Ayn Rand Was A Needy Parasite (And Why You Should Follow Her Lead)

Ayn Rand is the closest thing American capitalism has to a prophet. Alan Greenspan, the former chairman of the Federal Reserve, was a member of her inner circle. Uber founder Travis Kalanick has referred to her as his greatest inspiration. Billionaire Peter Thiel wants to found an island nation based on her principles. And millions still buy her books thirty-five years after her death.

What is it about this novelist-philosopher that attracts so many people in this non-literary, non-philosophic age?

Rand’s central message was that complete self-reliance and absolute selfishness are necessary to live an ethical and productive life. Her official life story was a case in point. She came to the United States as a refugee from the Soviet Union without a ruble to her name. But then, as a result of her ironclad will, she pulled herself up and became a bestselling author, wealthy entrepreneur, and leader of a movement. “No one helped me,” she wrote, “nor did I think it was anyone’s duty to help me.”

Ayn Rand’s preached that those who blame their misfortune on a lack of support are nothing more than lazy moochers. She called on society’s winners to stop these human tumors from spreading throughout productive society. And to those who called her worldview into question, she had only to point to her own life story to show what’s possible.

It was a remarkably effective way to build a movement. But how accurate was it?

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