aynrand.org/impact Volume 18, Number 11, November 2012

Ayn Rand Institute Campus Up and Running In Conversation with Debi Ghate

yn Rand Institute Campus, large initiative. Because instructors are limited Awhich relaunched last at ARI (and since the concept of the Campus is month in a restricted beta ver- to leverage those resources), we created a ded- sion, is ARI’s latest educational icated team of program staff who would help initiative. Visit ARI Campus at create the online learning environment along campus.aynrand.org. with all of the aspects of the courses that do not Impact had the chance require an instructor. This new team of people to sit down with Debi Ghate, at ARI has been working very closely with the who oversaw this project, reach hundreds of thousands—even millions— instructors to create the right educational prod- to learn the details of how of students with educational material. Addition- uct. [Editor’s note: Meet the ARI Campus team ARI Campus came about, what it features and ally, we wanted to make sure that there exists on page 5.] what’s in store for its future. Ms. Ghate is vice a place for students interested in and Additionally, since so much of what we are president of Education and Research at ARI. her ideas—where they could not only learn doing is based on video, we built a state of the about them, but also discuss them. Thus, the art AV studio in our Irvine office. This studio Impact: What was the impetus behind building Campus is a community-learning environment offers us the ability to quickly and easily create ARI Campus? that not only provides educational materials, but new video content—in fact, all of ARI’s media Debi Ghate: In a sense, the idea for Ayn Rand also encourages that discussion about them. efforts will benefit from this. Building the stu- Institute Campus came out of all of the success Impact: What went into building ARI dio was a major project, and again we partnered that our outreach programs have been having. Campus? with external experts who helped us with the For example, we have been reaching hundreds of DG: ARI Campus was a new and major design and construction. thousands of students through our essay contests, project made possible thanks to targeted fund- Finally, we are working with external our Free Books to Teachers program and our other ing from an anonymous donor. What this fund- resources to help with content development. We outreach programs. Many of these people are look- ing allowed us to do was focus on our exper- have a small group of researchers and instruc- ing for some basic education in , yet tise, which is teaching and applying Objec- tors on contract who are helping us with vari- the Institute has very limited resources in terms of tivism. This meant that we were able to work ous aspects of the content. instructors. with external vendors for all of the aspects of Overall, it has taken approximately two and The idea for ARI Campus arose when we the Campus that are outside our expertise. For a half years to get the Campus ready for launch. were considering how we could leverage our instance, we worked with web development The initial portion of that time was dedicated limited instructor resources while still offering and e-learning partners to build the Campus towards defining the best campus environment a high-quality educational experience for the environment and the first nine courses. The for us to create. Then, building the infrastruc- many students who are seeking one from us. overall product is a community-based learning ture and creating the right educational content The Campus leverages technology as a way experience. required a major investment of time. to create interactivity and partially simulate the In addition, we needed to create the infra- In January we attempted to take the site classroom experience. It allows one teacher to structure necessary at ARI to take on such a continued on page 3

Onkar Ghate Interviewed on CNN ARI Commentary on Foreign Policy: Attacks on US Embassies

ollowing the attacks on U.S. embas- Fsies in Cairo and Benghazi in Sep- tember, FoxNews.com published an edi- torial by , a fellow at ARI. The article appeared under the headline “Our Self-Crippled Policy Encouraged the Deadly Embassy Attacks” and can be read at bit.ly/ejlibya. In the piece, Mr. Journo writes: “For decades, U.S. policymakers have refused to recognize the religious char- ast month ARI’s Onkar Ghate discussed Ayn Rand’s ideas on CNN’s The acter and goals of the Islamist move- L Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer. The segment in which Dr. Ghate appeared ment. That movement—which encom- focused on Rand’s relevance today, particularly in light of Paul Ryan’s candidacy passes Tehran’s mullahs, al Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollah, the Muslim Brother- for vice president. Ryan is on record as being a fan of , although hood, and many others—is a political ideology that seeks to subjugate all the not a follower of Rand’s . world’s peoples, by physical force, under the supreme governing authority of “The fact that Ayn Rand is being discussed on such a mainstream show,” Islamic religious law, in every area of life and thought. commented , ARI’s executive director, “speaks to how deeply she “America has for decades failed to see how that audacious long-term plan has penetrated the culture.” of conquest—however grandiose and fanciful it might seem—in fact actuates Dr. Ghate’s interview was conducted in August by Poppy Harlow, a CNN the Islamist cause. Whether the Libyan murderers and the mobs in Cairo and news anchor and reporter, outside ARI’s office in Alexandria, Virginia. in Sanaa were truly incensed by a YouTube film or merely using that as a pre- Dr. Ghate is a senior fellow and vice president of Intellectual Leadership at ARI. text, the Islamist goal remains to enforce submission in body and mind—on The segment in which his interview appeared can be viewed at bit.ly/ghatecnn. continued on page 3 Revolution Authors in a Town Near You

