Would Objectivism be more widely accepted had Ayn Rand been a man?
Posted by coaldigger 6 years, 7 months ago to Philosophy
Maybe this would not be true today but in 1957 I think a female philosopher would have had a more difficult time being taken seriously outside of LA and New York. Even Bennett Cerf didn't think much of her ideology but thought the book might make a little money.
I think that one has to reject altruism in every form starting with religion to accept Objectivism and that is the greatest hurdle since modern humans exhibited some for of religion since their exodus from Africa 50,000 years ago. Female prophets have been fewer in number and less influential than their male counterparts and I think this has been a part of the hurdle. Her successors, Brandon and Peikoff were too cerebral and competitive with each other to make her works a popular message, leaving acceptance in scattered enclaves.
I think that one has to reject altruism in every form starting with religion to accept Objectivism and that is the greatest hurdle since modern humans exhibited some for of religion since their exodus from Africa 50,000 years ago. Female prophets have been fewer in number and less influential than their male counterparts and I think this has been a part of the hurdle. Her successors, Brandon and Peikoff were too cerebral and competitive with each other to make her works a popular message, leaving acceptance in scattered enclaves.
