The Ayn Rand Institute, a nonprofit(??) “devoted to applying Rand’s ideas to current issues and seeking to promote her philosophical principles of reason, rational self-interest and laissez-faire capitalism,” has recently accepted—I assume grudgingly—government assistance to the tune of a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan between $350K and $1 million, according to The Wall Street Journal‘s Pat Fitzgerald. — Lit Hub
This news comes from a Twitter post from The Wall Street Journal's Pat Fitzgerald (@PatFitzgerald23). In the world of architecture, Ayn Rand is perhaps best known for writing The Fountainhead, a novel that follows Howard Roark, a talented architect who refuses to fit into the status quo of the architectural expression of his time. It is well accepted that Roark's character was inspired by architect Frank Lloyd Wright and the descriptions of many of Roark's designs throughout the book could be argued to have a similar nature to Wright's.
The Ayn Rand Institute received a PPP loan of between $350K and $1 millionhttps://t.co/EOhMBQh40f
— Pat Fitzgerald (@PatFitzgerald23) July 6, 2020
49 Comments
Big government opponent Grover Norquist's organization, Americans for Tax Reform, also received a loan.
DON'T HATE THE PLAYA, HATE THE GAME!
Irony is dead.
Libertarianism is also dead.
God is dead, and NO ONE CARES!
Proclaiming one set of values and acting with another is pretty much standard procedure many places. I'm guessing people assumed these loans would never become public knowledge.
Why they shouldn't get PPP loans, even if they are in favour of a smaller government and would be against such loans if they were in charge, they still need to operate within the current system and it is simply to protect employees, do certain people not have rights for a loan because of their political views or the political views of the organisation they work for???
As someone once said: "but the PPP program allowed companies to keep employees while revenue dropped heavily (or entirely) due to the extreme impact COVID-19 has had on the economy, so many of those paychecks would have disappeared entirely without PPP"
Bro, do you even objectivism?
i object to this line of questioning!
No Petey, have never read anything by that fountainhead.
randomised, where did anyone claim they don't have a right to the loans? I only laugh at it because it's very clear that in their grand scheme ... principles < paychecks
Well, the company is highlighted specifically and a news article written up, just to stick it to them or not? The entire purpose of that effort is to mock them and their ideology, which is totally fine of course. I just find it a little odd...
If its totally fine then why is it odd?
That fascination is odd, to me, but still fine. Like some people have a fascination for BDSM, I find that personally odd but all fine at the same time. Apparently Ayn Rand is archinect's BDSM...
Pointing out hypocrisy = bdsm? Now that's an odd comparison.
because if you advocate for small government, but cannot survive without government subsidy, then your underlying philosophical position is disproven. if they take a PPP loan, we no longer have to listen to their silly positions
"Pointing out hypocrisy = bdsm? Now that's an odd comparison."
that's not the comparison I'm making. The hypocrisy is that only the Ayn Rand Institute is singled out by archinect. As if everybody working at that institute has to adhere to the values of the institute and simply deserves the boot because such institute should not ask for PPP in times of a mismanaged COVID-crisis? What about their support staff? Their video production specialist, graphic designer, IT manager, social media specialist, event marketing coordinator, copy editor, controller, accountant, archivist, etc. Screw them, right? Where's your solidarity and values now that there's an opportunity to gloat? Now that's hypocrisy!
Dangermouse's point stands. You're willfully ignoring the organization's hypocrisy, which is clearly what the article is pointing out.
"As if everybody working at that institute has to adhere to the values of the institute"
LOL it's a Think Tank. Promoting values is literally their only purpose.
But their video production specialist, graphic designer, IT manager, social media specialist, event marketing coordinator, copy editor, controller, accountant, archivist, etc. don't need to have those same values now do they?
It is when people criticise Bernie Sanders not for his points of view being a socialist but for earning millions on his books...that same hypocrisy! But whatever, can't see what you refuse to see.
Re: the video production specialist, graphic designer, IT manager, social media specialist, event marketing coordinator, copy editor, controller, accountant, archivist, etc. ... principles < paycheck. Holds true if they believe in the principles of the organization. Also holds true if they don't believe in the principles of the organization.
