Volume 16, Number 3, March 2010

UCLA Conference on and the World Today: Freedom An Interview with RI intellectuals participated in a two-day Dr. Leonard Peikoff was a stu- see the government’s aban- A conference on the philosophic foundations dent and friend of ’s donment in many areas even of freedom at the University of , Los for more than thirty years. He of the pretense that it respects Angeles, the weekend of January 30–31. The is the author of The Ominous private property or individual conference was put on by LOGIC, the UCLA Parallels and : rights. Washington gave its Objectivist club (with financial and material The of Ayn Rand, all in the effort to socialize support from ARI), and featured ten talks by the definitive presentation medicine—to be financed eight speakers, as well as a panel discussion and of Ayn Rand’s philosophy. in part through the unprec- a student-led presentation on activism. It was Dr. Peikoff is the featured edented mandating of invol- free and open to the public, and attendees were speaker at Objectivist Summer Conference 2010 untary purchases by Ameri- treated to lunch. in Las Vegas (July 2–11), where he will present cans out of their after-tax money. The proposed six general-session lectures on his forthcoming new environmentalist legislation is a huge blow to book, The DIM Hypothesis. the productive ability of industry, and also to the Impact recently sat down with Dr. Peikoff ability of business to defend its own rights against to discuss Ayn Rand’s first novel, We the Living the politicians’; even if, as it seems at the moment, (1936), and its relevance to America today. these laws do not pass this year, the fact that such Dr. Peikoff worked with the publisher New things have been thought of and widely touted tells American Library on the design of the new you where we are. All of the bailouts are a signal trade edition of We the Living and authored a to all of the big incompetents (the Orren Boyles* new introduction to the novel. of the world) that they need not worry any more Here we present part two of this two-part inter- about failure because the government will run view. Part one may be found in the January Impact. things for them, decide when a venture is too risky, during his lecture on individual rights and provide a new squad of overseers and even a The talks were chosen to be both independent Impact: Would you elaborate on the totalitarian special czar to set “fair salaries.” And, of course, of and integrated with each other: no talk required aspects you see in the today? as for the multitrillion-dollar deficit, the govern- another as a prerequisite, but those who had LP: With Obama, there are a few clear signs ment’s attitude is: après moi le deluge (which came attended prior courses would be able to see the rela- not yet of totalitarianism, but of ominous steps in to Weimar Germany in 1933, ten years after its tion between them. The range of topics included the its direction—signs, in action or as trial balloons, runaway inflation). revolutionary idea of individual rights, the separa- that I’ve not seen before in so unmistakable a form. There’s also a few “little” things: the talk about tion of state and economics, objective law, and Atlas The obvious area is the economy, where we subsidizing “important” newspapers, including of Shrugged and the morality of freedom. “LOGIC had wanted to host a weekend continued on page 4 event like this involving ARI for some time, and this year the conditions were right to do it,” said Debi Ghate, ARI vice president of Academic Keith Lockitch Challenges Views at continued on page 2 Energy and Environment Conference

n February ARC fellow cally, for not imposing a massive regime of gov- I Keith Lockitch spoke out ernment controls, regulations or market interven- ARI Benefit in Los Angeles against government environ- tions aimed at restricting greenhouse gases in the mental policies at the Energy name of allegedly fighting climate change. and Environment Conference, “Mine was definitely the most controversial one of the largest events in talk on my panel session. I was even attacked as a The the United States devoted to ‘denier’ by one of my co-panelists, the executive Revolution energy and environmental director of the American Solar Energy Society. issues. The conference, which But there were a number of people in the audience April 7, 2010 took place in Phoenix, Arizona, February 1–3, who came up afterwards to thank me for present- Los Angeles attracted 650 speakers and 2,300 attendees. ing a contrarian view that they felt was badly Dr. Lockitch was one of only a handful of needed at this conference.” speakers at the conference to challenge the fun- Audio and/or video of the panel may be made damental assumptions of green-energy advocates. available on the Energy and Environment Confer- ho can raise more funds for ARI’s pro- While the other panelists on the Tuesday