Selfishness In Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged

Being selfish is described as arising from concern with one's own welfare or advantage in disregard of others (Selfish, n.d.). Ayn Rand was, and still is, one of America’s most controversial individualists due to many reasons, including urging people to be selfish. Her philosophy of selfishness is to pursue your own happiness as your highest moral aim. Through her many works of fiction and philosophical ideas, Rand continues to influence independent thinkers throughout the world. February 2, 1905, marks the day Alisa Rosenbaum was introduced to the world. She was born into a wealthy Jewish family due to her dad’s successful pharmaceutical business. Her life was turned upside down in 1917 when a group of Bolshevik soldiers seized her father’s pharmacy; which forced them to move to Crimea and live in poverty. This event in her life was one of which shaped her into the philosopher she was. It caused her to develop strong, hateful feelings toward government intrusion
Being Ayn Rand’s last novel, she documented her unique vision of existence and of man’s maximum potential. This book contends the fundamental problems of human existence and presents radically new answers. This book soon became a best seller and is said to be the most influential book ever written only second to the Bible. Ayn developed the philosophy of Objectivism, which is a belief in concrete reality from which individuals can discern existing truths, and the ultimate moral value of the pursuit of self-interest (Biography.com Editors). Ayn was ridiculed for her philosophy of Objectivism because it encourages people to be selfish. Now she was not saying for people to be rude to one another, she was simply telling them to take time and discover themselves – to celebrate their self-worth and understanding that their own life is their most sacred