The Objective Standard Blog

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Happy Birthday, Ayaan Hirsi Ali!

Posted by Daniel Wahl at 2:26 pm

Ayaan Hirsi Ali, courtesy of Tali Yashinski Despins On this day in 1992, a young Muslim woman stood on a train platform with only a duffel bag, a tenacious spirit, and an active mind. These were all she needed now.

Before she wrote a best-selling autobiography, the stories of her childhood would have sounded as foreign to Westerners as her name, Ayaan Hirsi Ali. From the moment she could speak, she was taught to obey authority without question, to honor her parents no matter what, and to remember her second-class position as a woman.

The horrific nature of the Islamic culture into which Ayaan was born can be concretized in a single event from her childhood. In order to eliminate the possibility of sexual pleasure and to preserve her virginity for the husband her parents would later choose, her elders subjected her to a form of hell on earth. As Ms. Ali explains, “There is no other way to describe this procedure. . . . After the child’s clitoris and labia are carved out, scraped off . . . the whole area is often sewn up, so that a thick band of tissue forms a chastity belt made of the girl’s own scarred flesh.”

Fortunately, while growing up in Kenya, Ayaan attended a colonially-influenced school and learned of a different kind of culture—one where girls were not mutilated but venerated; where independence, not blind obedience, was prized; and where a woman was free to pursue her own life in her own way.

Now, standing on this train platform, she faced a choice. Her parents had arranged for her to marry a Muslim. That meant a life of submission not only to the dictates of Mohammed and the community but also to those of an unchosen husband. Her only alternative was to run away and start a new life somewhere else.

Ayaan got on the train and marked the date: July 24, 1992. Of this day, she later wrote: “Every year, I think of it. I see it as my real birthday: the birth of me as a person, making decisions about my life on my own.”

Happy Birthday, Ms. Ali!

“Welcome, Ayaan Hirsi Ali“

Image: Courtesy of Tali Yashinski Despins

Posted in: Announcements, Religion

Thursday, July 15, 2010

The Atlas Shrugged Revolution

Posted by TOS Admin at 4:23 pm

A message from Yaron Brook of the Ayn Rand Institute:

UPCOMING AYN RAND INSTITUTE EVENT—THE ATLAS SHRUGGED REVOLUTION, SEPTEMBER 14, 2010

The Atlas Shrugged Revolution

I am very pleased to announce that on Tuesday, September 14, 2010, in New York City we will hold our second annual Atlas Shrugged Revolution fundraising dinner event.

Last year’s event attracted 125 attendees and raised more than $400,000—and we hope that this year’s event will be an even greater success.

Here are the details for this year’s dinner:

Tuesday, September 14, 2010
6:00 p.m.
W New York
541 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10022

John Allison of BB&T Corporation will again join me to discuss the public’s continuing interest in Atlas Shrugged—and the ideas behind it. We will also update attendees on the work being done by ARI to promote Ayn Rand’s philosophy at this critical time in our nation’s history.

For more details and to register, please visit our event Web site.

We hope you’ll be able to join us in Manhattan on September 14, for ARI’s second annual Atlas Shrugged Revolution event!

Sincerely,

Yaron Brook
President and Executive Director

P.S. At this year’s event we will again hold an auction of rare Ayn Rand books and manuscripts. Images and descriptions of the items are available for viewing on the Web.

Posted in: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism, Events

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

TOS Subscription Upgrades

Posted by TOS Admin at 12:31 pm

Due to popular demand, we have created a quick-and-easy means of upgrading to our new Audio, E-book, and Premium subscriptions. If you wish to upgrade, simply click on the Renew/Upgrade button in the navigation bar, log in, and make your selection. Upgrade prices based on your existing subscription and the upgrade alternatives will appear next to the options. (For instance, if you currently have a Print subscription with two issues remaining, the price for upgrading to a Premium subscription will show as $10.)

Full descriptions and general pricing for all options can be found on the subscriptions page.

Upgrade today and access TOS on the go!

Posted in: Announcements

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

OCON Workshop on Starting and Growing an Objectivist Community Club

Posted by TOS Admin at 11:05 am

If you are attending OCON next week and have any interest in starting an Objectivist community club in your hometown, this is a good opportunity to learn from those who have a successful track record in such ventures:

Join the Oclubs.org workshop at OCON. Learn how to start & grow an Objectivist Community Club in your hometown!

The Colorado Objectivist community has more than 60 members and 7 monthly events

Chicago has 40 members in its community and 7 events per month

Atlanta’s new Objectivist community is thriving with 30 members and 1 event per month

Learn how these cities got started! Join Oclubs for a 45 min presentation and workshop at OCON. This event is either for people who already run a community club and want to grow it or for people who want to start one.

Wednesday, July 7 at 6:15p -7:00, 5th Floor, Charleston F room

Oclubs.org was started to support the leaders of Objectivist clubs. We create resources, answer questions, and share advice. Read our Mission Statement here.