s Free Market Revolu- a gathering of physicians, A tion hit bookstores on organized by the Associa- September 18, its authors, tion of American Physicians Yaron Brook and Don Wat- and Surgeons. kins, embarked on a book Dr. Brook’s talk was tour around the nation to met with a standing ovation. promote their latest work Mr. Watkins joined and to debate and discuss Dr. Brook for the events at the ideas in it. Cato and CEI. At Cato “Now that the book’s Mr. Watkins was inter- published,” commented viewed for its daily podcast, Dr. Brook, ARI’s executive which broadcast on October director, “it’s crucial to 1. In addition, as part of engage with audiences to ARI’s series of monthly get them to better under- briefings on Capitol Hill, stand the ideas we stand for the authors spoke to close to and to encourage those who forty congressional staffers. haven’t purchased a copy They also held a virtual yet to do so.” A sampling of locations Yaron Brook and visited this fall to promote Free Market Revolution: How Ayn Rand’s Ideas Can End Big Government Q&A prior to the book’s In the last two months, launch, hosted a reception in Dr. Brook and Mr. Watkins have spoken to a variety ment’s proper role in combating economic inequal- New York City the day the book hit stores and spoke of audiences. Dr. Brook spoke at other think tanks, ity. Dr. Brook participated in another debate, titled at ARI’s annual fundraising dinner in the Big Apple. such as the Cato Institute, Competitive Enterprise “Reaping Is a Virtue,” at the Ford Hall Forum Mr. Watkins also spoke on various college Institute and Illinois Policy Institute, to promote in Boston. His opponent was Deborah Kincade campuses, including the University of Wisconsin at Free Market Revolution. He discussed his book Rambo, president of Catholic Charities Boston. In Madison, Northwestern University and the Univer- with students at ARI’s daylong conference on the San Francisco and Los Angeles, Dr. Brook debated sity of Florida. morality of , organized with the Foun- David Callahan of Demos on the proper role of At many of the events, ARI made copies of dation for Economic Education (see the October government, as part of ARI’s continuing debate Free Market Revolution available for sale and the issue of Impact for more information). Dr. Brook series on that topic. authors were available to sign books. Dr. Brook and also delivered talks at George Mason and Brown Dr. Brook also roused audiences at Tea Party Mr. Watkins will continue their book tour until at Universities. events in Michigan and Boston on the topic of how least the end of the year. To find out about upcom- At the latter, Dr. Brook debated Glenn Loury, only Ayn Rand’s ideas can successfully end big ing events scheduled near you, visit laissezfaireblog an economics professor at Brown, on the govern- government. In San Diego he spoke about this to .com/events.

