SKEPTICAL PERSPECTIVES The Unlikeliest Cult in History How even reason, skeptics' most powerful tool, can become the basis of a cult. By Michael Shermer Freudian projection is the process of considered the unlikeliest cult in his­ op what could, with hindsight, be attributing one's own ideas, feelings, tory. It is a lesson in what happens called a "cult following." The initial or attitudes to other people or when the truth becomes more print-run of 7,500 copies was fol­ objects-the guilt-laden adulterer important than the search for truth, lowed by multiples of five and 10,000 accuses his spouse of adultery, the when final results of inquiry become until by 1950 half a million copies homophobe actually harbors latent more important than the process of were circulating the country. The homosexual tendencies. A subtle inquiry, and especially when reason book was The Fountainhead and the form of projection can be seen in the leads to an absolute certainty about author Ayn Rand. Her commercial accusation by Christians that secular one's beliefs such that those who are success allowed her the time and humanism and evolution are "reli­ not for the group are against it. freedom to write her magnum opus, gions;" or by cultists and paranor­ The story begins in 1943 when an Atlas Shrugged, published in 1957 malists that skeptics are themselves a obscure Russian immigrant pub­ after ten years in the making. It is a cult and that reason and science have lished her first successful novel after murder mystery, not about the mur­ cultic properties. For skeptics, the two consecutive failures. It was not der of a human body, but of the idea that reason can lead to a cult is an instant success. In fact, the murder of a human spirit. It is a absurd. The characteristics of a cult reviews were harsh and initial sales broad and sweeping story of a man are 180 degrees out of phase with sluggish. But slowly a following grew who said he would stop the ideologi­ reason. But as I will demonstrate, not around the novel, word of mouth cal motor of the world. When he did, only can it happen, it has happened, became the most effective marketing there was a panoramic collapse of and to a group that would have to be tool, and the author began to devel- civilization, with its flame kept burn- 74 SKEPTIC 1993 llfil MORE THAN 'BoRSES OF A DIFFERENT COLOR"? ing by a small handful of heroic indi­ mo us opposition!" (Branden, 1986, In other words, nature exists inde­ viduals whose reason and morals p. 298) . Such is the power of an indi­ pendent of human thought. Reason directed both the fall and the subse­ vidual hero ... and a cult-like fol­ is the only method of perceiving this quent return of culture. lowing. reality. All humans seek personal As they did to The Fountainhead, What is it about Rand's philosophy happiness and exist for their own reviewers panned Atlas with a savage that so emotionally stimulates pro­ sake, and should not sacrifice them­ brutality that, incredibly, only ponents and opponents alike? Before selves to or be sacrificed by others. seemed to reinforce followers' belief Atlas Shrugged was published, at a And laissez-faire capitalism is the in the book, its author, and her ideas. sales conference at Random House a best political-economic system for And, like The Fountainhead, sales of salesman asked Rand if she could the first three to flourish, where Atlas sputtered and clawed their way summarize the essence of her philos­ "men deal with one another, not as forward as the follo~ng grew, to the ophy, called Objectivism, while victims and executioners, nor as point where the book presently sells standing on one foot. She did so as masters and slaves, but as traders, by over 300,000 copies a year. "In all my follows ( 1962): free, voluntary exchange to mutual years of publishing," recalled Ran­ 1. Metaphysics: Objective Reality benefit," and where "no man may dom House's owner, Bennett Cerf, 2. Epistemology: Reason initiate the use of physical force ''I've never seen anything like it. To 3. Ethics: Self-interest against others" (p. 1). Ringing break through against such enor- 4. Politics: Capitalism throughout Rand's works is the phi- Vol.2 No.2 75 losophy of individualism, personal phy become the basis of a cult, which step for.such unreformed heretics. responsibility, the power of reason, is the antithesis of reason and indi­ If you find it hard to believe that and the importance of morality. One vidualism? A cult, however it is such a line of reasoning could lead a should think for one's self and never defined, depends on faith and dein­ rational, well-intentioned group allow an authority to dictate truth, divid ua tion-that is, remove the down the road to culthood, history especially the authority of govern­ power of reason in followers and demonstrates how it can happen. ment, religion, and other such make them dependent upon the The 1960s were years of anti-estab­ groups. Success, happiness, and group and/or the leader. The last lishment, anti-government, find­ unrestrained upward mobility will thing a cult leader wants is for fol­ yourself individualism, so Rand's accrue to those who use reason to act lowers to think for themselves and philosophy exploded across the in the highest moral fashion, and become individuals apart from the nation, particularly on college cam­ who never demand favors or hand­ group. puses. Atlas Shrugged became the outs. Objectivism is the ultimate phi­ The cultic flaw in Ayn Rand's phi- book to read. Though it is a massive losophy of unsullied reason and 1,168 pages long, readers devoured un ad ul tera ted individualism, as the characters, the plot, and most expressed by Rand through her pri­ 100-001 importantly, the philosophy. It mary character in Atlas Shrugged, stirred emotions and evoked action. John Galt: Ayn Rand clubs were founded at Man cannot survive except by hundreds of colleges. Professors gaining knowledge, and reason is taught courses in the philosophy of his only means to gain it. Reason is "The last thing a Objectivism and the literary works of the faculty that perceives, identifies cult leader wants is for Rand. Rand's inner circle of friends and integrates the material provid­ followers to think for began to grow and one of them, ed by his senses. The task of his Nathaniel Branden, founded the senses is to give him the evidence themselves and become Nathaniel Branden Institute (NBI), of existence, but the task of identi­ individuals apart sponsoring lectures and courses on fying it belongs to his reason, his Objectivism, first in New York, and senses tell him only that something from the group." then nationally. is, but what it is must be learned As the seminars increased in size by his mind (p. 1012). and Rand's popularity shot skyward, In the name of the best within so too did the confidence in her phi­ you, do not sacrifice this world to losophy, both for Rand and her fol­ those who are its worst. In the 100-001 lowers. Hundreds of people attended name of the values that keep you classes, thousands of letters poured alive, do not let your vision of man losophy of Objectivism is not in the into the office, and millions of books be distorted by the ugly, the cow­ use of reason, or in the emphasis on were being sold. Movie rights for ardly, the mindless in those who individuality, or in the belief that Atlas were being negotiated (The have never achieved his title. Do humans are self motivated, or in the Fountainhead had already been made not lose your knowledge that conviction that capitalism is the ideal into a film). Her rise to intellectual man's proper estate is an upright system. The fallacy in Objectivism is power and influence was nothing posture, an intransigent mind and the belief that absolute knowledge short of miraculous, and readers of a step that travels unlimited roads. and final Truths are attainable her novels, especially Atlas Shrugged, Do not let your fire go out, spark through reason, and therefore there told Rand it had changed their lives by irreplaceable spark, in the can be absolute right and wrong and their way of thinking. Their hopeless swamps of the approxi­ knowledge, and absolute moral and comments ring of the enthusiasm of mate, the not-quite, the not-yet, immoral thought and action. For the followers of a religious cult the not-at-all. Do not let the hero Objectivists, once a principle has (Branden, 1986, pp. 407-415): in your soul perish, in lonely frus­ been discovered through reason to -After reading Atlas a young tration for the life you deserved, be True, that is the end of the discus­ woman in the Peace Corps wrote: but have never been able to reach. sion. If you disagree with the princi­ "I had undergone the loneliest, Check your road and the nature of ple, then your reasoning is flawed . If most inspiring, and heartrending your battle. The world you desired your reasoning is flawed it can be psycho-intellectual transfor­ can be won, it exists, it is real, it is corrected, but if it is not, you remain mation, and all my plans upon possible, it's yours (p. 1069). flawed and do not belong in the returning to the United States had How, then, could such a philoso- group.