Posted in: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism, Events

Monday, June 28, 2010

The Summer Issue of TOS

Posted by Craig Biddle at 1:53 pm

The print edition of the Summer issue has been mailed; the online and e-book versions have been posted to our website; and the audio version will be posted on Wednesday, June 30. (Due to production setbacks, the print edition mailed a few days late. I apologize for the delay.)

The contents of the Summer issue are:

From the Editor

Letters and Replies

ARTICLES

Israel and America’s Flotilla Follies (and How To Avoid Them in the Future)
by Craig Biddle

Why Anthony Daniels Smears Ayn Rand
by Alan Germani

How to Protect Yourself Against ObamaCare
by Paul Hsieh

The Montessori Method: Educating Children for a Lifetime of Learning and Happiness
by Heike Larson

A Review of the Korean Television Series Dae Jang Geum
by Sarah Biddle

An Interview with Philosopher of Science David Harriman

Objective Moral Virtues: Principled Actions
by Craig Biddle

BOOKS REVIEWED

Freethinkers: A History of American Secularism, by Susan Jacoby
Reviewed by Daniel Wahl

The Beginnings of Western Science: The European Scientific Tradition in Philosophical, Religious, and Institutional Context, Prehistory to A.D. 1450, 2nd ed., by David C. Lindberg
Reviewed by Frederick Seiler

The Greatest Trade Ever: The Behind-the-Scenes Story of How John Paulson Defied Wall Street and Made Financial History, by Gregory Zuckerman
Reviewed by Daniel Wahl

That First Season, by John Eisenberg
Reviewed by Joseph Kellard

If you have not yet subscribed to TOS, you can do so now and achieve instant access to this new issue and all back issues. Subscriptions start as low as $29. Subscribe online or by calling 800-423-6151.

Enjoy!

Posted in: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism, Business and Economics, Education, Foreign Policy and War, Healthcare, History, Individual Rights and Law, Philosophy, Science and Technology, The Arts

Monday, June 21, 2010

New TOS Subscription Options and Pricing

Posted by Craig Biddle at 8:02 pm

I’m pleased to announce three new TOS subscription options and a substantially reduced price on our online-only subscriptions.

The new subscription formats are audio, e-book, and premium. The Audio subscription (which includes access to the website or HTML edition) provides MP3 versions of TOS articles and reviews that can be downloaded to and played on your computer and a wide variety of audio devices. This enables you to enjoy TOS articles while driving to work, exercising at the gym, strolling on the beach, or the like.

The E-book subscription includes access to both EPUB and PDF versions of the journal (as well as the website edition). The EPUB version offers reflowable, resizable text and works with a variety of devices including laptop and desktop computers, the Apple iPad, the Barnes & Noble Nook, and the Sony Reader. The PDF version is a digital replica of the print journal, which can be viewed on all the aforementioned devices plus the Amazon Kindle. (Kindle subscriptions are available separately as well.) The E-book subscription provides you with highly flexible mobile access to TOS articles.

The Premium subscription includes all of our subscription products—print, audio, e-book, and website—enabling you to read or listen to articles practically anywhere and anytime.

Finally, the price of our Online Only subscription has been reduced from $49 to $29, enabling almost anyone to subscribe to the rational alternative to liberalism and conservatism.

Full descriptions and pricing for all options can be found on the subscriptions page.

Enjoy!

Posted in: Announcements

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Today is “Everybody Draw Mohammed Day”

Posted by Craig Biddle at 6:41 am

Here is the final batch of drawings of Mohammed, in defense of the requirements of human life and civilized society. In honor of “Everybody Draw Mohammed Day,” we have placed all of the drawings together on a single dedicated page, which can be found here.

I wish to thank those who participated in this campaign, and to encourage everyone to distribute this link far and wide today. Let the world know that you will not be silenced.

Drawing of Mohammed by Mark Wickens

Drawing of Mohammed by William Green

Drawing of Mohammed by Amit Ghate

Drawing of Mohammed by Andy Fingerhut

Drawing of Mohammed by David Chayes

Drawing of Mohammed by Jeffery Small

Drawing of Mohammed by Martin Gasser

Drawing of Mohammed by Diana Hsieh

Drawing of Mohammed by Richard Watts

Drawing of Mohammed by Meredith McCurdy

Drawing of Mohammed by Gus Van Horn

Drawing of Mohammed by Kyle Haight

Drawing of Mohammed by Greg Perkins

Drawing of Mohammed by Anne Haight

Posted in: Announcements, Events, Foreign Policy and War, Individual Rights and Law, Philosophy, Religion

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Drawings of Mohammed, in Defense of Life: Last Call

Posted by Craig Biddle at 1:35 pm

“Everybody Draw Mohammed Day” is tomorrow, May 20. If you’d like to participate and help defend the requirements of human life and civilized society, please email your drawings to blog@TheObjectiveStandard.com by midnight tonight (May 19).