President Obama Duels with Ayn Rand over What Makes America Great

he following is a reprint, by permission, of an article written by ARI The results are a matter of historical record. Untold numbers went from T executive director Yaron Brook and ARI fellow Don Watkins for Forbes.com. rags to riches, while the great majority of individuals were able to live better Dr. Brook and Mr. Watkins write a regular column for the publication—under than their parents and grandparents had. Average wages for workers, for the title “The Objectivist.” Visit blogs.forbes.com/objectivist to keep up with their instance, more than tripled during the nineteenth century while working writing. This article was published on October 28, 2012. hours declined by nearly a third. ARI board member also writes regularly for Forbes Obama mocks this as a society where “you’re on your own.” But .com—under the title “Market Justice.” Read his writings at blogs.forbes.com/ Americans during this era were not “on their own” in the lone-wolf, harrybinswanger. asocial sense he insinuates. Free Americans developed complex webs of association based on voluntary agreement. As Tocqueville famously What is Barack Obama’s vision for America? Here’s one telling clue. observed at the time, “Americans of all ages, all stations of life and all In a new interview with Rolling Stone, the president declares that the types of disposition are forever forming associations. There are not only individualist credo of novelist-philosopher Ayn Rand misses “what’s best commercial and industrial associations in which all take part, but others of in America.” a thousand types.” There were businesses, charities, social clubs, private Really? insurance agencies to protect against disease and injury, and a whole lot Rand, who immigrated to America from Soviet Russia when she was more. By limiting government, Americans unleashed voluntary association. 21, praised this country as “the greatest, the noblest and, in its original In a sense, however, Americans were “on their own.” Limited founding principles, the only moral country in the history of the world.” government meant that other people’s wants and needs were not your America’s greatness, in Rand’s judgment, lay in the fact that it was the unchosen responsibility. The corollary was that you and you alone were first nation in history to treat government as the individual’s servant rather responsible for securing your own wants and needs. You were responsible than his master. As she put it, “All previous systems had held that man’s life for developing the knowledge, skills, and traits of character you needed belongs to society, that society can dispose of him in any way it pleases, to earn a living. You were responsible for saving to meet life’s unexpected and that any freedom he enjoys is his only by favor, by the permission of twists and turns. You were responsible for educating your children. You society, which may be revoked at any time. The United States held that could ask for help from other people during hard times—but you could man’s life is his by right . . . that a right is the property of an individual, not demand it as a right. You were on your own. that society as such has no rights, and that the only moral purpose of a That was not a bug but a feature: it meant that the bad choices of your government is the protection of individual rights.” neighbor didn’t constitute a claim on your time and wealth: you could go In America, the government’s only job was to protect the individual’s right ahead and focus on making something of your life, rather than be right to life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness from violation dragged down in the muck of his. by physical force or fraud. In this atmosphere of freedom, individuals This is the America that Rand upheld and fought for. But Obama flourished. From the founding through the beginning of the twentieth thinks this is not “what’s best in America.” Then what is? Basically, it’s century, government kept Americans free to create, innovate, and compete, everything that’s not distinctively American: entitlement schemes, rampant to keep the results if they succeeded, and to try again if they failed. economic controls and regulations, and government infrastructure projects It was during this era that immigrants flocked here by the millions copied from other countries. For Obama, caring about others doesn’t and America became known as “the land of opportunity”—not the land mean respecting their freedom or helping them voluntarily when they hit of handouts (there was no welfare state in America during this time) or tough times—it means enacting collectivist policies that restrict economic of guaranteed success, but of freedom to make your own way without freedom and redistribute earned wealth. obstruction. Today the supporters of Big Government are fond of telling us In short, what’s best in America according to Obama is everything that that “a hungry man is not free.” Those who immigrated to America during came after the era when government’s power was limited by the principles the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries knew otherwise. They arrived of the Declaration of Independence. poor—even famished—but ambitious. That, not Rand’s , is what’s truly un-American.

