In “For the New Intellectual”, Ayn Rand makes a powerful case against many of the common moral philosophies of today that continually battle against “commercialism”, business, free markets, and capitalism. In an attempt to build some context, she introduces two figures that act as types for mankind up to the enlightenment and the industrial revolution. She calls one “Attila” and the other “the witch doctor.” Basically one has always been a physical conqueror through brute force while the other is a spiritual conqueror through mysticism and self-abnegation and sacrifice to the greater society, ultimately to the witch doctors themselves.
As time went on and with the emergence of freedoms that allowed for trade and societal advancement, a 3rd character joined the party in the “businessman.” Ayn Rand claims that the moral philosophy of the intellectual, the witch doctor, has not advanced as has physical society with the businessman. They have begun applying their analysis of Attila the brute to the business man.
The victim of the intellectuals’ most infamous injustice was the businessman.
Having accepted the premises, the moral values and the position of Witch Doctors, the intellectuals were unwilling to differentiate between the businessman and Attila, between the producer of wealth and the looter.
She goes on…
Evading the difference between production and looting, they called the businessman a robber. Evading the difference between freedom and compulsion, they called him a slave driver. Evading the difference between reward and terror, they called him an exploiter. Evading the difference between pay checks and guns, they called him an autocrat. Evading the difference between trade and force, they called him a tyrant. The most crucial issue they had to evade was the difference between the earned and the unearned.
In today’s society, we continue to see businessmen and capitalists labeled as “slave driver” and “greedy” among other things. This is not to say their are not greedy businessmen only that these generalized labels are misappropriated and frankly untrue! It is time to catch up, so-called intellectuals! Grow up and out of your desire for what is not yours, your entitlement, your unearned.
In my next post, I will continue with this discussion of the Witch Doctor and the ideals they cling to…
