[OT] RE: [plug] Open Source and Communism

[Peter J. Nicol]

>  It basically describes software as a form of wealth and a product of
>  mans mind. According to Ayne Rands theory Lassie Farez (sp) Capitalism
>  man or (woman) can do whatever they like with their wealth.

Ayn Rand was an interesting person, but her ideas don't amount to much more
than a pseudo-philosophy.  For a long time, philosophers didn't bother with
her, it being obvious that 'Objectivism' was not worth much.  Unfortunately,
like many cultic ideas, the fact that it was nonsense was no impediment to
it's appeal, and her fame and that of so-called 'Objectivism' grew.

This is an excellent refutation of her ideas:

http://home.att.net/~sandgryan/essays_on_objectivism/ocr/

A page of other criticism is here, but some of the links are borked:

http://world.std.com/~mhuben/critobj.html

"Ayn Rand was a truculent, domineering cult-leader, whose Objectivist
pseudo-philosophy attempts to ensnare adolescents with heroic fiction about
righteous capitalists." - I could not have said it better myself.

Randroids (as we call them) will never admit to inherent irrationalities of
their cult, and infest the internet, and unfortunately, many, many
politicians and extreme apologists of capitalism still believe in
'Objectivism' and that it is a valid philosophy.