2 Campus Up and Playboy Publishes Running, continued from page 1 Ayn Rand Interview as live, but we quickly discovered some major flaws in the programming and other techni- E-Book cal issues that affected the user experience. We decided to take the site offline while we n October 10 Playboy published Ayn Rand’s addressed those issues, but now ARI Campus O 1964 interview with the magazine as an is up and running again. We are in the process e-book, available for $0.99 on Amazon. This of a staged rollout, where we have gradually wide-ranging and frank conversation features been opening up the site to more people. We Rand discussing her work and the implication are a few steps into the process now, and last of her ideas. month we invited the initial registrants back to Topics covered include: guilt, original the site. sin, emotions, motherhood, religion, morality, Impact: What does ARI Campus offer? romantic love, sex, hedonism, promiscuity, DG: ARI Campus offers a range of courses charity, compassion, literature, government, for anyone interested in Ayn Rand and her ideas. free will, foreign policy, nuclear treaties and This includes courses for beginners who have politicians. yet to read an Ayn Rand novel to committed The e-book was published as part of the Objectivists who are interested in deepening magazine’s fiftieth anniversary celebration of their understanding about an aspect of Objec- Playboy Interview. The publication date coin- tivism. The courses are designed for self-study cided with the fifty-fifth anniversary of the and, with some recommendations available from publication of Atlas Shrugged. the Campus, the student is able to select courses The book’s description on Amazon reads: of interest to him or her. The course environ- “In mid-1962, Playboy founder Hugh Hefner ment is a rich, interactive one. We have included was given a partial transcript of an interview many tools for the student to take advantage of with Miles Davis. It covered jazz, of course, to help with the self-study process. but it also included Davis’s ruminations on For instance, the student can take notes race, politics and culture. Fascinated, Hef Cover of the e-book about any course, share those notes with class- sent the writer—future Pulitzer Prize-winning mates, join discussion groups about particular author Alex Haley, an unknown at the time— (from September 4, 2012, to November 12, 2012) threads, submit questions to instructors, etc. back to glean even more opinion and insight via Amazon’s Kindle Direct platform. Here is In addition, every course comes with a “More from Davis. The resulting exchange, published the interview with the novelist and philosopher to Explore” section that points the student to in the September 1962 issue, became the first Ayn Rand from the March 1964 issue.” many other resources. The courses themselves official Playboy Interview and kicked off a In its July/August 2012 issue, Playboy are interactive and offer thinking prompts, remarkable run of public inquisition that con- reprinted excerpts from Rand’s interview as quizzes and interactions to gauge a student’s tinues today—and that has featured just about further celebration of the golden anniversary beliefs in order to help the student remain every cultural titan of the last half century. of Playboy Interview. engaged with the material and to maximize “To celebrate the Interview’s 50th anni- The e-book can be purchased at bit.ly/ retention of knowledge. versary, the editors of Playboy have culled arplayboy and can be read directly on the ARI Campus also offers a rich community 50 of its most (in)famous Interviews and will Amazon Kindle and via the Kindle app on environment: students are able to create a per- publish them over the course of 50 weekdays other devices. sonal profile, connect with classmates to share information about the courses that they are taking and discuss the ideas with them. Finally, the Campus offers a way to learn about the rest of ARI’s programs and initiatives by connecting ARI Commentary on Foreign Policy: eral radio interviews on the embassy attacks, some students, based on their topics of interest, to which can be heard on ARC-TV.com. Attacks on US Embassies, continued from other ARI programs. page 1 On the eve of the debate on foreign policy Impact: How did you decide which courses between the presidential candidates, Mr. Journo to offer? Also, whom are these courses targeted pain of death. The West’s long history of reli- released an article, “Paul Ryan, Ayn Rand and towards? gious wars attests to the fact that until religion U.S. Foreign Policy,” on ARI’s website. The paper, DG: Eventually, we plan for ARI Campus has been defanged and marginalized by reason, it which greatly expands on and updates an earlier to offer dozens of courses that are aimed at is deadly. Our failure to understand this has crip- piece published in Foreign Policy (titled “Galt everyone from beginners to advanced Objec- pled our policymaking.” Goes Global”), includes discussion of Washing- tivists who are looking to deepen their under- Along with ARI fellow Keith Lockitch, ton’s response to the events in Benghazi. It can be standing of Rand’s philosophy. Mr. Journo appeared in a podcast for ARI’s blog read at bit.ly/journofp. As a starting point, the Campus contains Voices for Reason, on related issues such as the In October Mr. Journo gave a lunchtime brief- nine courses that are designed to provide the trend of self-censorship in Western media, the ing to congressional staffers on Capitol Hill. During Campus foundation. There are seven courses significance of free speech, the proper approach the session, he outlined the failings of recent U.S. which provide a base level of education for any to defending it and the history of conciliatory foreign policy and argued that Ayn Rand’s philoso- newcomer interested in Rand’s ideas. These response from American political leadership to phy provides the much-needed new moral base for courses have mainly been created with the Middle East aggression. Mr. Journo also gave sev- a robust, pro-capitalist foreign policy. college student in mind, and occasionally with the high school student in mind. However, they have been created in a way that we hope will be of benefit to any person interested in Rand or Want to help spread rational ideas? her ideas. We have also included two courses that Share ARI’s writings and videos on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites! are at a more advanced level for people who already have a basic understanding of Objec- tivism: Dr. Peikoff’s Philosophy of Education facebook.com/ARInstitute and Moral Virtue courses. We have been able /AynRandCenter to create an interactive online course out of /AynRandInstitute each of those by using previously recorded /AtlasShrugged audio, and we thank Dr. Peikoff for making the material available to ARI Campus. /TheFountainhead twitter.com/ARInstitute Of the beginner courses, we have included a /AnthemBook /AynRandCenter course about each of Ayn Rand’s first three nov- /WetheLivingBook els, Rand’s life, the uniqueness of her thought /100Voices and an introduction to what she wrote. We chose /ObjectivistConferences these courses so that ARI Campus would have content that is appropriate for our highest prior- ity audience—students who may have just been introduced to Ayn Rand and are excited about youtube.com/AynRandInstitute her ideas. Over time we will add courses—not only about Rand’s thought—but also about how