morning ence Web site. Dr. Lockitch was also interviewed Wgrams, the East Coast or the West? Fol- panel presented their ideas for transforming the by the Heartland Institute before and after his lowing last September’s wildly successful benefit United States into a green economy, Dr. Lockitch appearance. The pre-panel Heartland Institute dinner and silent auction in City, which challenged the foundations of their vision. As he podcast is available at www.heartland.org. The attracted 125 attendees and raised more than wrote in a Voices for Reason blog post: post-panel video interview can be found at $400,000, ARI will host a second Atlas Shrugged “[The conference marketing slogan was:] www.arc-tv.com. Revolution benefit in Los Angeles on April 7. As ‘650 speakers tackle solutions for USA’s energy The Energy and Environment panel presenta- in New York, the headline speakers will be BB&T independence and reducing carbon emissions.’ tion was one of five public talks on energy and chairman John Allison and ARI executive director Well, make that 649, because the gist of my pre- climate given by Dr. Lockitch in five days, from . Other presentations will be part of sentation was to argue against the ‘solutions’ that January 31 through February 4. The others were the evening’s program. every other speaker had to offer. appearances at the University of California, Los The benefit dinner will be held at the luxuri- “As I told the audience attending my panel Angeles (see “UCLA Conference on Freedom,” ous Beverly Hilton Hotel, the annual home of the session, I was there to make the case for not doing this page), Arizona State University, University of continued on page 3 anything about climate change—or, more specifi- Michigan and Penn State University. TM

the nature of the universe in which he acts— Why Man Needs i.e., he needs metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, ARI Speakers and Events which means: philosophy. He cannot escape from at Objectivist Summer Philosophy this need; his only alternative is whether the phi- losophy guiding him is to be chosen by his mind Conference 2010 Each month Impact suggests readings and other or by chance.” (“Philosophy and Sense of Life,” resources for fans of Ayn Rand’s fiction who wish ) to learn more about her philosophy, Objectivism. he 2010 Objectivist summer conference in And elsewhere: “As a human being, you have TLas Vegas is only months away. This year’s no choice about the fact that you need a philoso- conference includes two general sessions and two ne of the most striking facets of Ayn Rand’s phy. Your only choice is whether you define your optional courses led by ARI speakers, as well as O thought is the tremendous range of topics philosophy by a conscious, rational, disciplined a number of special informational events. The on which she had something unique to say. The process of thought and scrupulously logical conference will be held at the Red Rock Casino, Ayn Rand Lexicon, available online at www deliberation—or let your subconscious accumulate Resort and Spa from July 2 through 10. .aynrandlexicon.com, offers a sample of this a junk heap of unwarranted conclusions, false gen- Presentations include: a general session scope. This compilation of excerpts from the eralizations, undefined contradictions, undigested Q & A about ARI’s 25th anniversary with works of Ayn Rand (and from a few other autho- slogans, unidentified wishes, doubts and fears, Michael S. Berliner and Yaron Brook, the first rized Objectivist texts) covers hundreds of topics, thrown together by chance, but integrated by your and current executive directors of the Institute, such as “free will,” “independence,” “love,” subconscious into a kind of mongrel philosophy respectively; “Defending ,” a gen- “sex,” “reason,” “logic,” “cynicism,” “altruism,” and fused into a single, solid weight: self-doubt, eral session with Dr. Brook; “Writing Objec- “selfishness,” “government,” “physical force,” like a ball and chain in the place where your tively,” an optional course taught by ARI fel- “objective law,” “art” and “happiness.” mind’s wings should have grown.” (“Philosophy: low Keith Lockitch; and “The Distinctiveness This incredible variety is a comment not only Who Needs It,” Philosophy: Who Needs It) of an Egoistic Foreign Policy,” an optional on the genius of Ayn Rand, but on the nature of For more on this topic, see, in addition to the course taught by ARI fellow . philosophy as such. As Rand wrote, “Philosophy works already cited, , Atlas The informational events include four spe- is the science that studies the fundamental aspects Shrugged, and the other cial luncheon presentations: about the Ayn Rand of the nature of existence.” As such, its basic task essays in Philosophy: Who Needs It. All of these Campus Initiative and the Academic Division’s is “to provide man with a comprehensive view items can be purchased from the Ayn