1) The Golden Braid; 2) The Atlas Spoke Transparency; 3) The John Galt Brigade
A Brief Description of My Terms:
1) The Golden Braid is inclusive of that (and only that) which promotes the mode of valid integration (as explained by both Ayn Rand and Leonard Peikoff in his latest book (see the link). The three central philosophers of what I call "The Golden Braid" are Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas and Ayn Rand, culturally it includes all who legitimately adhere to one or another of these three in their own fields or their own lives.
2) The "Atlas Spoke" Transparency are those Objectivists (not "objectivists") who are working to spread "the word" of both that set of principles that Ayn Rand advocated for but in addition are committed to the philosophic system (as a specific hierarchy of ideas and principles) that she clearly devised to integrate and communicate those principles (or any application consonant with them in toto). "Failure" to adhere only means one can still possibly be a member of The Golden Braid, but not a member of The Atlas Spoke Transparency.
3) The John Galt Brigade (or "Galt Brigade" for short) is the name I've given to my own training regimen as a professional linguist. The idea of learning a language best by reciting inspirational literary passages could not be surrendered to the mindless post-modernists who roundly condemn anything smacking of integration or principles.
From having worked on this program, alone, for the past two or three years, I can vouch for it's character-building, life-empowering and mind-expanding potential.
"There's an [enormous] difference between knowing the path, and walking the path."
Are you ready to take a walk with me?
https://youtu.be/Kz40vwcTGFo
1) The Golden Braid is inclusive of that (and only that) which promotes the mode of valid integration (as explained by both Ayn Rand and Leonard Peikoff in his latest book (see the link). The three central philosophers of what I call "The Golden Braid" are Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas and Ayn Rand, culturally it includes all who legitimately adhere to one or another of these three in their own fields or their own lives.
2) The "Atlas Spoke" Transparency are those Objectivists (not "objectivists") who are working to spread "the word" of both that set of principles that Ayn Rand advocated for but in addition are committed to the philosophic system (as a specific hierarchy of ideas and principles) that she clearly devised to integrate and communicate those principles (or any application consonant with them in toto). "Failure" to adhere only means one can still possibly be a member of The Golden Braid, but not a member of The Atlas Spoke Transparency.
3) The John Galt Brigade (or "Galt Brigade" for short) is the name I've given to my own training regimen as a professional linguist. The idea of learning a language best by reciting inspirational literary passages could not be surrendered to the mindless post-modernists who roundly condemn anything smacking of integration or principles.
From having worked on this program, alone, for the past two or three years, I can vouch for it's character-building, life-empowering and mind-expanding potential.
"There's an [enormous] difference between knowing the path, and walking the path."
Are you ready to take a walk with me?
https://youtu.be/Kz40vwcTGFo
I've also read and listened to Leonard Peikoff's History of Philosophy available at Ayn Rand Campus and am quite a way into Windelband's History of Philosophy book on which Peikoff's course was based:
Decades ago I read the easier introduction (in five vols.) by W. T. Jones (and that is the book I'd most recommend to any beginner, as much of Jones uses original texts and places each thinker firmly in their historic context/ and issues).
While Holmes pays little mind to historic context (as an evangelical he has a "broader" context uppermost in his mind), his lecture style is very engaging (see if you agree) and he generally comes across as an Aristotlean/Deist.
I'll add some links so you can see for yourself if it's worth your time:
Dr. Holmes: https://youtu.be/Yat0ZKduW18;
Dr. Peikoff: https://campus.aynrand.org/campus-cou...
Dr. Windelband: just google it (multiple free texts of varying degrees of readability, my Kindle version is an absolute chore hunting down all the footnotes.
Dr. W. T. Jones: http://a.co/d/4Q3hVLe
Either of those options would be great. The way ARI has been popping entire courses on Youtube, I won't be surprised if Peikoff's course shows up there as well (but only audio is a drag -- especially on my big screen tv, I need a moving picture or at least captions).
Oh, and Charles Tew is writing a history of philosophy book from an Objectivist perspective (which will be a first): https://youtu.be/39Em6t0G7Fc / https://youtu.be/i5YHAI7BAZ8 (for laughs).
Namely this includes the three groundbreaking philosophers I mentioned and those figures or products that are rooted in their systems of thought (as against another, antithetical philosopher's system of though, e.g., Plato, Descartes, Kant or Comte).
Thanks for your interest. Intellectual honesty is in rare supply around here.
OUTLINE
"Galt’s speech may be divided into five basic parts, summarized in the following way:
I. "The world is perishing from the morality of sacrifice. The men of the mind are on strike, which is speeding up the process of destruction.
II. "The proper, rational morality for man is one of life and reason, based on the axiom that existence exists.
III. "The morality of sacrifice is the morality of death, for it demands renunciation of that which makes life possible: the mind -- and thus of any enjoyment of life on earth.
IV. "This code is taught by men who have renounced their mind, and who seek power over the consciousnesses of other men. They attempt to get this power by convincing these others to renounce their own minds and accept the morality of sacrifice. The deepest motive of these teachers of sacrifice is hatred of existence, of life, of man, of themselves -- and their goal is to destroy their victims and themselves.
