A forgotten leader

Ayn Rand has been called an author, a screenwriter, and a philosopher and, shocking, a cult leader. Her philosophy, which she refers to as ‘objectivism’, has caused enlightenment as well as controversy around the globe. What is unknown to many individuals is the power of Rand’s philosophy, the way it is integrated into her works, and the impact it has had on many of her readers. Rand’s novels are romantic, comedic, intellectual, and profound. Through her characters she flaunts the self-invented concept very cautiously, as her intention was for her readers to decipher the meaning of her philosophy on their own, and decide independently what their stance on the matter is. Rand’s book, For the New Intellectual was published in 1964. This work outlines the concept of Objectivism in meticulous detail, answering many questions that Rand’s faithful and avid followers had posed.

Ayn Rand clubs have become increasingly popular at many Universities across the United States. The youth in our society are particularly drawn to Rand’s works and philosophy, as she answers many questions that young people ask today: Who am I? What is the meaning of life? Is there a higher power? Why am I here? I believe that it was Rand’s intent to target the youth of a generation, whose minds are fragile and malleable, and discreetly convince and persuade them to be a follower of hers by supporting the philosophy of Objectivism. Many have wondered if this philosophy is indeed a form of Atheism. The answer is yes. Objectivism is simply the independence from absolutely everything.
Rand’s followers were loyal, to say the least. Anyone who passionately believed in Rand’s philosophy has been considered a member of the cult that she created. When the Ayn Rand cult rapidly grew, those who opposed the ideals the cult supported became frantic. At one point, the people of Philadelphia warned that all objectivist were not allowed within the city limits. Hate groups were formed against the Objectivists and violent crimes often targeted the followers. It is safe to say that in the cult’s evolving stage, it was dangerous to be a member. The Ayn Rand cult is not as prominent in this century as it was in the last. Because of the intense opposition to it, many followers have grown silent or have strayed. A great number of people are not even aware that such a cult exists. However, there will always be followers of objectivism, whether they know they are a part of such an organization or not, and Ayn Rand will remain the creator and leader of such radical beliefs.


Works Cited
"Ayn Rand." Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition (2010): 1. Primary Search. EBSCO. Web. 13 Dec. 2010.
Kobler, John. "THE CURIOUS CULT OF AYN RAND." Saturday Evening Post 234.45 (1961): 98. MAS Ultra - School Edition. EBSCO. Web. 13 Dec. 2010

Ayn Rand was born in early February in the year of 1905 in St. Petersburg, Russia amidst a sudden uprising known as the 1905 Revolution, when Czar Nicholas II’s army open fire on more than thirty thousand civilians. Her parents, who gave her the name Alisa Zinov'yevna Rosenbaum, were ages thirty-four and twenty-five at the time of Rand’s birth and had been married for just nine months. Her mother had been trained and worked as a dentist but halted her career when she was married and became pregnant, and her father was a pharmaceutical chemist who also owned and managed a small shop on the bottom floor of their home. She was born into a Jewish family and grew up in an often dangerous and volatile environment because of her family’s religion. She was the eldest of three sisters and though her surrounding were at times violent, her family was very fortunate financially.
In high school, Rand determined herself to be an Atheist and in 1921, she was admitted to Petrograd State University, free of charge. She graduated in 1924 and was granted a visa to travel to the United States to visit relatives. She immediately loved the states and decided to stay to pursue her career. After spending six months with her relatives in Chicago, she headed west to Hollywood, intending to pursue a career as a screenwriter. It was there that she met her future husband, Frank O’Connor, with whom she spent the majority of her life with until his death fifty years later. Rand and her geographically distant father grew suddenly closer as they wrote letters back and forth, and Rand later confessed to having feelings for her father and being very attracted to him. However, she continued on with her life in America and began writing her first novel, The Fountainhead, in 1935. She continued writing quite vigorously, publishing several other novels, novelettes and philosophies almost up until her death on March 6 of 1982, where she died peacefully in her Manhattan apartment.

Branden, Barbara. The Passion of Ayn Rand. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1986. Print.


Burns, Jennifer. Goddess of the Market: Ayn Rand and the American Right. Oxford, England: Oxford UP, 2009. Print.

Ayn Rand is most famous for her books Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead. In each of these novels, Rand displays and illustrates an ideology that she created called Objectivism. In my opinion, the invention of this concept is one of Rand’s most brilliant movements. Objectivism “glorifies the autonomous individual who denies that he is his brother's keeper and rejects the traditional Western moral responsibility to love his neighbor as himself” (Heller 1). Rand’s novels continue to sell astonishing amounts even after her death. Her views and support for extreme Republicanism are still referred to by many prominent political figures including many presidential campaigners, as well as current conservative talk show hosts Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh.

Rand was extremely strict about the use and interpretation of her ideas. In fact, she attempted to limit any interpretation at all and called any unauthorized usage of her ideologies plagiarism. She only allowed herself and her lover, Nathaniel Branden, to be referred to by anyone as Objectivists. Every individual choosing to follow Rand’s beliefs and ideologies were merely “students of Objectivism” (Kirchner 53). Rand was very aware of the power and value of her thoughts and protected them in that manner.

Works Cited

Fishman, Ethan. "Laissez-Faire Run Amok: The Extremist, and Enduring, Philosophy of Ayn Rand." MasterFILE Premier 79.1 (2010). Web. 6 Dec. 2010.

Kirchner, Stephen. "Ayn Rand and the World She Made/Goddess of the Market: Ayn Rand and the American Right." Policy 26.1 (2010): 53-54. Web. 06 Dec. 2010.

Photograph. Never Yet Melted. D.H. Lawrence, 12 Oct. 2010. Web. 6 Dec. 2010. .

Ayn Rand, a Russian-American novelist, philosopher and playwrite, was born in the year 1905 in saint petersberg, Russia. Though she is most famous for her novels The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged, she has written a total of 4 Best Selling novels including Anthem and We the Living, along with the two listed above. Ayn Rand is one of the world's most famous authors mainly because of her unique philosophy on life, death and other serious issues surrounding us every day. Her opinions are anything but mundane and are often very shocking, and her willingness to share them with the world captivated her readers. Because of this, cults based on her unique ideologies have been firmed and still exist today, even after her death in 1982.

I have chosen to make Ayn Rand the topic of this blog because many individuals are not aware of the deeper meanings and beliefs behind this authors intriguing novels and exceedingly bold claims. There are some who are not even familiar with the author at all. I believe that Ayn Rand is a classic in modern literature, which I will later explain. She has deeply touched my life and thoughts, and I think that for others, she will do the same.