Rand Book- intellectual projects, about ARI’s Cultural Outreach of life. This view serves as a base, a frame of store. To order, visit www.aynrandbookstore.com Programs, about activism efforts by the Ayn Rand reference, for all his actions, mental or physical, or call 1-800-729-6149. Center for Individual Rights, and about the Atlantis psychological or existential. This view tells him Legacy planned giving program. A free dinner for the nature of the universe with which he has to those interested in community groups and cam- Other Resources from the deal (metaphysics); the means by which he is to pus clubs, a panel on the status of Objectivism in deal with it, i.e., the means of acquiring knowl- Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights (www.aynrandcenter.org) academia, and the annual “State of the Ayn Rand edge (epistemology); the standards by which he Read Institute” presentation led by Dr. Brook are slated, is to choose his goals and values, in regard to his • “The Influence of Atlas Shrugged,” by Yaron Brook as are a number of invitation-only events. own life and character (ethics)—and in regard to • “The Appeal of Ayn Rand,” by Onkar Ghate The highlight of the conference is six general society (politics); the means of concretizing this • “Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged and the World Today,” an interview sessions with Leonard Peikoff, a student and view is given to him by esthetics.” (“The Chick- with Yaron Brook (The Objective Standard, vol. 4, no. 1) • “Why Philosophy,” at www.aynrand.org friend of Ayn Rand’s for more than thirty years ens’ Homecoming,” Return of the Primitive: The and one of the founders of ARI. (See “We the Anti-Industrial Revolution) Watch Living and the World Today: An Interview with Just as Rand had a distinctive viewpoint on • “Ayn Rand’s Ideas: An Introduction,” by Onkar Ghate Dr. Leonard Peikoff” on page 1.) In the lec- so many of the topics subsumed by philosophy, • “Religion and Morality,” by Onkar Ghate tures Dr. Peikoff will discuss and take questions so she had a distinctive viewpoint about phi- • “Back to the Dark Ages? Today’s Attacks on Reason and on aspects of his forthcoming book, The DIM losophy itself: that it was an inescapable need ,” by Peter Schwartz • “Introduction to Objectivism,” by Leonard Peikoff Hypothesis. of man: “In order to live, man must act; in order Visit the Objectivist Summer Conference to act, he must make choices; in order to make Listen 2010 Web site for all conference information, choices, he must define a code of values; in order • “What Would Ayn Rand Say?” an interview with Yaron Brook including registration and the full schedule of to define a code of values, he must know what he (ARC-TV) courses and events: www.objectivistconferences • Bedrock interview with Yaron Brook (ARC-TV) is and where he is—i.e., he must know his own .com/ocon2010. nature (including his means of knowledge) and • “ ’s Ideas” (ARC-TV)

UCLA Conference on Freedom, continued from page 1 programs. “We worked together to create a con- (ARI) and Amy Peikoff (Chapman University). In he said. “LOGIC has hosted many events featuring ference agenda that highlighted the key elements addition, special guest Alex Kozinski, chief judge ARI speakers prior to the Philosophic Foundations required for a free society, since many students of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth of Freedom conference, but this event was like no today are interested in issues of freedom and lib- Circuit, joined Mr. Bowden, Dr. Daniels, Dr. Ghate other. It is a testament to the leadership of LOGIC erty but don’t recognize that political ideals rest and Dr. Peikoff on a Saturday evening panel discus- and to the commitment of its members that the on much deeper philosophic principles. sion on freedom, the law and philosophy. event came together. They invested countless hours “The conference included lectures that ARI’s campus club coordinator Matthew planning the conference, advertising it, finding explicitly discussed those principles and lectures Morgen worked closely with LOGIC in organiz- cosponsors, securing funding and obtaining permis- that showed the application of those principles to ing the conference. He commended the club for sion from UCLA, among many other things. They familiar concretes. For example, we had talks on its ambition and hard work. “The success of the did a fabulous job.” individual rights and talks applying that principle conference owes a tremendous deal to LOGIC,” LOGIC CEO Arthur Lechtholz-Zey was to domestic and foreign policy issues. The clearly pleased with the results. “I would talks individually and the conference as a like to thank the speakers, the Institute and whole did an excellent job of showing what all who contributed to making the confer- a defense of freedom requires. ence happen. It was a fantastic event and “I would like to add a suggestion that