California is perpetuating racism in its community colleges—by redefining words. Particularly disturbing is their redefinition of “merit,” a concept that is so important for the advancement and improvement of our world. The meritorious are those outstanding men and women who discover, innovate, and produce wealth, and whose actions thereby benefit all of us. Yet California’s community colleges redefine it as: A concept that… is embedded in the ideology of whiteness and upholds race-based structural inequality. Merit protects white privilege under the guise of standards as highlighted by anti ..read more

Something positive is happening in politics from, of all places, Argentina—the socialist utopia that has experienced systematic poverty for decades because of its socialism. But no more. Argentine President Javier Milei’s speech at Davos is one of the most important given by a politician that I’ve ever read. If his ideas can catch on, they could be world-changing. An excerpt of the speech was published in the Wall Street Journal, which I’m summarizing at the end of this post. In particular, I found his closing passage to be powerful, true, and extremely encouraging: I would like to leave a me ..read more

Ideas have consequences. The idea that motivates Hamas and other terrorists is: achieving “divine” justice—other-worldly justice—via earthly retribution, using any means necessary. Their strategy: dehumanize, destroy, and dominate. Their means of implementation: Jihad, murder, mayhem, and martyrdom. From the horse’s mouth: “The day of judgment will not come until Muslims fight the Jews (killing them all), when the Jew will hide behind stones and trees, the stones and trees will say, ‘Oh, Muslims, oh, Abdulla, there is a Jew behind me, kill him.’”[1] The specific ideas are: God is our objectiv ..read more

There have been many alleged spokespersons for Objectivism—Mike Berliner, Harry Binswanger, John Ridpath, Peter Schwartz, Yaron Brook—and we’re now told of a “Chief Philosophy Officer,” Onkar Ghate. There’s something we should not forget. The philosopher of Objectivism, the Chief Philosophy Officer of her philosophy, is Ayn Rand (although Ms. Rand would never accept such a title). Objectivism is Rand’s work—it was not a team effort. She obviously worked with many other people, but the ideas of Objectivism were the work of her mind and pen. This is so obvious that it shouldn’t need stating. How ..read more

(This post is for Objectivists only.) I had partied too much the night before, and I woke up feeling sluggish and a little hungover. As I opened my eyes, I said “Ugh! Reality… where the hell did that come from?” My romantic partner looked at me and said, “Ayn Rand invented it!” I laughed out loud, and I thought you might enjoy the humor too. Carl B. Barney September 5, 2023 The post Reality appeared first on Carl Barney ..read more

Prometheus Foundation (PF) had a remarkable year, awarding nearly $3 million to organizations and individuals promoting Ayn Rand’s ideas all over the world. Here are some highlights. Students For Liberty (SFL) After years of planning with SFL to popularize Rand’s ideas, we launched the Prometheus Fellowship program and awarded more than 70 fellowships, bringing students from all over the world to learn about Ayn Rand’s ideas. SFL also expanded the New Frontiers of Objectivism program, now covering all inhabited continents.  Prometheus funded Learn Liberty videos, featuring Objectivist int ..read more

About 12 years ago, along with Boaz Arad, I founded and funded the Ayn Rand Center in Israel (ARCI)—and I have continued to participate and fund it during the last decade. Israel is now on the Objectivist map, and Boaz is encouraging and receiving contributions from others. To support ARCI, I founded, along with Boaz and Richard Minns, the Ayn Rand Atlas Award for the Best Israeli Startup. I’ve also participated in and funded this award over the last decade. Here is a sample of my involvement, a short (less than 10-minute) speech I made at the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange to a group of movers and s ..read more

In May this year, 50 bright, active-minded men and women from 23 countries embarked on a serious study program of Ayn Rand’s books and Leonard Peikoff’s books and courses. This is the launch of the Prometheus Fellowship, initiated and funded with a $2.3 million dollar grant by my Prometheus Foundation. Wolf Von Laer (CEO) and Kenneth Wagner (COO) of Students for Liberty have met with me over the last few years and discussed the need for a philosophic foundation for their mission of promoting liberty throughout the world. (Mr. Von Laer and Mr. Wagner have either started or completed Leonard’s l ..read more

(This is for Objectivists. Please feel free to forward this, and I appreciate any feedback that you care to provide.) Ayn Rand saw the need for new intellectuals. She wanted to reach intelligent, ambitious, young (and older) minds with her inspirational, rational philosophy—a philosophy for living fully, successfully, and happily. Her long essay “For The New Intellectual” sets forth her views and purposes. She sought to inspire and enlist intellectual champions who would advance reason and rationality vs. mysticism and skepticism, individualism and egoism vs. altruism and collectivism, and cap ..read more

I was stunned to see a statement/announcement by a senior Objectivist. It read: “Objectivism in one sentence: I’m not brave enough to be a coward—I see the consequences too clearly.” “This quintessentially Ayn Rand quip captures and implies the entire Objectivist philosophy, ‘A is A’ to rational selfishness, to the politics of laissez faire, and the esthetics of romantic realism. This episode shows how and why.” I was appalled because it misrepresents Ms. Rand and Objectivism. Most senior Objectivists will see the absurdity of this, but for new Objectivists, let me point out that Ms. Rand hers ..read more