When it comes to writing a fiction novel, what are the odds that you will begin a new philosophical movement?
Ayn Rand is mostly known for her two great novels, THE FOUNTAINHEAD and ATLAS SHRUGGED. She wrote other novels, of course, but these are the ones that began an entire movement. Objectivism. She wanted to call it Existentialism, but, as she explained, that title was already taken.
To quote Wikipedia:
“Objectivism holds that reality exists independent of consciousness, that man has direct contact with reality through sense perception, that one can attain objective knowledge from perception through the process of concept formation and inductive and deductive logic, that the proper moral purpose of one’s life is the pursuit of one’s own happiness or rational self-interest, that the only social system consistent with this morality is full respect for individual rights, embodied in pure laissez faire capitalism, and that the role of art in human life is to transform man’s wildest metaphysical ideas, by selective reproduction of reality, into a physical form – a work of art – that he can comprehend and to which he can respond emotionally.”
To quote Ayn Rand:
“My philosophy, in essence, is the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute.” Ayn Rand, ATLAS SHRUGGED
You know what? To me it sounds like common sense, yet there are factions out there that are natural opponents to Objectivism. But I don’t want to get into politics on this blog so I'll stop right there.
The reason I even bring it up now is to point out how some writers can breach the philosophical gray areas, and from a work of fiction, promote a viewpoint that will affect the world around them.
In my books, KILLER OF KILLERS, and THE VASE, the viewpoints I want to promote boil down to Justice for each individual and Peaceful Coexistence for the world at large. If my books can help even in the slightest toward one or both, then I have succeeded in my effort.
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