LOGIC has been flooded with positive com- students interested in these topics consider ments from those who attended.” applying to our three-week summer internship The conference was recorded and por- program, which this year includes an educa- tions are expected to be made available on tional component focusing on these issues.” the Web sites of ARI and LOGIC (www The conference speakers included .clublogic.org). Students interested in ARI’s Tom Bowden (ARI), Eric Daniels (Clemson internship program can visit www.aynrand University), Alex Epstein (ARI), Onkar Ghate Participants in the panel discussion at the UCLA conference, left to right: Onkar Ghate, Tom Bowden, .org/internship for more information. (ARI), Elan Journo (ARI), Keith Lockitch Eric Daniels, Amy Peikoff, Alex Kozinski and moderator Arthur Lecthholz-Zey 2 ARI at Teacher Conferences ARI Benefit in Los Angeles, continued from page 1 unable to attend the dinner may still participate in the auction through a proctor provided by ARI. Golden Globe Awards; members of the media The Atlas Shrugged Initiative is a $2 million RI’s Education department hosted exhibits and celebrity fans of Ayn Rand have been invited. educational and promotional campaign centered on at a number of conferences for teachers this A Proceeds from the $2,500-a-plate dinner—which Ayn Rand’s magnum opus. It seeks to spur reader- winter. These included the National Conference features special $25,000 and $50,000 sponsorship ship of Atlas Shrugged and to increase awareness for Teachers of English (NCTE), the California levels—will benefit the Atlas Shrugged Initiative and understanding of the ideas expressed in the Association of Teachers of English (CATE) confer- and the expansion of the Ayn Rand Center for novel and in Rand’s other works. Funds for ARC ence, the annual meeting of the Modern Language Individual Rights. are aimed at furthering relations with popular and Association (MLA) and the 34th Annual Language The auction items will once again consist of traditional media, educating the public through talks Arts Conference in Canada, the theme of which was Ayn Rand books, manuscripts and memorabilia and other events, building coalitions with free- “reading for the love of it.” provided by donor Ted Potts. As in New York, market policy organizations and supporting activism. ARI’s appearances at these conferences share Mr. Potts has generously agreed to split the proceeds Visit arievents.com for event information and the common goal of introducing middle school from the auction with the Institute. Those who are registration. and high school teachers and administrators to the Institute’s educational programs. These include Free Books to Teachers and the essay contests, as well as outreach support ranging from teaching guides Foundation, Ayn Rand Society to guest speakers. The Free Books program pro- vides hundreds of thousands of Ayn Rand novels at Philosophy Conference to middle and high school classrooms each year, for years, introducing Ayn Rand’s works to the and the Institute’s four essay contests receive many philosophy profession. Thanks to ARI’s outreach thousands of entrants. efforts, the Foundation has a good footing from As has become typical, the display booths were which to begin its own programs. We look forward a hit. At the NCTE, for example, ARI Education to becoming a regular and recognized presence at department specialist Matt Ludin reports an over- academic conferences such as the APA Eastern.” whelmingly enthusiastic response. “Many of the or the first time, the Anthem Foundation for The meeting of the Ayn Rand Society (a teachers had heard about Atlas Shrugged FObjectivist Scholarship hosted its own exhibit scholarly organization separate from ARI and in the news and wanted to learn more about at the annual meeting of the American Philosophi- Anthem Foundation) featured a panel on the nor- Ayn Rand and the Institute’s programs,” he said. cal Association, Eastern Division, the preeminent mative foundations of intellectual property with “As a whole the teachers were very interested in conference for philosophers in the United States. George Mason University School of Law profes- Atlas Shrugged’s relevance to today, and I encoun- The APA conference included the winter meeting sors Adam Mossoff and Eric Claeys. Mr. Mossoff tered more self-professed ‘fans’ of Ayn Rand of the Ayn Rand Society, an APA-affiliated orga- spoke on a value-based approach to intellectual than usual.” In addition to NCTE programming, nization of professional philosophers and scholars property, while Mr. Claeys gave a presentation on interested in the work of Ayn Rand. John Locke’s theory of labor law. , The Anthem Foundation provides grants for who holds the University of Pittsburgh Fellow- the benefit of academic professionals engaged in ship for the Study of Objectivism, was the meet- scholarly work based on the philosophy and