So I'm reading this book called the Fountainhead by Ayn Rand.

This book talks about the lives of 4 main characters: Peter Keating (architect), Ellsworth Toohey (Editor And activist), Gail Wynand (Newspapers owner), and Howard Roark (unsuccessful architect).

The book is merely a philosophical novel that takes place in the early 1900s in NYC.

Peter Keating is a successful architect who graduated with high prestige, working in a top architectural firm, but has some sadness. He's torn between individualism/objectivism and collectivism. On top of that, he receives a lot of credit for work that he doesn't do from his bff Howard Roark.

Ellsworth Toohey is the editor of "The Banner." He uses his power in the newspaper to psychologically crush people- particularly Steve Mallory (who shot him). He's a socialist and "non religious." His lust for control over people is "umbrellered" over collectivism. His niece Catherine is socially awkward. She was briefly engaged to be married to Peter Keating. He's the antithesis of Howard Roark and the Author.

Howard Roark is an individualist: An objectivist. His motto is "it's my way or the highway." He wants to construct buildings on his term. Peter Keating steals a lot of his ideas from Howard Roark. He attended the same school as Peter Keating; but was kicked out.

Peter Keating is partners with Guy Francon at an architectural firm called Francon & Keating. His daughter Dominique Francon imho is also torn between individualism and collectivism. But she leans more towards individualism. She is one of the top editors of the Wynand Papers. She is "frenemies" with Ellsworth Toohey. They both look to destroy Howard Roark but for different reasons. she was raped by Howard Roark (Keating's BFF), at the quarry. She eventually develops a secret relationship with Howard Roark but marries Peter Keating??? Smh. She's confused

Peter Keating and Dominique Francon both had selfish reasons to marry each other. He marries Dominique Francon after the trial of Howard Roark. I'm guessing he felt guilty for selling out Roark on the witness stand. Dominique Francon proposes to Peter Keating shortly after Peter Keating packs his bags in preparation of the marriage to Ellsworth Toohey niece Catherine.

During a party, Ellsworth Toohey tells Peter Keating that "Sexual love, Peter, is a profoundly selfish emotion. And selfish emotions are not the ones that lead to happiness."

He also says "The point I wish to make is only that one must mistrust one's most personal impulses. What one desires is actually of so little importance! One can't expect to find happiness until one realizes this completely."

Lastly, Toohey stated "Personal love, Peter, is a great evil - as everything personal. And it always leads to misery. Don't you see why? Personal love is an act of discrimination, of preference. It is an act of injustice -to every human being on earth whom you rob of the affection arbitrarily granted to one. You must love all men equally. But you cannot achieve so noble an emotion if you don't kill your selfish little choices. They are vicious and futile since they contradict the first cosmic law -the basic equality of all men."


Do you all think that Ellsworth Toohey said is true? That personal love is inherently selfish?

self esteem is important,the value you place on yourself. fine line separates self love and ego. I'm peaceful knowing I'm worth something while busy loving someone else.

yes

self esteem is important,the value you place on yourself. fine line separates self love and ego. I'm peaceful knowing I'm worth something while busy loving someone else.

So then people with low self esteem can't love?

I kind of agree with Ellsworth Toohey that personal love is selfish. Because i believe you are suppose to love each other equally. But then, a woman wouldn't love her children the same way she loves a stranger on the street; a woman wouldn't love her husband the same way she loves a male coworker. So how can you love someone without discriminating against them?

I think love is a fake emotion used to control each other.
I understand what you mean by self esteem. In fact, Maslow places self esteem in the hierarchy of needs.

But once you say "I" you still have to discriminate. And the book says that's wrong.

Ayn Rand's primary philosophy and raison d'etre is based entirely around praise of intense selfishness. She idealized and almost deified the Great Selfish Man concept.

Is "personal love" selfish? I think it's a bogus question. Designating a category of "personal love," is a typical Rand political move. She generally disapproved of romance, and thought everything should be done for purely practical reasons.

Actually, I think that the idea of selfishness itself is what needs the most pondering. After all, every aspect of existence can be seen as "selfish."

Looking at it another way: I certainly oppose the idea that "personal love" is an act of generosity or charity. We don't "give" love, as though it's something we store up in a back room somewhere, and parcel out to people who "earn" it from us.

Not really. At least not the moral judgments made through the character.


I'm afraid to say yes to that simply because I have a feeling you might take that as validation for the entirety of what the character "says."


I don't think it's a question of "can't" so much as "it's not all that high on their list to try to."

Depressed people "can" feel happy, it's just not in their perceived interest to do so when depressed.


Did you mean how can you love someone without discriminating against others?
You can't.
It's physically impossible.
It's built into your DNA as an animal, human being, creature, civilization, to identify positive and negative relationships and strive for efficiency, of choosing the best relationship(s) to fulfill your ultimate purpose.


The antagonist, the evil bad guy, in the book says it's wrong.