DOGMA
Last night, I finished reading an old fiction novel, “The Fountainhead” by Ayn Rand. And at that time, I started meticulously reassessing the value of human existence.
As Miranda Priestly said it… “Groundbreaking.”
It is about an egotistic architect who never compromised his genius innovations to collaboration and cooperation with what Rand coined as “second-handers.” At the end, he stood victorious on the top of his greatest skyscraper. After finishing the last page, I was moved to research Ayn Rand and all the philosophies tied to her name: objectivism, egotism, as well as altruism, collectivism and communism. I was like a Borg drone assimilating information from the cyberspace. I never conceived that I would be reaffixed in concepts I have abandoned since I left the school paper and would think a lot like this in centuries – All because of a book of philosophy embedded in an architectural theme.
I ask myself, have I been an altruist all these years? As far as my values are concerned, I have admired selfless love and service for others and somehow rejected the opinions of egotistic eggheads. I planned my profession based on humanitarian objectives. The Church did not absolutely enforce me this, rest assured, but my urge in life has been in the service of the common good, for humanity as a Gift to God. I think my deceased grandmother, a teacher, a public servant, taught me this.
Then I remember my battle in the school newspaper. I saw myself asserting a selfish philosophy and using all my power to publish it in a paper that I believed was corrupted by individuals who would die for collectivism. My article discussed the vehement rejection of imposition of philosophies, condemning it as the gravest crime to humanity, and I roused independent reason and free thought to the readers, not knowing that I was becoming Ayn Rand. Having so much faith in my reason, I fought for it like a monster. At that time, I felt alone. I was alone. No one would support my monstrosity against a radical collectivist belief, knowing it was too monstrous that it would compromise a lot of things, save my colleague’s reputation. And at times I somehow regretted my actions, considering that in the public’s current way of thinking, I was wrong to defend individualism as it would break cooperation and collaboration among and within organizations, whatever their nature. That was the last assertion of my faith to human purpose. After that, I shut up. And then this.
So, am I an altruist or an egotist?
Rand failed in setting boundaries in depicting altruism and egotism in her work. Her characters who should have stood for altruism are, in reality, egotists who hunger for power and recognition, while her protagonists, who are supposedly selfish and egotistic, value humanity in their own ideals. Perhaps she subconsciously but perfectly put it that way, making me realize that there is no personal boundary at all.
In my understanding, altruism in principle is sacrificing one’s own values, morals and ideals, dignity and reason for other’s gratification, as what Rand suggested. While in practice, altruism is the use of physical or mental energy for the betterment of mankind. I like the latter better.
On the other hand, egotism in principle is safeguarding one’s own values, morals and ideals, dignity, even creativity and reason from others. Egotism in practice is the use of one’s energy to satisfy his need for pleasure, recognition, self-respect and power, such things that he believes he do not possess. I surely despise the latter.
An old philosophical opponent expressed her opinion, in literal terms, that unity in diversity is bullshit. As I interpret it, she rejects objectivism, the reason of an individual, the “I,” and glorifies collective thought without question, the “we and no one else.” I met her once in a jeepney ride but never looked at her twice. I can not stand to see an altruist in principle but an egotist in practice. Little did she know, like any other prophets of the leftist youth, that practicing one’s expression of opinion, whether original or plagiarized, to a public, whether diverse or brainwashed, is a form of egotism, refuting her own philosophy.
I will observe the social dynamics throughout the years and see branded individualists and collectivists struggle for political and economic power. I will look at faces of the youth blinded by loyalty to a belief that wasn’t their own. I will hear hypocrites denouncing individual rights to a collective cause, knowing at the back of their heads that the basic unit of a collective is an individual. I will die accepting a world with political animals setting boundaries to boundless morals and philosophies for futile applications.
But I will live as I was born and nurtured to live --- to work and achieve, to serve and lead. I will respect humanity as an individual and as a society.
For one can not help others without helping oneself. One can not cooperate with compromised faculties. He is not part of something if he is nothing.