writ- ing chairman. ings of Ayn Rand, and provides resources to others The next meeting of the Ayn Rand Society in academia interested in understanding her ideas. takes place in San Francisco on April 3 at the The purpose of the APA exhibit was to increase annual meeting of the Pacific division of the awareness of Ayn Rand’s corpus and derivative APA. The session includes critiques of three essays works, as well as to highlight the Foundation’s in Essays on Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged,” support for students and professors of philosophy. by Robert Mayhew (ed.), with responses by “As the Foundation has increased its outreach essay authors Onkar Ghate (ARI senior fellow), Anu Seppala, ARI’s vice president of Cultural programs, with campus club efforts to professors, it has partnered with ARI to Dr. Gotthelf, and Dr. Gregory Salmieri (Univer- coordinator Matthew Morgen at MLA meeting absorb some of its former professor-resources pro- sity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill). ARI hosted a lecture on teaching Atlas Shrugged gram,” said Anthem senior director Debi Ghate. Dr. Mayhew (Seton Hall) will speak at the event. by Shoshana Milgram, an associate professor of “ARI had been exhibiting at the APA Eastern Anthem will also host an exhibit at APA Pacific. English at Virginia Tech University. A recording is available at www.aynrandeducation.com/ novels/atlas-shrugged. The booth at the Modern Language Association Ayn Rand Campus Update: Hiring Teaching Staff! meeting, which is attended primarily by university professors, offers another telling experience. “This By Debi Ghate, ARI vice Economics, or a related field preferred), and have year our booth received more positive attention president of Academic five years of University-level teaching experience. than it has in past years,” said Anu Seppala, vice programs The Instructor will be responsible for support- president of ARI’s Cultural division. “Many of the ing the work of more senior instructors for ARI visitors, including a number of foreign professors, n last month’s Impact, we classes, and for supporting the development of new had never heard of Ayn Rand before and were very I announced that ARI would teaching materials for the Academic Division’s curious. There was little hostility to our presence be launching a major new edu- educational programs. They will occasionally teach and we gave away many copies of Atlas Shrugged cational initiative: Ayn Rand classes under the guidance of senior instructors, act and some of Ayn Rand’s nonfiction works as well.” Campus. The Campus core as a liaison with students in ARI’s educational pro- For more information on ARI’s programs team continues with strategic planning around this grams and grade testing materials for a wide range for middle school and high school teachers, new program. In the meantime we are recruiting of educational courses and products. The Instructor including how to get free sets of Ayn Rand novels urgently needed, full-time teaching staff to join our is also responsible for producing written materials for classroom or homeschooling needs, visit team in Irvine, California. based on Objectivism for a wide variety of audi- aynrandeducation.com and www.aynrand.org/ Although the Objectivist Academic Center and ences, for reviewing course materials and proposals home_school. ARI’s other educational programs have grown by from other instructors and providing intellectual leaps and bounds over the past few years, we’ve support to other divisions of ARI. not been in a position to hire additional teaching Preferred candidates for the Instructor position Brief Mention: staff . . . until now. It is a high priority for us to will have a thorough understanding of Objectivism assemble a team that will produce the quality and and the ability to apply that knowledge in writ- Tom Bowden in the quantity of courses we envision offering through ten and lecture form. They will have completed Ayn Rand Campus. So we’re currently looking to (or been a student in good standing at) the OAC American Lawyer hire a senior instructor and an instructor (details and will have an advanced degree (a Ph.D. in RI analyst Tom Bowden pub- can be found at www.aynrand.org/employment). Philosophy, History, Economics, or a related field From the job ads online: preferred). Proficiency with MS Office is neces- A lished an article on Atlas Shrugged in the January edition of The Senior Instructor will be responsible for sary, as is experience with web-based educational the American Lawyer, a popular teaching ARI classes, for developing new teach- software like Moodle or eCollege. A preferred magazine for legal professionals. ing materials for the Academic Division’s educa- candidate will exhibit excellent judgment during The article, titled “Objectively¸ Atlas tional programs, and for developing curricula for interactions with students