Volume 11, Number 3, March 2005 Overflow Crowd at Lecture—Larger Audience on TV n February 4 “The Virtue of Selfishness,” a free The broadcast of Mr. Schwartz’s lecture brought In the Media: Television Interviews Opublic lecture by Peter Schwartz, drew a standing- Ayn Rand’s ideas to the attention of many more room-only audience. Crowding into the hall, many of people across America. The C-SPAN network is and Centenary Coverage the 350 people who attended stood along the walls, available to more than 80 million households. The some sat on the floor and others overflowed into the backdrop of the stage from which Mr. Schwartz On January 22 Yaron Brook, executive director of corridor. The one-hour lecture, which was followed by delivered his lecture was a large banner advertising ARI, appeared on Fox News Channel’s DaySide with a question period that lasted another hour, was taped the Ayn Rand Institute and our Web site. Linda Vester, arguing that U.S. compassion in the Iraq by C-SPAN 2 and broadcast on February 12. The centenary weekend as a whole was well war was self-destructive. On February 1 he was a Subtitled “Why Achieving Your Happiness Is attended. All the lectures drew a sizeable audience, guest on CNBC’s Closing Bell with Maria Bartiromo, Your Highest Moral Purpose,” the lecture was part of and both the celebratory dinner on February 5 and the discussing a lawsuit by disgruntled investors the weekend of events in Orange County, California, breakfast with Dr. Yaron Brook on February 6 were demanding compensation for their losses. On January celebrating Ayn Rand’s centenary. Some of the people sold out. 31 the host of The O’Reilly Factor, Bill O’Reilly, who attended the lecture had flown in for the weekend, referred on air to an ARI op-ed on the Iraqi elections. * * * but many others were members of the general public During the month of January our writers were interested to learn more about Ayn Rand’s ideas. For 51 Institute donors, the centenary experience was interviewed on the radio 14 times. enhanced by a luncheon and panel discussion held * * * exclusively for participants in the Atlantis Legacy, Left: Peter Schwartz ARI’s planned giving program. Experts answered On and around February 2—the 100th anniversary Below: overflow questions about Ayn Rand’s life and the Ayn Rand crowd at his talk “The of Ayn Rand’s birth—there were numerous newspa- Virtue of Selfishness: Archives, a special collection of the Institute (this per articles about Miss Rand. The newspapers that Why Achieving Your event will be repeated at the New York celebration— ran feature articles include the New York Times, Los Happiness Is Your see related announcement). An audio recording of Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, San Francisco Highest Moral Purpose” the proceedings will be made available to all Atlantis Chronicle, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Philadel- Legacy donors. For more information phia Inquirer and Orange County Register. The contact Kathy Cross at 310-876-1633 or latter also placed a sketch of Miss Rand at the top at [email protected]. of its front page, with the caption: “Commemorating * * * Ayn Rand. Idea’s Impact: The Philosophy of ‘Self.’” Most of the articles commented on—some attempted An online audio recording of Mr. to explain—Ayn Rand’s influence on the culture. Schwartz’s lecture was offered free of The tone of the articles ranged from the relatively charge to registered users of our Web site friendly to the sarcastic; unfortunately, inaccurate (www.aynrand.org) during the month of statements of Miss Rand’s views were common in February. During March we plan to offer the pieces. “Despite the poor quality of some of the an online audio recording of Dr. John articles,” said Dr. Yaron Brook, “we are pleased to Ridpath’s recent lecture “George Wash- see that Ayn Rand’s centenary received lots of media ington: Integrity and the Founding of attention. This coverage can help direct people to America.” Becoming a registered user of Ayn Rand’s works—from which a reader can draw our site is free. his own independent conclusions.” News and Announcements in Brief essentials of Objectivism and in the nature of objective thought question-and-answer period with a panel of experts on Ayn Rand’s New Book on Ayn Rand This month Durban House Publishing and communication. For information about the OAC, and to apply, life and the Ayn Rand Archives (a special collection of the Institute). is set to release The Passion of Ayn Rand’s Critics: The Case please visit our Web site: www.aynrand.org/academic. Open exclusively and at no cost to Atlantis Legacy donors, the event will feature Dr. Michael Berliner (editor of Letters of Ayn Against the Brandens, by James S. Valliant (hardcover; 433 Internships at ARI The Institute is