continued on page 5 3 Year-End Tax Alert TM Recent Media Appearances ight bad government programs—don’t Ffinance them! If you itemize deductions on your tax return, you can “contribute” less to the government at tax time by donating RI intellectuals regularly speak to the media about how Ayn Rand’s timeless ideas clarify issues of cash or other assets to ARI now. the day. Visit ARC-TV.com to keep up with ARI’s media appearances. Here is a selection. Contributions of appreciated securities A held more than one year offer double tax • October 29: Yaron Brook on PJTV’s Front Page (“Housing Numbers Improve, but Is the Crisis savings: they are fully deductible at current Really Over?”) market value, and capital gain tax is also avoided; for details, visit aynrand.org/stock. • October 27: Yaron Brook on PJTV’s Front Page (“Can the Lessons of Ayn Rand End Big As always, consult your tax adviser before Government?”) arranging a transfer of non-cash property to • October 26: Yaron Brook on PJTV’s Front Page (“Income Inequality Insanity”) the Institute. • October 25: Don Watkins on WAFS’s Butler on Business (“Cronyism”) Gifts must be completed by December 31 • October 23: Doug Altner on PJTV’s Front Page (“Chinese Economy on the Rocks?”) to qualify for a deduction on your 2012 tax return. For assistance with your year-end gifts • October 22: Doug Altner on PJTV’s Front Page (“The Continuing Liberal Battle Against Success and to ARI, contact Kathy Cross at 732-242-9408 Wealth”) or [email protected]. • October 19: Doug Altner on PJTV’s Front Page (“Another Obama-Backed Energy Company Fails”) • October 18: Doug Altner on WAFS’s Butler on Business (“The Bankruptcy of A123 Systems”) • October 13: Rituparna Basu on PJTV’s Front Page (“Does YouTube Coddle Terrorists and Insult Impact is published monthly by the Ayn Rand® Institute (ARI) and is Free Speech?”) complimentary to current donors who contribute $35 or more per year. For information on how you can support ARI and to learn about our • October 12: Keith Lockitch on 1190 AM’s Wall Street Shuffle (“Atlas Shrugged the Movie”) projects, please visit our website: aynrand.org. Atlantis Legacy®, the • October 12: Doug Altner on WAFS’s Butler on Business (“Trade Wars”) Institute’s planned giving program, and related indicia are registered trademarks. The Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights (ARC) is the • October 12: Rituparna Basu on PJTV’s Front Page (“Biden-Ryan Debate No Laughing Matter”) public policy and outreach division of the Ayn Rand Institute. Objectivist Conferences (OCON) and the Ayn Rand Bookstore are owned and • October 10: Yaron Brook on KFMB’s Mike Slater Show (“Gas Prices: Price Gouging or Market operated by the Ayn Rand Institute. The Ayn Rand Institute does not necessarily endorse the content of the lectures and courses offered. Correction?”) All photos of Ayn Rand are used by permission of . • October 9: Doug Altner on PJTV’s Front Page (“Organ Donor System on Life Support”) Purchases from the Ayn Rand Bookstore and OCON do not qualify as tax-deductible contributions to the Ayn Rand Institute. • October 9: Thomas A. Bowden on TRN’s America’s Morning News (“Columbus Day”) Editor: Rituparna Basu Editorial Advisers: Yaron Brook, Mark Chapman, Jeri Eagan, • October 8: Don Watkins on KFMB’s Mike Slater Show (“Regulations”) Julie Ferguson, Debi Ghate, Elan Journo, Duane Knight, • October 6: Doug Altner on PJTV’s Front Page (“Obama Declares Trade War on China”) Anu Seppala, Lin Zinser Designer: Simon Federman • October 5: Doug Altner on PJTV’s Front Page (“Hear Why the Stock Market Is Surging in a Slow Printing: David Antonacci Copy Editor: Donna Montrezza Economy”) Headquarters: 2121 Alton Parkway, Suite 250 Irvine, CA 92606-4926 Phone: 949-222-6550 Fax: 949-222-6558 • October 4: Don Watkins on WAFS’s Butler on Business (“Romney on Regulation”) © The Ayn Rand Institute 2012. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced • October 3: Don Watkins on 1190 AM’s Wall Street Shuffle (“The American Dream”) without permission. ARI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Contributions to ARI in the United States are tax-exempt to the extent provided by law.

The Ayn Rand Institute eStore Books, electronic media and more

New Products Available at ARI eStore

f you haven’t yet visited the Ayn Rand Institute eStore—the newest way to shop online for the most complete selection of IAyn Rand’s works—there’s no better time to do so. The eStore allows you to download MP3 audio files of recorded lectures and interviews by Ayn Rand, Leonard Peikoff and other Objectivist speakers for low prices. ARI continues to make available new products in downloadable format. For example, we recently added products from Harry Binswanger and to our selection.