and colleagues, and be Shrugged,” was solicited by the advanced classes in Objectivism and its applica- able to communicate effectively and calmly in all magazine and used quotes spoken tion to various fields. Preferred candidates will situations. by characters in the novel to illustrate have a thorough understanding of Objectivism and Please visit www.aynrand.org/employment the legal themes that run through it. The characters quoted the ability to apply that knowledge in writing and for instructions on how to apply. And stay tuned were Dr. Floyd Ferris, Judge Narragansett, Hank Rearden, lecture form. They will have completed (or been for next month’s Impact, when we will share more a passenger in the tunnel disaster and . a student in good standing at) the OAC, have an information with you about this new program’s advanced degree (Ph.D. in Philosophy, History, focus and plans. 3 We the Living and the World Today: An Interview with Leonard Peikoff, continued from page 1 that it was the reverse, nor that it was something else. I will say for sure that it is not 100 percent or course the assurance that there will be no control still exist? 0 percent in either direction. But the actual answer over their content; the continuing campaign to curb On the one hand, America is not Europe. If can be known only if and when Objectivism has or shut down talk radio, which is conservative; you had tried to spread Objectivism in Czarist had a chance really to be heard in the U.S.; at that and, to me, most frightening, the brief appearance Russia or the Weimar Republic, you could not point, when it is followed by the next national of a White House Web site asking people to report have staved off Lenin or Hitler even if you had two convulsion, people will see a choice: the Obama- opponents of Obama’s health-care plan to the generations to try, because these countries were so ites (or their descendents many years from now) White House. Have the intellectuals opposed any corrupt in terms of history and fundamental ideas. versus Objectivists. Then we will see which side of this? The answer is the clearest evidence of the Even in regard to lesser instances of statism, the people choose, and that will give us the answer to totalitarian spirit now in the ascendancy. United States is usually better than other countries. the American soul. Obama is showing on a daily basis that We the Private health care, as just one example, is already So the moral is: if you want to find out what’s Living is not outdated. long gone in Europe, where there was little pub- still good in the American soul and in the process Impact: After selling a record 200,000 copies lic opposition to socialized medicine; look at the to save it, spread Objectivism—and do it ASAP, in 2008, Atlas Shrugged sold more than two-and- bloody battle here, still in process, to get it through. before the current political forces close out free a-half times that many copies (520,000) in 2009. On the other hand, there’s all the dictatorial speech. Ayn Rand was also routinely discussed in the things I mentioned earlier, and all the decades Impact: Thank you, Dr. Peikoff. We look media. What do you think of this resurgence? of cascading controls that Americans no longer forward to seeing you at this year’s Objectivist LP: I think it’s really excellent. It certainly protest. It is scary to think of what people today summer conference and hearing about The DIM surprised me that her sales jumped as they did; it accept as the norm as against when I first came to Hypothesis. means that a lot of people grasped the relevance of the United States. Harry Truman, for example, tried Atlas Shrugged to today’s situation. That’s certainly to take over the steel mills during an “emergency” a good sign. at one point, and there was a national howl of out- * Orren Boyle is a villain in Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged. But there are some questions here. There are rage; it was flat-out unacceptable to violate private 300 million people in this country, so what fraction property in that way. of the population is reading it? You might answer: There is some popular rebellion in the United it doesn’t matter, because a philosophically States against today’s statism—Obama’s increasing enlightened minority will win out over an igno- unpopularity proves that—but it’s impossible to rant majority. And that is true, but then how many measure how representative this is. The Tea Parties, people get more from reading Atlas Shrugged than which are an excellent phenomenon, complain a generalized sense of “money is good” or “there largely about taxes, but do the protesters regard the shouldn’t be so much government”? How many problem as ideological, and not merely a result of people grasp that the novel offers a philosophy, corrupt politicians? To what extent do the protesters a revolutionary one, which challenges the whole reflect the