Andrew Bissell Interns at the Center

Andrew Bissell spent this summer as an intern at The Objectivist Center. We thought it would interest Logbook readers to share his insights on the experience.

Logbook: What was your background before coming to work at the Center this summer?

Bissell: I was just finishing my junior year at the University of Montana (UM) when I was accepted for the position. I'm pursuing a major in economics and minors in political science and mathematics.

I became interested in libertarianism and economics during my sophomore year of high school. I read John Hospers, Milton Friedman, Friedrich Hayek, and a hefty dose of P.J. O'Rourke. In my senior year, I ran across a reference to Ayn Rand in a Reason magazine article. I checked out the sole Rand novel—an old, hardback copy of Anthem—from my high school's library. After that, I pretty much followed the standard reading list for Objectivist newbies: Atlas Shrugged, The Fountainhead, and most of Rand's nonfiction essays.

Prior to this internship, most of my writing experience was in the area of political op-eds (and, of course, term papers). I was the opinion editor of my high school's newspaper, which was a real treat because a liberal friend of mine was our artist and I made him draw a bunch of right-wing cartoons to run alongside my editorials. Last semester, I had a biweekly column in UM's campus newspaper. I also had a brief stint as co-host of the campus radio station's political talk show, but it was cancelled for reasons unknown. I'm somewhat politically active, as a student senator and an occasional volunteer for the College Republicans. Last, but certainly not least, I filed the papers and secured the necessary approvals for a campus Objectivist club, which will be starting up this September.

Logbook: What have you been doing at The Objectivist Center?

Bissell: The vast majority of my time has been devoted to writing for the Web site. I have been answering questions submitted to the online question-and-answer service, and I've also drafted several answers to some of Objectivism's most frequently asked questions. I wrote an op-ed on a recent Senate bill regarding tobacco, and I'm working on an article for Navigator.

Over the course of the week, there are usually a few other miscellaneous tasks for me to perform. I found some research, quotes, and images for Will Thomas to use in his Summer Seminar course on the harmony of interests. I also have done some editing for the Web site and helped compile e-mail lists used to advertise Center events.

When I started my internship, it had been a couple of years since I had studied Objectivism very deeply. To reacquaint myself and develop a more systematic understanding of the philosophy, I read Leonard Peikoff's Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand and David Kelley and Will Thomas's "Logical Structure of Objectivism" beta, and studied various other Objectivist lectures and writings. I don't have much of an academic background in philosophy, so the first few weeks were like an intellectual marathon for me!

Logbook: What is your overall impression of the work of The Objectivist Center, and what have you learned from working here?

Bissell: What amazes me about the Center is that they have their fingers in so many pies: popular and scholarly philosophical writing, public lectures and gatherings, product design, fundraising, the Web site, a monthly magazine, a whole host of student programs, and probably about a dozen other things I'm forgetting or haven't seen firsthand. Yet even with such an eclectic mix of tasks, everything gets done and gets done right. That's so important, because there are literally millions of people out there for whom Objectivism would be what it has been for me—spiritual fuel, moral ammunition, and a guiding philosophy for life. They just need an introduction to Ayn Rand, and that's what the Center is working to give them.

As far as what I've learned while working here, I certainly have a much deeper grasp of Objectivism. Working with Will, David, Ed and Roger has definitely strengthened my writing skills, and answering challenges to my own worldview has given me a better understanding of the methods of philosophic discourse. And while it's not exactly a think tank, working here has given me a lot of insight into the world of policy organizations. For some reason, I had expected a well-heeled behemoth with about a dozen research assistants. In reality, the Center (and, I suspect, most think tanks) is a ragtag band of intellectuals working to spread their ideas one forum, magazine, and op-ed at a time.

Logbook: Would you recommend an internship at The Objectivist Center to other students considering coming to work here in the future?

Bissell: Absolutely. As I said to one of my friends back home, after three years on a college campus, working here has been like an ideological vacation for me. The Summer Seminar and graduate seminar were both a blast, and only on rare occasions was I assigned grunt work. For the most part, I was asked to come in every day to think and write about Objectivism. Whether you ultimately plan on a career in academia or business really doesn't matter. For an Objectivist college student, there is no better summer job than an internship with The Objectivist Center.

Logbook: Do you have any other comments?

Bissell: Yes. I'd like to thank all of the Center's donors and members. This has really been a fantastic summer, and it wouldn't have been possible without their support. Also, my heartfelt thanks go out to The Objectivist Center's staff. It has been a joy and a rare privilege to work with you. You're fighting the good fight with genius and style, so keep it up!