-informed manner – with style. In this episode we discuss all that and more – check out some of the highlights below: The power of understanding axioms [10:45] Is Atlas Shrugged really a political novel? [27:00] A literary analysis of John Galt’s character [31:00] The ‘Mary-Sue’ Effect & the trap of the Ayn Rand speech [41:00] We are all futurists now: applying the philosophy of Ayn Rand in real life [45:30] The future of knowledge work with AI [51:30] Can AI have volition and motivation? [57:30] With great power comes a greater need for rationality [1:08:00] Self-correcting science confronting reality vs. runaway philosophy in the ivory tower [1:13:30] The coming ‘Bureaucratic Singularity’ [1:16:00] For more Becoming An Ayn Rand Hero Twitter:   @AynRandHero Website:  AynRandHero.com Podcast:   iTtunes  –  Android   The post Ayn Rand Hero: Adapting to the Future with Robert Tracinski appeared first on Becoming An Ayn Rand Hero.

This conversation with Asa Idoni – music producer and composer – is part of the Integral Ayn Rand series of Becoming An Ayn Rand Hero. In it, we get into the nitty gritty of human development, rationality, optimal human values and rational self interest. Some of the highlights: The art of rationality and skillful ‘synthesis’  (or how to not throw the baby out with the bathwater) [18:00] How to question your belief systems in a systematic way – and synthesize the ‘good’ and ‘bad’ of old beliefs [25:00] Taking responsibility for our choices and our agency [38:00] Defining Rational Self-Interest [59:00] You can experience Asa’s work at http://SourceVibrations.com The post Ayn Rand Hero: Rational Self Interest with Asa Idoni appeared first on Becoming An Ayn Rand Hero.

William Thomas is the Director of Programs and CFO at The Atlas Society. He is a writer, teacher, and educator on Objectivism and Ayn Rand. He is the author and editor of highly recommended books related to Objectivism, Political Theory, and Ayn Rand including: Radical For Capitalism Myths About Ayn Rand The Literary Art of Ayn Rand And co-author of The Logical Structure of Objectivism In this interview, we cover the whole range of becoming a ‘Self Made’ person.  From work to your relationships, there are powerful ways to apply the ideas of Ayn Rand in all aspects of our lives. This episode covers: The spirit of marriage vs the letter of the law (and how to reclaim the original, powerful intentions behind it) [12:45] Why it’s important to take full responsibility for your own knowledge, understanding, and skills [21:30] How Ayn Rand thinks about ‘self made’ life in The Fountainhead characters [24:00] How to enjoy your work, by taking on certain perspectives on your professional life (and why that makes your leisure time way more fun)  [39:00] Building a strong ‘self’ through doing high-quality work [47:00] An introduction to the literary art of Ayn Rand [51:00] Real Magic – The amazing way Rand’s writing opens up a world of ‘magic’ to us in areas of industry that are easily overlooked [55:00] To find out more about The Atlas Society, check them out on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, as well as a wide range of articles, videos, and resources at The Atlas Society website.   The post Ayn Rand Hero: On Being Self-Made with William Thomas (of Atlas Society) appeared first on Becoming An Ayn Rand Hero.

Don Watkins is one of today’s most vocal opponents of the welfare state and one of the great proponents of Ayn Rand’s philosophy. A fellow with the Ayn Rand Institute, Don is co-author, with Yaron Brook, of the national best-sellers Free Market Revolution and Equal is Unfair. He is also the author of RooseveltCare: How Social Security Is Sabotaging the Land of Self-Reliance. In this episode you’ll learn: Why having a ‘hierarchy of values’ is one of the most important things about philosophy[12:15] Why you should read books you disagree with [18:30] America before and after welfare [30:00] Don’t fall for your ‘confirmation bias’ when researching your case [39:35] What we mean by inequality [43:30] The difference between political and economic inequality[50:10] The only way to ‘equalize’ (and why this doesn’t work) [1:01:40] How to think clearer about morality [1:07:30] Your two best resources for developing your thinking [1:17:00] I highly recommend you get a copy of Equal is Unfair if you want to learn more about the moral perspective behind the ‘equality’ debate – and how that impacts us. His other two books, Free Market Revolution and Rooseveltcare are also hard-hitting explorations into the political and economic world in which we live – and how we might transform them into a world in which we are inspired to live. You can learn more about Don at The Ayn Rand Institute or follow him on Twitter @dwatkins3. The post Ayn Rand Hero: Don Watkins on Freedom, Morality, and Equality appeared first on Becoming An Ayn Rand Hero.