Grow

Nathaniel Branden’s books, exercises, recordings and courses provide a wealth of material forpsychological and emotional growth that you can use effectively on your own. But sometimesit’s important to have more personalized help in reaching our goals, overcoming...

Nurturing Self-Esteem in Young People

Growing from a young, malleable child into an independent, self-respecting person is the primary human task. Yet it is also the primary challenge, because success is not guaranteed. There are numerous impediments along the way that keep many people from ever achieving...

Who is an Objectivist?

A PROLOGUE TO THE DEBATE For some time, there has been dispute over the question of whether Objectivism is an “open system” or a “closed system.” More specifically, the debate has been whether Objectivism is a philosophical system that can be refined, expanded on,...

The Objectivist Ethics in an Information Age Economy

THE BUSINESS REVOLUTION Some years ago, I wrote that we had reached a moment in history when self-esteem, which had always been a supremely important psychological need, had become an urgent economic need – the attribute imperative for adaptiveness to an increasingly...

Capitalism: The Libertarian Vision

AN INTRODUCTION Individualism is at once an ethical-psychological concept and an ethical-political concept. As an ethical-psychological concept, individualism holds that a human being should think and judge independently, respecting nothing more than the sovereignty...

Israel and the World

It occasionally happens that I read an article or essay that affects me so deeply that I feel a strong desire to broadcast it to the world. This does not happen very often but it happened recently. I hope that no further explanation will be necessary. ISRAEL’S...

Politics and Social Philosophy

This is a seven part series, with a new post each day. Each post will be linked to the preceding post. TOWARD A FREE SOCIETY Some years ago, shortly before the collapse of the Soviet Empire, I was a speaker at a conference of company CEOs and presidents in Acapulco,...

In Defense of Romantic Love

“Romantic Love” evokes associations of valentines, violins, and soft music and knights in shining armor – for some people. For others, it raises the question “Aren’t we too sophisticated for that today?” It is unfortunate that a few popular symbols of what people like...

Passion and Soulfulness

NURTURING THE SOUL When I think of nourishing the soul, I think of nurturing the ability to respond positively to life — that is, the ability to sustain passion for our interests, values, and projects. I believe that the worst of all spiritual defeats is to lose...