Ayn Rand – inspired by a mass murderer

5 Sep, 2012 at 11:15 | Posted in Politics & Society | 2 Comments

In her diary from 1928, Ayn Rand approvingly quotes a statement made by a William Edward Hickman – “What is good for me is right.” Rand is enthusiastic and writes: “The best and strongest expression of a real man’s psychology I have heard.”

Later she models one of her heros  – Danny Renahan – after Hickman. Renahan is portrayed as

born with a wonderful, free, light consciousness — [resulting from] the absolute lack of social instinct or herd feeling. He does not understand, because he has no organ for understanding, the necessity, meaning, or importance of other people … Other people do not exist for him and he does not understand why they should.

Who was this  Hickman that so inspired Rand?

Hickman was a notorious bank robber, child kidnapper and mass murderer. One of the most hated and heinous criminals in U. S. history.

[For more on Hickman och Rand see here]
 
How people like Alan Greenspan and Paul Ryan – not to mention Swedish Minister for Enterprise, Annie Lööf – can consider Ayn Rand “one of the greatest thinkers of the 20th century” is really beyond comprehension.

 

2 Comments

  1. “born with a wonderful, free, light consciousness — [resulting from] the absolute lack of social instinct or herd feeling. He does not understand,because he has no organ for understanding, the necessity, meaning, or importance of other people … Other people do not exist for him and he does not understand why they should.”

    Definition of a sociopath who has psychopathological tendencies owing to absence of social boundaries. Needs to be observed for signs of anti-social behavior.

    Comment by Tom Hickey— 5 Sep, 2012 #

  2. Too bad Hickman didn’t slaughter Rand. I wonder if she would think of that as “good”. What a moron.

    Comment by RonT— 5 Sep, 2012 #


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