My credo: egotism in principle, altruism in practice.
Buy it. Read it.
That’s an order.
As Miranda Priestly said it… “Groundbreaking.”
It is about an egotistic architect who never compromised his genius innovations to collaboration and cooperation with what Rand coined as “second-handers.” At the end, he stood victorious on the top of his greatest skyscraper. After finishing the last page, I was moved to research Ayn Rand and all the philosophies tied to her name: objectivism, egotism, as well as altruism, collectivism and communism. I was like a Borg drone assimilating information from the cyberspace. I never conceived that I would be reaffixed in concepts I have abandoned since I left the school paper and would think a lot like this in centuries – All because of a book of philosophy embedded in an architectural theme.
I ask myself, have I been an altruist all these years? As far as my values are concerned, I have admired selfless love and service for others and somehow rejected the opinions of egotistic eggheads. I planned my profession based on humanitarian objectives. The Church did not absolutely enforce me this, rest assured, but my urge in life has been in the service of the common good, for humanity as a Gift to God. I think my deceased grandmother, a teacher, a public servant, taught me this.
Then I remember my battle in the school newspaper. I saw myself asserting a selfish philosophy and using all my power to publish it in a paper that I believed was corrupted by individuals who would die for collectivism. My article discussed the vehement rejection of imposition of philosophies, condemning it as the gravest crime to humanity, and I roused independent reason and free thought to the readers, not knowing that I was becoming Ayn Rand. Having so much faith in my reason, I fought for it like a monster. At that time, I felt alone. I was alone. No one would support my monstrosity against a radical collectivist belief, knowing it was too monstrous that it would compromise a lot of things, save my colleague’s reputation. And at times I somehow regretted my actions, considering that in the public’s current way of thinking, I was wrong to defend individualism as it would break cooperation and collaboration among and within organizations, whatever their nature. That was the last assertion of my faith to human purpose. After that, I shut up. And then this.
So, am I an altruist or an egotist?
Rand failed in setting boundaries in depicting altruism and egotism in her work. Her characters who should have stood for altruism are, in reality, egotists who hunger for power and recognition, while her protagonists, who are supposedly selfish and egotistic, value humanity in their own ideals. Perhaps she subconsciously but perfectly put it that way, making me realize that there is no personal boundary at all.
In my understanding, altruism in principle is sacrificing one’s own values, morals and ideals, dignity and reason for other’s gratification, as what Rand suggested. While in practice, altruism is the use of physical or mental energy for the betterment of mankind. I like the latter better.
On the other hand, egotism in principle is safeguarding one’s own values, morals and ideals, dignity, even creativity and reason from others. Egotism in practice is the use of one’s energy to satisfy his need for pleasure, recognition, self-respect and power, such things that he believes he do not possess. I surely despise the latter.
An old philosophical opponent expressed her opinion, in literal terms, that unity in diversity is bullshit. As I interpret it, she rejects objectivism, the reason of an individual, the “I,” and glorifies collective thought without question, the “we and no one else.” I met her once in a jeepney ride but never looked at her twice. I can not stand to see an altruist in principle but an egotist in practice. Little did she know, like any other prophets of the leftist youth, that practicing one’s expression of opinion, whether original or plagiarized, to a public, whether diverse or brainwashed, is a form of egotism, refuting her own philosophy.
I will observe the social dynamics throughout the years and see branded individualists and collectivists struggle for political and economic power. I will look at faces of the youth blinded by loyalty to a belief that wasn’t their own. I will hear hypocrites denouncing individual rights to a collective cause, knowing at the back of their heads that the basic unit of a collective is an individual. I will die accepting a world with political animals setting boundaries to boundless morals and philosophies for futile applications.
But I will live as I was born and nurtured to live --- to work and achieve, to serve and lead. I will respect humanity as an individual and as a society.
For one can not help others without helping oneself. One can not cooperate with compromised faculties. He is not part of something if he is nothing.
My credo: egotism in principle, altruism in practice.
Buy it. Read it.
That’s an order.
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