V. "If all men of reason reject--as we the strikers have--their doctrines of mysticism and sacrifice, realizing that no compromise is possible, and refuse to support them, demanding instead a society of rights and freedom, then the society of the mystics and looters will perish, and then we will have a world of reason, freedom, achievement, and joy."
(1): This is an excerpt from Ch. 20 of "Essays on Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged" (Robert Mayhew, ed): "Galt's Speech in Five Sentences (and Forty Questions)"
https://www.amazon.com/Essays-Ayn-Ran...
Can’t drink the water
Can’t breathe the air
Can’t hide down in the sewer
'Cause there’s crocodiles down there
My hovel needs a barricade
My pants need an alarm
Need some non-alcoholic whiskey
And some giuliani charm
Just because you’re paranoid
Don’t mean they’re not out to get ya
Just because you’re paranoid
Don’t mean they’re not out to get ya
Don’t look at me on the subway
And I won’t look at you
Don’t touch me with your greasy gloves
And syphilitic flu
Brain cancer causes cell phones
Brain damage causes drugs
I’m staying off the streets ’cause
Gang war causes thugs
Just because you’re paranoid
Don’t mean they’re not out to get ya
Just because you’re paranoid
Don’t mean they’re not out to get ya
Just because you’re paranoid
Don’t mean they’re not out to get ya
Just because you’re paranoid
Don’t mean they’re not out to get ya
Just Because lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Happyland (Joe Jackson)
It was on a summer night, she says, a year ago today
Packed, the place was packed
The chicos lookin' for some play
He wore a satin shirt and said a prayer to Yemayá
And he was calm and handsome
As they squeezed through to the bar
The girls were in tight dresses, just like sweets in cellophane
Everyone was there
Sabrosón from Spanish Harlem
And luz from Camaguey
In her hand a single rose, and in her mouth a razorblade
Hot, the place was hot
Too many people to be safe
Who cared
It was our night
Watch us seize the day
And dance it all away...
Bailamos, esa noche, bailamos
In Happyland
It was on a summer night, she says - yes, it was a year ago
Hot, the place was hot
but where else were they gonna go
And then she heard the screams
And saw the smoke come down
And then it really turned into the hottest club in town
She remembers all the firetrucks
And that maldito TV crew
And he, he didn't make it
So, "mi amor, this song's for you"
She's got red shoes on her feet
A nd a red smile on her face
And people say she's loca, to go back into that place
Who cared
This is my night
Watch me seize the day
And dance it all away...
Bailaré, esta noche, bailaré
In Happyland
Happyland lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
https://youtu.be/lgNpiq2xobE
Coat check girl up in Happyland
Has a violent row with a Cuban man
Julio leaves in a drunken rage -
Comes back with the gasoline
The club had no fire exit
The club only had one door
Only five people came out alive
The sin is that 89 died
89 dead! 89 dead! 89 dead! 89 dead!
The sin is that a year and a half before
The fire chief's out and he's raising cain
Brands Happyland hazzard "close down" but no.
No-one ever paid him no mind..
No-one ever paid him no mind..
No-one ever paid him no mind..
No-one ever paid him no mind..
No-one ever paid him no mind..
City living heavy trouble city living rough we are given angry hearts but
anger's not enough
(The sin of the city, the sin of the city)
City living heavy trouble city living rough
(The sin of the city, the sin of the city)
We are given angry hearts but anger's not enough
Daily News reviews of the landlord's life
Found six thousand code violations light.
The city has more a hundred thousand wars
All for one of Forbes' four hundred whores.
Just one fire cracker on a big bondfire
Of self serving penny pinching wiseguy style.
Never allowing for the human condition. (hayyyeah)
Never allowing for the human condition. (hayyyeah)
Never allowing for the numen condition.
The sin is that these guys survive.
City living heavy trouble city living rough we are given angry hearts but
anger's not enough
(The sin of the city, the sin of the city)
City living heavy trouble city living rough
(The sin of the city, the sin of the city)
We are given angry hearts but anger's not enough
City living heavy trouble city living rough we are given angry hearts but
anger's not enough
(The sin of the city, the sin of the city)
City living heavy trouble city living rough
(The sin of the city, the sin of the city)
We are given angry hearts but anger's not enough
The sin of the city yehh
Stop killing your people now.
Stop wasting your people now.
You're jacking your people off
Sin of the City, yehh
Stop killing your people how.
You're wasting your people, yeahh!
Songwriters: John Taylor / Nick Rhodes / Simon Le Bon / Warren Cuccurullo
Sin of the City lyrics © BMG Rights Management US, LLC
https://youtu.be/rGdsCZH9tvM
If you make the distinction between the principle to hold that life is suffering vs the principle that life is pleasure, and you grasp that it is this that essentially distinguishes "East" from "West" in the history of our species, then it follows that a man-made concrete or psychology that manifests the one cannot be a worthy advocate of the other.
Neither support or tolerate such worshippers of the zero, the gap, the fault, the doubt, the wish, the hope, the fear or uncertainty. Such cannot even be included in The Golden Braid (which is essentially western).
As an example I will offer two songs about the same preventable catastrophe that was the Happy Land fire: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_L...
The Sin of the City:
https://youtu.be/rGdsCZH9tvM (lyrics below)
Just Because/Happyland:
https://youtu.be/lgNpiq2xobE (lyrics below)