currently offering paid internship Rand), Jeff Britting (author of the illustrated biography Ayn Rand) pages). This book lays to rest myths about Ayn Rand’s life and positions for college students who are interested in academic and Dr. Shoshana Milgram (a literary scholar working on an in- character that have been propagated by her detractors. It includes careers. The deadline to apply is April 18, 2005. For further depth biography of Miss Rand). As with previous Atlantis Legacy extensive, previously unpublished excerpts from Ayn Rand’s information, please visit our Web site: www.aynrand.org/internships. personal journal. To preorder the book, call 1-800-729-6149 or events, no recordings of the question period will be offered for sale. Centenary Events in New York ARI will host a series of talks visit www.aynrandbookstore.com. Invitations to the event were mailed to all Atlantis Legacy on April 23 and 24 in New York City to mark the centenary of Ayn donors early this year. If you have arranged a bequest or other Congratulations Impact is delighted to report that Dr. Tara Smith Rand’s birth. Among the guests scheduled to speak are Dr. Harry planned gift to ARI and did not receive an invitation, please contact was recently promoted to the rank of full professor of philosophy Binswanger, Dr. Michael Berliner, Dr. Yaron Brook, Dr. Shoshana Gift & Estate Planning Manager Kathy Cross at 310-876-1633 or at at the University of Texas at Austin and that Dr. Robert Mayhew Milgram and Jeff Britting, archivist at the Ayn Rand Archives. At the [email protected]. was also promoted to full professor of philosophy at Seton Hall reception and celebration dinner Mary Ann Sures will describe Ayn University. Dr. Smith is the author of Viable Values and is currently Rand’s enjoyment of New York City and answer questions about ARI Lecture Series 2005 On March 23 Dr. John Lewis will writing a book about Ayn Rand’s ethics of egoism. Dr. Mayhew is her. We invite you to join us. For more information, and to register, present “The Failure of the Homeland Defense: The Lessons the author of, most recently, Ayn Rand and “Song of Russia,” an please visit our Web site: www.objectivistconferences.com or call from History.” On May 24 Dr. Gary Hull will present “Antitrust Is excerpt from which we reprinted last month. 1-800-365-6552, ext. 239. Immoral.” Both of these events are free to the public and will take At Objectivist Summer Conference 2005 in San Diego (July (The February 2004 issue of Impact stated that ARI might place at the Hyatt Hotel in Irvine, California. Doors open 6:30 p.m.; 2–14), Dr. Smith will present a general lecture, “How ‘Activist’ hold a centenary celebration in St. Petersburg, the city of Ayn lecture begins 7:30 p.m. and is followed by a question period. For Should Judges Be? Objectivity in Judicial Decisions”; Dr. Mayhew Rand’s birth. Plans for such an event were canceled due to the more information and lecture descriptions, please visit our Web will present “The Rise and Fall of Ancient Greek Justice: Homer to erratic political situation in Russia.) site: www.aynrand.org. the Sermon on the Mount.” Atlantis Legacy Luncheon and Panel On April 23, in parallel Job Opportunities ARI is currently recruiting a Campus Club Applications to the OAC The deadline for applying to the with the Ayn Rand Centenary events in New York, ARI will Coordinator and a Mailroom Assistant. For full details, including Objectivist Academic Center for the 2005–06 academic year is host a special luncheon for participants in the Atlantis Legacy, information on how to apply, please visit: April 18. The OAC offers a systematic program of instruction in the the Institute’s planned giving program. The event will include a www.aynrand.org/employment. From the Ayn Rand Archives: Ayn Rand in California and New York Throughout 2005 Impact will showcase archival photographs, documents and other items that illuminate Ayn Rand’s life and achievements. The Ayn Rand Archives is a special collection of the Institute. sacrifice, either of oneself to others or of others to Selfishness Vs. oneself. Each man, according to Objectivism, is an end in himself, not the means to the ends of others. And Sacrifice for Ayn Rand, “Rationality is man’s basic virtue, the source of all his other virtues”: if he is to live as a man, Each month Impact suggests readings and other he must think and plan and act long-range. resources for fans of Ayn Rand’s fiction who wish In her introduction to The Virtue of Selfishness, to learn more about her philosophy, Objectivism. Ayn Rand discusses the distortion of the concept of selfishness, and in her essay “The Objectivist Ethics,” elfishness” in today’s culture is wrongly she sets out the foundations of her view of rational “Sequated with “evil.” As Ayn Rand observed: egoism.