I'm not saying they need to hold the same values. But in a hierarchy of values, money is higher than their principles.
Bad analogy: An architect doesn't usually take on a project for a religious organization unless they also believe in God ... unless of course the money is more important to them than their atheism.
Money is higher for all the Democrat architects accepting Trump’s PPP cheques too...I just find it hypocritical holding Debbie from accounting accountable for the ideology of Ayn Rand, but maybe that’s just me...
A lot of things are just you.
"when people criticise Bernie Sanders not for his points of view being a socialist but for earning millions on his books..."
Socialism is not incompatible with wealth, though. The criticism is based on a misunderstanding of the value.
How can you tell which loans are going to "Democrat" architects, and the amounts are higher? Does it matter? If "Republican" architects are taking less because they feel like they shouldn't burden the taxpayer, good for them for sticking to their principles. The bill was passed in Congress by members of both parties. I didn't realize that following new legislation is now a partisan activity.
I'm also not holding Debbie from accounting accountable for anything. I'm just pointing out that it's clear that Debbie values her taxpayer-funded paycheck over other things and that it's ironic that she does that while working to promote the values of an organization like the Ayn Rand Institute. You keep injecting this idea that we think they are wrong for taking the money or something. We're not saying that ... well I won't speak for others ... I'm not saying that at all. Debbie and the Institute can do what they want and I can still laugh at the irony. I'm not even that mad about the fact it's my taxes paying for Debbie's paycheck. This laugh is well worth whatever portion of her paycheck came from my taxes.
Oh come on, architects and values...do you know where all your clients earn their money with, how they vote or regard BLM? Or your co-workers for that matter, or the firms leadership? Sure, I see the irony, but I also see the humanity...and the hypocrisy of people trying to stick it to them just for their beliefs.
"Socialism is not incompatible with wealth, though. The criticism is based on a misunderstanding of the value."
I know, quite ironic...
Once again for those of you in the back of the class and clearly not paying attention. Make sure to write this down as it will be on the final exam. No one is trying to stick it to them for their beliefs. No one has asked for them to give the money back (except via the program parameters ... unless forgiven it is still a loan). We are simply laughing at the irony.
I know you're laughing, I see the irony too. I just find it odd that only this institute is given an article here about receiving PPP loans, clearly an ideological axe to grind...
Ayn Rand spent the last decade of her life on Medicare.
yet she miraculously floated exactly 2 inches above every public sidewalk ever installed, such was her disdain for government meddling!
Checking Account | The Ayn Rand Institute
ari.aynrand.org › donate › checkingaccount
Yes. The Ayn Rand Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization recognized by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. ARI's federal identification number is 22-2570926.
even nonprofits have to make a profit
a non-profit and still looking for hand-outs!
Anyone considering starting their own architecture firm should instead look into founding a non-profit and installing themselves as executive director.
that's probably true, just assign yourself a not-so-modest salary and make sure to put partner and family members on the payroll.
take it another step. invent your curation position at a local museum and curate only your stuff. museum funded by tax dollars and donations to help you market your work. this is a model I can sign on to.
Or $tart a non-profit that supports the curation of your own stuff, with you as the maker of "the stuff", the curator and the director of the non-profit.
ahhh...multiple non-profits, so you're salary appears weak between the many. a circular support system that supports you! now we're talking Objectivism!
I've yet to meet an Objectivist who wasn't angry and had no issues getting laid.
apart from her own work, I don’t think Ayn Rand would have anything to do with the people that use her name — wall st types and Washington lobbyists. People that make things are usually more humble and recognize the help they got along the way
yes, except for in her books.
I think people confuse objectivism and narcisism a lot.
I think a lot of the people who do that call themselves Objectivists.
For all the "hypocracy" people out there here is what Ayn Rand SAID in the 60's https://courses.aynrand.org/wo...
she says "Restitution".
The ayn rand institute put out a whole hour long video stating they would take the money and why, back in march
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