AYN, BRUCE AND MITT

Altruistic Collectivist Ethics. The standard Objectivist response to any governmental social program paid for with taxes.

Altruism: Ayn Rand defined Altruism as a  political system/set of beliefs holding  that it is better and proper  to sacrifice one's self for the good of others. 
Collectivism: The political system used to implement altruism as a political philosophy. 
Ethics: Rand defined ethics as a moral code of values used  define an individual's choices in their life. 

When Mitt Romney, in his now infamous put down of 47% of the american public, disparaged those who believed that government owed them food, shelter, health care, internet access, he was speaking the language of Objectivists. He was saying that Obama's belief in the governmental safety net was Altruistic Collectivism, and that altruism and collectivism are Obama's ethics. (Mitt just couldn't say it like that because he's never read Rand's non-fiction Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology.) 

Enter Bruce Springsteen and his current hit anthem "We Take Care Of Our Own". The Springsteen song was played at the end of Obama's speech, which marked the end of the 2012 DNC convention. 

What would Ayn Rand say about "We Take Care of Our Own"? 
She would like it. Ayn Rand loved patriotic songs. 
Rand didn't disparage altruism. Her romanticism was such that she conceived of a heroic love such that one would willingly  lay their life down for another or a treasured ideal. Rand disparaged altruism as a political philosophy in which the state compels its citizens to act altruistically (taxes for food stamps for example), not as a personal choice. 

From Chicago to New Orleans 
From the muscle to the bone 
From the shotgun shack to the Superdome 
We yelled "help" but the cavalry stayed home 
There ain't no-one hearing the bugle blown 
We take care of our own 
We take care of our own 
Wherever this flag's flown 
We take care of our own 

When Springsteen talks about yelling " 'help' but the cavalry stayed home" and  "There ain't no-one hearing the bugle blown" one could say that he is disparaging the government's failure to answer the call of the bugle; the failure of the cavalry- the failure of the army and government to rescue New Orleans and the tragedy of the Superdome.  And yet: "we take care of our own." 

So who is doing the taking care of, if not the government? 
In Springsteen's song, "We" are. Each of us, as Americans are taking care of each other, not because we HAVE to (that would be A.C.E) but because we WANT to- personal choice. 

Personal choice, responsibility, and lending a helping hand.  Mitt Romney sneers those values while menacing the less privileged as he dines with billionaires. Meanwhile Springsteen sings of the glory of a nation pitching in and choosing to help each other because that is what Americans do: we take care of our own. Similar ideals expressed in very different ways. 


Wherever this flag is flown

We take care of our own.