The Virtue of Selfishness
Also known as The Virtue of Selfishness: A New Concept of Egoism
Ayn Rand's 1964 essay collection on Objectivist ethics, with essays by Nathaniel Branden.
At a glance
Key ideas
Morality, Value, Rational egoism …
See all 5Criticism
The word selfishness, Christopher Hitchens
See all 2Where it came from
A different title
Connections
Ayn Rand and Nathaniel Branden
See all 2
Also on this page: Key facts · Links · Sources · Related pages
- A collection of 19 essays: 14 by Ayn Rand and five by Nathaniel Branden, plus Rand's introduction.
- It sets out Objectivist ethics: values serve the maintenance of life, and reason is how humans survive.
- From this Rand derives rational egoism and rejects altruism as a doctrine of self-sacrifice.
- Its political conclusion is individual rights and laissez-faire capitalism.
Why it matters
- It is the shortest route into Rand's ethics and one of her best-selling non-fiction books; its title alone made her argument famous.
Key facts
- Authors
- Ayn Rand, with five essays by Nathaniel Branden1
- Published
- 1964, New American Library1
- Contents
- 19 essays (14 by Rand, 5 by Branden) and an introduction by Rand; all but one first appeared in The Objectivist Newsletter1
- Opening essay
- "The Objectivist Ethics", a paper Rand gave at the University of Wisconsin1
- Sales
- Over 400,000 copies in its first four months; over 1.35 million by 20141
Key ideas
-
Morality1
"A code of values to guide man's choices and actions".
-
Value1
"That which one acts to gain and/or keep"; values presuppose the alternative of life or death.
-
Rational egoism1
Independence, productivity, integrity and pride serve human survival and happiness.
-
Against altruism1
Self-sacrifice is not a virtue; trade and voluntary exchange benefit both sides.
-
Branden's essays1
"Counterfeit Individualism" and "The Psychology of Pleasure" take a more psychological view.
Criticism
Where it came from
-
A different title1
Rand first proposed The Fascist New Frontier to Random House; she left the publisher over Bennett Cerf's objection.
Connections
Written by
- Ayn RandPerson
- Nathaniel BrandenFive of the essays
Links
Sources
Last checked against its sources today
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