Obama "Read Ayn Rand" and Gets Her Views Wrong

In a Rolling Stone interview published today, Barack Obama distorted and misrepresented Ayn Rand's views. Ari Armstrong of The Objective Standard responded to the president's statements here:

 Obama, Unsurprisingly, Gets Ayn Rand Wrong

The Ayn Rand Center's blog also responded with analysis of Ayn Rand's actual views and context that should help people understand those views:

 Obama on Ayn Rand: The Annotated Version

Link Highlight: Introduction to Objectivism Playlist

Here is a playlist of YouTube videos providing an introductory overview of Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism. Please give it a like if you enjoy it:

 Introduction to Objectivism - Best Playlist

Debate on Fossil Fuels and Environment: McKibben vs. Epstein

On November 5th at Duke university, renowned environmentalist and AGW proponent, Bill McKibben will debate Alex Epstein of the Center for Industrial Progress, on the effect that fossil fuels have on the human environment.

Here is a YouTube video on the debate:

As governments enact restrictions on fossil fuel use, power plant construction, CO2 emissions, etc. it's important to be clear on exactly what the effect of fossil fuel use is on the human environment and human life. Do they harm the planet, or do they improve it?

This debate urgently needs funds for livestreaming, recording, distribution and publicity, though. If anyone would like to donate any amount to help with this, they can go here: McKibben vs. Epstein Donations
(McKibben's website shows he will be there: http://www.billmckibben.com/appearances.html)

Here is a video of Power Hour by Alex Epstein on the indispensable role of coal in improving the standard of living of millions of people:

Here's the link if you can't see the last video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsyLrvxjzi0

QuickPoint 1: Thinking is Individual

There are some people who say that ideas are products of a culture as a whole--that no one stands apart from the collective.

But where do ideas come from originally? Before an idea could be in many minds, it had to be in one mind. Thus, ideas come from individual thought. People can and do learn a great deal from others through their experience, but the process of thinking is a fundamentally, inescapably individual process. Learning from others does not mean parroting word sounds, but thinking about the material you are given. Before an idea can be taught, it must be thought of by an individual. Innovative individuals are those who use their own minds to think of new ideas, and thus move the "knowledge of the culture" (i.e. the sum of the knowledge of the network of communicating individuals) forward.

When people work to solve problems as a team, any individual who isn't thinking on his own, with his physically separate brain, will not contribute to the discussion and will not make any breakthroughs.

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Note: At some point, I will likely write a longer article on this issue.