Here are just a few of the product titles Also now available from Dr. Smith, now available from Dr. Binswanger, professor of philosophy at University longtime associate of Ayn Rand’s and of Texas at Austin and ARI board ARI board member: member: • “Buy American” Is Un-American • Moral Ambition: Perfection and Pride • Ayn Rand’s Life: Highlights and Sidelights • Self-Interest • Ayn Rand’s Philosophic Achievement • Rationality and Objectivity • How to Study Ayn Rand’s Writing • John Locke’s Political Philosophy Visit the ARI eStore at estore.aynrand.org for the complete listing of products available.

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4 Meet the ARI Campus Team

RI Campus has been more than two years students. This e-learning site is so new and so The site’s potential for reaching thousands of A in the making. Meet some of the people radical that I can’t wait to discover all the undis- individuals across the world is an amazing oppor- who made ARI Campus possible and learn what covered possibilities in impacting minds. tunity to help shape the discussions being had they’re most excited about regarding ARI’s new- within my culture. est educational initiative. Steven Dougherty In a future issue, Impact will bring you an Role in ARI Campus: I man- Lucy Hugel exclusive one-on-one with Onkar Ghate, ARI age the curriculum develop- Role in ARI Campus: senior fellow and vice president of Intellectual ment process, working with I manage the efforts to inte- Leadership, on the development of ARI Campus our team of instructors and grate appropriate e-learning and its place among ARI’s other educational our developer’s instructional elements into both the web- programs. designers to bring course site and the courses. This content from conception to involves working to develop Doug Altner a point where our e-learning e-learning tools and materials Role in ARI Campus: I am team can build it into a full online course. within the site and course one of the resident instructors What he’s excited about: Campus is at the cut- player. In regard to courses, I manage the devel- for ARI Campus. This past ting edge of technology and twenty-first-century opment of the instructors’ content into an edu- year I was part of the group educational platforms. I love that. I think everyone cational product that includes appropriate visual who developed the educa- in our audience, and beyond, really cares about and interactive elements. Finally, I oversee the tional content for our initial how online content is visually presented in addi- efforts to create an active student community on courses. I love teaching, espe- tion to its substance. I think those who visit Cam- the Campus. cially teaching Rand’s ideas pus will be impressed. What she’s excited about: It has been a to students, and I am really looking forward to privilege to work with this amazing team of teaching my own courses in the near future. Adam Edmonsond people and be part of transforming great ideas What he’s excited about: I am excited that Role in ARI Campus: I am on paper to a living website and courses about ARI Campus will serve as a platform to teach a research assistant on the Ayn Rand and her works for people all over the Ayn Rand’s philosophy as well as courses in Campus team. My role world. One of the things I find most exciting is philosophy, history and economics from ARI’s consists mainly of finding how groundbreaking the ARI Campus project unique perspective. I believe there are a lot of source material and quotes is: within a classy and well-structured general interesting things to say about these subjects from Ayn Rand’s writings, website, we have both extensive course content from an Objectivist perspective. I remember lectures and interviews, and social elements where students can discuss when I had to drive for a few hours to hear a new and of gathering secondary ideas. The courses themselves are innovative lecture on Ayn Rand’s ideas or their application. sources and carrying out historical research. I and multidimensional, built within a platform Now ARI Campus will offer a wealth of entire also assist with filming and editing, reviewing that offers unique course functionality, giv- courses—courses that students are able to hear courses at different stages of development, ing each course many layers for students to for free, at their own convenience and in the proofreading and transcribing the courses. explore. comfort of their own home. What he’s excited about: The most exciting aspect for me is the potential audiences to be Keith Lockitch Kirk Barbera reached. Anyone in the world with an Internet Role in ARI Campus: I’m Role in ARI Campus: My connection will now have immediate access to primarily focused on course job is to facilitate commu- courses on Ayn Rand and Objectivism. With the content. I’m the instructor for nication of all site updates, impact that social media will no doubt continue two of the courses—the ones including new courses, live to have on the way ideas spread in the culture, on Anthem and The Foun- chats and campus events, it is very important that we have a role in it and tainhead—and a co-instructor between the students and that discovering Objectivism could now be as (with Drs. Brook and Ghate) ARI Campus instructors and simple as noticing a Campus link on a friend’s for the course Ayn Rand: staff, and also to promote Facebook wall. The Radical Thinker. I’ve been responsible for community growth. It’s my job to ensure ARI developing and presenting the content for these Campus is a campus! Each course has a dis- Jon Glatfelter courses, as well as reviewing the content for a cussion forum, and I aim to establish a vibrant Role in ARI Campus: I pro- number of other courses. community within the Campus. Before the site vide support for development What he’s excited about: I’m really excited launched, my job consisted primarily of contrib- of e-learning elements of about the possibility of reaching many, many uting to the general text for each site section and Campus’s course content more students than we’ve been able to in the the rules for the community—to help create the and site, including work to past, given our limited instructor resources. I’ve “feel” of the website. support the visual represen- often been invited to speak on Ayn Rand’s ideas What he’s excited about: I’m most excited tation and interactivity in the to high school and college audiences and have about being a student on the Campus and learn- courses. In addition to these typically spoken before groups of a few dozen ing! I was a campus club leader at my university, roles, I help to research e-learning design and students at a time. What’s exciting to me about and I loved having discussions about Rand’s process improvements. ARI Campus is the idea of reaching thousands ideas and their application to the world. I’ve What he’s excited about: I’m excited to assist of students with the same content, and having an been taking ARI Campus courses as a newer ARI in the production process for Campus’s future ever-expanding curriculum of courses to offer to employee, and I’m blown away by how much course content and to continue expanding the these students. I’m learning. I’m also ecstatic to meet our future e-learning experience for students worldwide.