country’s original individualist spirit? It TM of today’s society, including its political system is extremely difficult to know, because it is dif- and the religion it’s based on? How many readers ficult to know what one should take as convincing books/audio/videos . . . for the rational mind TM will become effective advocates of selfishness and evidence either way. capitalism, let alone reason and objective reality? I would say that there’s no question, in the I have no answers. decades since Ayn Rand wrote, that the American Spotlight on the Bookstore: Impact: Could you comment on the Ameri- sense of life has weakened, to use the softest term Neoconservatism: can sense of life today? Do you think it is still possible. With each generation the educational rebellious enough to resist dictatorship, as process corrodes further the capacity of the young An Obituary for an Idea Ayn Rand concluded it was in her 1971 to think, which gives each generation less con- essay “Don’t Let It Go”? ceptual ability, less self-esteem, less self-assertion, n the forthcoming LP: The state of the American sense of life is, less independence. So the country is increasingly I Neoconservatism: I think, the key factor in knowing whether there’s vulnerable to dictatorship. An Obituary for an Idea, going to be a future for America or not. If we knew Given all that, how much if anything is left C. Bradley Thompson, with ARI executive director that the sense of life still existed, and in a form of the original sense of life? If you ask me not for Yaron Brook, provides a potentially receptive to explicit statement and intel- knowledge, but even just for a guess, I truthfully comprehensive, original lectual persuasion, then I’d say the future depends have no idea. Numbers obviously don’t apply, but and devastating analysis only on the Institute’s speed in spreading the right assuming for a moment they did, I wouldn’t be sur- of neoconservatism. ideas before a dictator takes over. So the question prised to find that 75 percent of the original sense The authors examine the is: Does that much of the American sense of life of life was left in people and 25 percent gone, nor history of neoconservatism and its philosophic underpinnings in the work of philosopher Leo Strauss, and present a trenchant critique of the movement from the perspective of America’s founding principles. Neoconservatism: An Obituary for an Idea is an informed, incisive, scholarly critique of neoconservative thought and action that will appeal “The Philosophical Foundations of Freedom” to intellectuals of all political bents. UCLA Conference Lineup Neoconservatism: An Obituary for an Idea is now available for preorder from the Ayn Rand Day 1 Bookstore. To order, for expected May delivery, visit www.aynrandbookstore.com or call 1-800- Dr. Onkar Ghate: “Individual Rights: A Revolutionary Idea” 729-6149. Dr. Onkar Ghate: “The Separation of Church and State” Tom Bowden, JD: “Is Your iPod Really Yours? Exploring the Principle of Property Rights” Dr. Amy Peikoff: “Objective Law” Panel discussion with Tom Bowden, JD, Dr. Eric Daniels, Dr. Onkar Ghate, Judge Alex Kozinski and Dr. Amy Peikoff ® Keith Lockitch during his lecture “Climate Policy in a Free Society” Impact is published monthly by the (ARI) and Intellectual Activism and Leadership Seminar is complimentary to current donors who contribute $35 or more per year. For information on how you can support ARI and to learn about with LOGIC events director Krista Perry our projects, please visit our Web site: www.aynrand.org. Atlantis Legacy®, the Institute’s planned giving program, and related indicia are registered trademarks. The Ayn Rand Archives is a special Day 2 collection of the Ayn Rand Institute. Objectivist Conferences (OCON) and the Ayn Rand Bookstore are owned and operated by Alex Epstein: “Separation of State and Economics: the Ayn Rand Institute. The Ayn Rand Institute does not necessarily endorse the content of the lectures and courses offered. All photos Ayn Rand’s Revolutionary View on the of Ayn Rand are used by permission of the Estate of Ayn Rand. Government and the Economy” Purchases from the Ayn Rand Bookstore and OCON do not qualify as tax-deductible contributions to the Ayn Rand Institute. Dr. Keith Lockitch: “Climate Policy in a Free Society” Editors: Don Watkins, Jeff Scialabba Editorial Advisers: Dr. Yaron Brook, Mark Chapman, Debi Ghate, Dr. Eric Daniels: “The Looming Crisis over Free Speech” Anu Seppala, Lin Zinser Designer: Simon Federman Elan Journo: “Foreign Policy and Freedom” Printing: David Antonacci Copy Editor: Donna Montrezza Headquarters: 2121 Alton Parkway, Suite 250 Dr. Onkar Ghate: “Atlas Shrugged and the Morality of Irvine, CA 92606-4926 Phone: 949-222-6550 Fax: 949-222-6558 Elan Journo during his lecture “Foreign Policy and Freedom” Freedom” © The Ayn Rand Institute 2010. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.

