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Conference Program for Objectivism Today 1998: The Real Culture Wars

On her "Comment Card," Joan Kennedy Taylor wrote: "The entire concept of a broad-based coalition in support of Enlightenment values is brilliant." Apparently, the same thought occurred to two journalists present at OT '98.

On October 28, The Detroit News ran a column by Cathy Young, entitled "Reason, Individual rights still count in our America." "In recent years," the column began, "there has been much talk about the 'culture wars'—a clash between liberal elites... and the conservative populace.... But does all of American culture fit into this dualistic scheme?

"A conference held in New York last week, titled 'The Real Culture Wars' and organized by the Institute for Objectivist Studies (which promotes the ideas of Ayn Rand, but approaches them with an open mind) explored a very different cultural conflict.

"According to philosopher and institute founder David Kelley, neither the cultural right nor the cultural left can offer us a truly satisfying vision.

"[But] are these our only alternatives? Kelley spoke of 'a third culture in America': what he called, quoting Rand, 'the American sense of life.' Its values are common sense, personal autonomy, and admiration for individual achievement."

On November 8, the Sunday New York Post (which has a circulation of more than a quarter million ) ran a column by Robyn E. Blumner called "Beyond 'Left Vs. Right.'" "America is in the midst of a culture war," Blumner wrote. "But the sides don't line up as you might expect. We are used to thinking of modern political enemies as the far left and the far right.... [But] the culture of individualism known as 'objectivism' doesn't fit into either conventional political camp, and followers of this philosophy are fighting a two-front culture war.

"Objectivism, a philosophy grounded in the writings of 20th century author-philosopher Ayn Rand, is an ideology that exalts freedom and reason. It exhorts men and women to 'live by the code of the free individual: self-reliance, integrity, rationality, productive effort.' As David Kelley, executive director of the Poughkeepsie, N.Y.-based Institute for Objectivist Studies explains, objectivists believe that the fundamental thing in life is for 'individuals to pursue their own happiness and that people should be constrained by government only when they intrude on the rights of others.'"

If Navigator readers ran across either Young's column or Blumner's column in papers other than those mentioned, IOS would very much like to hear about it.