Ayn Rand Institute Campus Up and interactive tools, community discussion and DG: Our initial offering of nine courses is other means. This, I hope, makes it easier for ready for students to beta test, which is a com- Running, continued from page 3 the student to learn and retain the knowledge mon practice in large online initiatives to dis- while studying independently of an instructor in cover and work out any kinks in the system. We her philosophy applies to key fields such as eco- the room. expect to be in a beta period for a few months nomics, history and so on. I am also excited that the content we have to ensure that all of the features are meeting the We will also develop shorter pieces of sup- will be able to grow over time very easily. We needs of the students. In other words, we will plementary material to augment the courses. have built the courses in modular form, mean- be looking very closely at what the response Over time we will create recommended tracks ing we can easily add, revise or update modules is to the various educational elements that we for self-study and guide the student through a as required. Since we now have an in-house AV have included in the Campus. particular series of courses that will address studio, we are able to very easily record new We hope to launch more pieces of content, their interest. [Editor’s note: Learn more about course material, add content to our “Frequently of various lengths—from ten minutes to approx- the courses currently being offered on page 6.] Asked Questions” page, provide an interactive imately six hours—over the next calendar year. Impact: What are some of the features in discussion with students and offer many other We look forward to seeing the Campus ARI Campus you are especially excited about? features. So even though the educational expe- grow. I want to personally thank the contributor DG: The feature that I am most excited rience is instructor-independent, we have added who made this project possible and the ener- about is that we have an opportunity to pres- a lot of features that hopefully make the student getic and creative ARI Campus staff who have ent educational material in a multidimensional feel engaged and part of a live community. worked very hard to prepare this initiative for fashion now: we provide content in various Impact: What’s in store for ARI Campus in launch. We hope you find it valuable and we modes through the use of video, audio, images, the coming year? look forward to your participation! 5 ARI Campus Course Catalog

