Creativity from Objectivity

One of the most interesting political philosophies, in my opinion, is objectivism. I'll elaborate on this interest more later on, after I explain the basic tenets. Objectivism originated in the works of Ayn Rand, a very controversial political philosopher whose popularity has grown tremendously in recent years. Rand advocated complete individual freedom and a society in which government's only purpose was to enforce contacts. There would be no regulation of speech or individual actions unless they caused implicit and immediate harm to other individuals. No regulations or restrictions would be placed on business practices, as it was assumed that unbridled competition was the only way to fully create the best possible products at the lowest possible cost. Morally, objectivism advocates selfishness; one should never do anything unless they benefit from the action in some way. This belief especially brought about public distaste for objectivism because of its fundamental opposition to altruism and charity. It also didn't help that Ayn Rand herself was such an unlikable figure, which contributed to the backlash against objectivism during her life. 

Now on to what I find so interesting about this philosophy. Objectivism is such a straightforward, blunt political and moral philosophy that this nature alone increases my interest in it (and when I say interest, I mean academic interest, not actual adherence or belief in its ideals). There is also something refreshing about a belief-system adhering to the principle of "do whatever you want, but you will deal with the consequences of your actions." However, I think the greatest force of attraction to me concerns the sheer level of creativity and difference this would bring to society, by which I mean, a social, political, and economic structure that has never been seen before in the industrialized world (does that mean I think it should be implemented? No, but it can yield some interesting hypotheticals).

Some of the greatest creativity regarding objectivism can be found in fiction, creating interesting worlds and societies that keep readers, viewers, players and whatever engaged. I'm not referring to what is considered Rand's masterpiece, Atlas Shrugged (honestly, it's not great). My primary reference with regard to this is the video game Bioshock. In this series, players find themselves in an underwater metropolis run on the tenets of objectivism, and it honestly does provide a very nuanced look at the philosophy. The lack of regulation encouraged widespread scientific and industrial innovation, but the people themselves became selfish, greedy, and manipulative. I contribute much of the awe generated by this city because of this belief system. So honestly, I find my greatest appreciation of objectivism can be traced to the fictitious worlds it creates for us to explore and examine human nature in. Game developers thought it was interesting enough to form the backdrop of a major video game, and I hope Bioshock's success encourages additional pieces of fiction based on  political philosophies (I know, I'm a nerd.).