Posted in: Announcements, Foreign Policy and War, Individual Rights and Law, Philosophy, Religion, The Arts

Saturday, May 15, 2010

The OList Empire of Excellence

Posted by Craig Biddle at 7:04 pm

Here’s a note from Diana Hsieh about her growing empire of excellence in activism and living:

Hi, I’m Diana Hsieh. I’m an Objectivist and a recent Ph.D in philosophy.

I oversee an independent network of e-mail lists for friendly discussion and information-sharing among advocates of Ayn Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism. They are the “OLists” : http://www.OList.com

The common goal of the OLists is to serve the real-life values and interests common to subscribers — such as activism, blogging, parenting, health, productivity, firearms, gardening, and academia. These lists have been active, informative, and useful to their hundreds of subscribers; they’ve helped connect Objectivists with values in common. In case you’ve not heard of them, I invite you to see whether they might foster your values too.

Please note that these lists are not free-for-all discussion lists. Each list has a clear purpose, as well as definite membership criteria. Also, some lists are limited to Objectivists, while others welcome non-Objectivist lurkers. Please check the list’s purpose and membership criteria before you request a subscription.

Without further ado, the OList e-mail lists are…

OActivists: http://www.OList.com/oactivists

OActivists is an e-mail list for Objectivists committed to fostering positive cultural and political change. Its purpose is to encourage and assist effective advocacy of Objectivist ideas in non-Objectivist forums by facilitating communication between Objectivist activists. Membership is limited to Objectivist activists. It is managed by Tammy Perkins.

OBloggers: http://www.OList.com/obloggers

OBloggers is an e-mail list for Objectivist bloggers. Its purpose is to facilitate communication about matters of mutual interest, such as upcoming events, blogworthy links, posts of interest, blog promotion, and best blogging practices. Membership is limited to Objectivist bloggers. It is managed by Kate Gerber of CareerMama (http://www.careermama.com).

OGrownups: http://www.OList.com/ogrownups

OGrownups is an informal e-mail list for for Objectivists and others interested in raising and educating children well. Its basic purpose is to facilitate discussion amongst Objectivists about child development, discipline techniques, education methods, parenting resources, and more. Non-Objectivist lurkers are welcome. It is managed by Jenn Casey of Rational Jenn (http://rationaljenn.blogspot.com).

OEvolve: http://www.OList.com/oevolve

OEvolve is an informal e-mail list for Objectivists and others interested in the proper application of evolutionary principles to diet, fitness, and health. Its basic purpose is to facilitate discussion and information-sharing amongst Objectivists about the practical sciences of cooking, nutrition, fitness, health, and more. Non-Objectivist lurkers are welcome. It is managed by Monica Hughes of Ancestral Generation (http://ancestralgeneration.com).

OProducers: http://www.OList.com/oproducers

OProducers is an e-mail list for Objectivists and others committed to improving their habits of productivity in their careers, projects, and other pursuits. Its purpose is to facilitate discussion and information-sharing amongst Objectivists about practical methods for better management of time, projects, money, people, and other resources. Non-Objectivist lurkers are welcome. It is managed by Tod of Optimal Living (http://blog.bytod.com).

OShooters: http://www.OList.com/oshooters

OShooters is an e-mail list for Objectivists and others enthused about firearms and committed to gun rights. Its basic purpose is to facilitate discussion and information-sharing amongst Objectivists about firearm models, shooting techniques, gun ranges, gun laws, and the like. Non-Objectivist lurkers are welcome. It is managed by Santiago Valenzuela.

OGardeners: http://www.OList.com/ogardeners

OGardeners is an informal e-mail list for Objectivists and others interested in gardening and landscaping. Its purpose is to facilitate discussion and information-sharing amongst Objectivists about the cultivation of flowers, vegetables, shrubs, and trees. Non-Objectivist lurkers are welcome. It is managed by Kelly Elmore of Reepicheep’s Coracle (http://reepicheepscoracle.blogspot.com).

OAcademics: http://www.OList.com/oacademics

OAcademics is an e-mail list for Objectivist academics to discuss teaching, research, coursework, dissertations, job prospects, publication, and all other aspects of life in (or after) academia. Membership is limited to Objectivist academics. It is managed by Diana Hsieh of NoodleFood (http://blog.dianahsieh.com).

If you have any questions or comments about the OLists, please feel free to e-mail me at diana@dianahsieh.com.
– DMH

Diana Hsieh (Ph.D, Philosophy, CU Boulder)
E-mail: diana@dianahsieh.com
NoodleFood: http://www.dianahsieh.com/blog
NoodleCast: http://www.dianahsieh.com/cast
ModernPaleo: http://www.ModernPaleo.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/DianaHsieh

Posted in: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Drawings of Mohammed, in Defense of Life—Batch #3

Posted by Craig Biddle at 12:57 pm

Here’s another set of drawings of Mohammed, in defense of human life. If you wish to contribute a drawing, please email it to blog@TheObjectiveStandard.com.

Drawing of Mohammed by Sharon Armstrong