hether you are a long-time student of also one of the most controversial. Her writing benefit from this material. However, these lectures WAyn Rand’s thought or a beginner to her is very accessible and engaging, earning her should be of interest to anyone wanting to learn ideas, ARI Campus has something for you. Visit a large and growing audience. But given the more about Ayn Rand’s novels, her ideas or the campus.aynrand.org to find out which courses intricacy and radicalness of her ideas, she is often history of communism. The course will present are right for you. Here are the descriptions of misunderstood—even by her fans. background material on Ayn Rand and the time the courses currently available: This interactive, documentary-style course the novel was written, an overview of the story, introduces students to Ayn Rand’s philosophy an analysis of the characters, and a detailed of Objectivism by examining three of her most discussion of the main theme and a number of the Ayn Rand: A Writer’s Life provocative views: her advocacy of laissez-faire related subthemes. capitalism; her conception of good and evil; and “I decided to be a writer at the age of nine,” her moral appraisal of environmentalism and Ayn Rand once said, “and everything I have industrialization. done was integrated to that purpose.” This documentary-style course traces Rand’s life In many ways, The Fountainhead is the novel (1905–1982) from the perspective of that about the greatness of the American spirit. central productive goal. Topics covered include It is a novel about a young architect who what motivated Rand to escape from Soviet refuses to compromise on his vision of what Russia to America, why she defied mainstream makes a magnificent building while living in a opinion on both left and right, how she became culture that relentlessly criticizes him as naïve, a bestselling author and innovative philosopher. unconventional, impractical, idealistic. And yet Also discussed is the enduring relevance he still triumphs. This novel is Rand’s classic of Rand’s provocative intellectual legacy. about what it truly means to live in pursuit of Photographs, film clips and Rand’s personal your own life and values, and how America is recollections enliven this narrative of her the country of individualism. prolific career. This is an introductory interactive video lecture course on Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead. High school students studying The Fountainhead Instructor Keith Lockitch discussing Anthem will definitely find much value in taking this class. However, the material should be of Anthem interest to anyone interested in learning more about Anthem is Ayn Rand’s novella about an Ayn Rand’s famous novel and her unique view of intellectually curious young man who wants to individualism. The course will present background understand how the world works. But he lives in material on Ayn Rand and the time the novel was a bleak future where science and technology are written, an overview of the story, an analysis of the unheard of, obedience to community beliefs is characters, and a detailed discussion of the main demanded, personal possessions are non-existent, theme and a number of the related subthemes. romantic love is out of the question. It is a candle- lit future where the word “I” is unknown. What becomes of the active-minded hero amid this primitive society that scorns thought? The Ayn Rand Bookshelf This is an introductory interactive video lecture course on Ayn Rand’s Anthem. High school Ayn Rand is well known as a famous novelist, students learning about Anthem should find this but did you know that she also produced a course especially valuable, but the material should large volume of nonfiction writing—ranging be of interest to viewers of all levels. The course broadly from the nature of moral virtue, the presents background material on Ayn Rand and the moon landing and the impact of Progressive time the novella was written, an overview of the education, to the ideas driving rampant inflation, story, an analysis of the characters, a discussion the persecution of “Big Business” and role of the themes and some brief comparisons to two of art in life? Rand wrote prolifically about Course player for Moral Virtue course well-known dystopian works: 1984 and Brave philosophy and its crucial role in an individual’s New World. life, in the culture, in current events, in art. Moral Virtue This video course is a light conversation about This course is an in-depth treatment of three Ayn Rand’s books with emphasis on four of important issues in Rand’s moral philosophy: her famous collections of essays: Capitalism: the virtue of justice, the evil of the initiation of The Unknown Ideal, The Virtue of Selfishness, physical force, and the virtue of independence. Philosophy: Who Needs It and The Romantic This course is adapted from recorded lectures that Manifesto. Pour yourself a cup of coffee and Dr. Leonard Peikoff gave at a conference for fans come join the discussion! of Ayn Rand in 1989. The lectures are based on Dr. Peikoff’s work for his book Objectivism: The Philosophy: Who Needs It Philosophy of Ayn Rand, published in 1991. The section on independence is of particular Who needs philosophy? We all do, says Ayn Rand. interest because Dr. Peikoff discusses at length This course is an adaptation of a speech that his earlier, mistaken account of the Objectivist Ayn Rand gave to the graduating class of the Course page for We the Living virtue of independence when drafting his book. United States Military Academy at West Point In that discussion, Dr. Peikoff draws an important in 1974. In this address, Ayn Rand challenges We the Living methodological lesson for understanding the idea that philosophy belongs only in the ivory philosophical principles. In reference to the ruling Communist Party, a tower or the coffee shop. Instead she argues that, character from We the Living laments: “you’ve whether they realize it or not, everyone holds tried to tell us what we should want. You came and acts on philosophic ideas. Philosophy, she Philosophy of Education as a solemn army to bring a new life to men. maintained, is a practical necessity of human life. You tore that life you knew nothing about, out This course presents an account of the philosophy So are you interested in learning what philosophy of their guts—and you told them what it had of education from an Objectivist perspective. The can do for you? to be. You took their every hour, every minute, course is adapted from recorded lectures that This speech is the ideal starting point for every nerve, every thought in the farthest Dr. Leonard Peikoff gave at a conference for fans those new to philosophy and to Ayn Rand’s ideas. corners of their souls—and you told them of Ayn Rand in 1985. Primary and secondary Following it is a discussion with two philosophers what it had to be. You came and you forbade education are the focus, but many of the principles who describe how the ideas discussed in this life to the living.” This captures the chilling discussed apply to all levels of education. famous lecture have impacted their lives. consequences of life under an oppressive Topics include: different theories of the basic totalitarian state. So, on both a larger and an purpose of education; how to teach thinking Ayn Rand: The Radical Thinker intimate scale, does the story of We the Living. methods, with special emphasis on the principles This is an introductory interactive video of proper motivation, integration, and hierarchy; Ayn Rand was one of the most influential lecture course on Ayn Rand’s We the Living. a proper curriculum; teacher colleges and the thinkers of the twentieth century but she was Students reading the novel for school will greatly politics of education. 6