4 Inside the Archives A Celebration of Two Plays: Woman on Trial and

By that integrity was worth taking seriously. To recollection of an early morning phone call from my great fortune, sharing my conviction and an agitated scenic designer, one who could hardly Jeff Britting is manager of the endorsing my idea to produce the work was a contain himself. Ayn Rand Archives. In this fea- group of talented colleagues. Despite having been turned away on ture Mr. Britting presents anec- directed the play with a Wednesday night, the ’s dotes about Ayn Rand’s life and sensitive hand, keeping the actors focused and critic returned on Thursday evening. And his works, accompanied by images integrating their performances with the other verdict appeared a week later as the newspa- from the Archives collection. artistic aspects of the production. Producer/actress per’s featured theatrical review. I opened the Part 1 of this article is located Jamie Allen was responsible for assembling and paper to the Friday Calendar Section, not fully in the e-mail edition of the November 2009 Impact. managing the physical and financial aspects of the convinced that what I had heard over the phone production, including cast and crew recommenda- was true. But it was. And I’ll never forget it. Part 2 tions, and appeared as Miss Drake, Fanny Fink The opening headline of the Los Angeles Times and Blond Girl. Co-producer/actress Janne Peters review read: he phone rang early on Friday morning, Octo- portrayed luminously the role of Kay Gonda, and Tber 20, 1989. The voice on the other end of the also secured production assets and promotions. ‘Ideal’: A Tour de Force from Ayn Rand line was Grant Alkin’s, set designer of Ideal. Grant Associate producer/actor Michael Keller provided was calling to let me know that the Los Angeles financial services and appeared as Sol Salzer, Man * * * Times had just published its review of our produc- in Dress Suit and Butler. And I assisted with pub- The equity-waiver, 99-seat production of Ayn Rand’s tion of Ayn Rand’s play. After a week of previews licity, provided creative suggestions and composed Ideal went on to run for thirty-six performances. before live audiences, the official opening—and the play’s incidental musical score. We all shared a The play was the subject of more than twenty blurbs premiere—had occured the Friday before. financial stake. and preview articles, including twelve feature- Assisting with the producing of this unique Months before our fall opening, I remember length, mostly positive reviews. In the final weeks stage work had absorbed the preceding four thinking very consciously that we needed several of its first and—to date—only run, the box office months of my life. In the summer of 1989, the strong reviews to establish an audience, most maintained waiting lists of fifty or more people per Estate of Ayn Rand granted permission to me, importantly from the Los Angeles Times. We had performance. The reservation book listed nightly director Michael Paxton and a group of associ- no money to advertise, and critical reviews and complimentary tickets reserved for some of the ates to stage Ayn Rand’s unproduced 1934 play. word-of-mouth publicity were crucial to promot- largest production companies in Los Angeles. We were pleased with the opportunity, though we ing the work. We hired an experienced theatrical Janne Peters’s portrayal of Kay Gonda would earn knew that outside our small circle many thought publicist and scheduled preview performances her a Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle nomination the play would not have much success. during the final week before the official open- for Lead Performance by an actress. As noted by Michael Paxton, our produc- ing. Such previews give critics the opportunity to tion of Ideal would be the first Ayn Rand debut review a play and audiences a chance to build to occur in Hollywood since the 1949 release of word-of-mouth. the motion picture version of The Fountainhead. On the Wednesday preview before the Seven years after her death in 1982, public discus- Friday opening, we were still without a sion of Ayn Rand in Hollywood was rare, and there review from a major news outlet. That night was virtually no interest in her among fellow artists. the Los Angeles Times dispatched theatrical There was only my sense of an enormous under- critic Ray Loynd to review the show. Loynd, ground interest in Ayn Rand’s work and ideas. however, arrived late. The show had begun. The play itself presented additional challenges. Rather than permitting the Times’s critic to It was unfinished and episodic, and Miss Rand review an incomplete work, our publicist herself was never really satisfied with the result. Julio Martinez turned Loynd away at the The biggest question of all was whether the play’s door, suggesting, as diplomatically as pos- theme of integrity would resonate in the world of sible, that he arrive on time for the following contemporary Hollywood. evening’s performance. It was a remark- Despite these reservations, I was certain of able display of integrity—one of many that one thing: the play deserved to live. Even if we occurred throughout the production of a play could not find an audience for our show, pro- which had that virtue as its theme. But our ducing Kay Gonda’s ardent search for a person hopes for a major review dimmed. of integrity among her fans would demonstrate And that brings me back to my opening

Ideal poster

Rehearsal image, from left to right: Janne Peters, Michael Keller, Jamie Allen, Michael Paxton and Jeff Britting. Photo credit: Mark Vieira

Casting for Ideal generated considerable interest for a play produced by unknowns. At various times, the play attracted the interest of Kirstie Alley, Woody Harrelson and Jonathan Silverman. Among the final cast were Mary McDonough, who appeared as Erin on The Waltons, and Bette Rae, who, as a child actress, appeared on screen with Jennifer Jones and Ginger Rodgers. (The remaining cast included: Varda Appleton, Julie Beziat, Andrew Lamond, Keith MacKechnie, Melanie Noble, Alan Ribby, John Rice, Bernardo Rosa Jr., Rob Wickstrom and Frank Wiltse.) Publicity still: Janne Peters as Kay Gonda. Photo credit: Mark Vieira.

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