what is the fountainhead essay contest

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The Fountainhead Essay Contest

For all students in grades 8 through 12, ages 13+, next entry deadline: september 13, 2024, cash prizes.

Annual Grand Prize

Essay Topic

Steven Mallory tells Roark that he fears there is something like a “drooling beast of prey” that is hanging over the world. What do we learn from the rest of the book about what is the object of Mallory’s fear and in what way is it like a beast of prey? How does Roark help Mallory and others learn to overcome it? How does Roark’s success in helping his friends combat this fear relate to the theme of the novel? To answer all of these questions, give specific examples from the novel.

Essays will be judged on whether the student is able to argue for and justify their view—not on whether the Institute agrees with the view the student expresses. Judges will look for writing that is clear, articulate and logically organized. Winning essays must demonstrate an outstanding grasp of the philosophic meaning of  The Fountainhead.

Essay submissions are evaluated in a fair and unbiased four-round judging process. Judges are individually selected by the Ayn Rand Institute based on a demonstrated knowledge and understanding of Ayn Rand’s works.

To ensure the anonymity of our participants, winners’ names are unknown to judges until after essays have been ranked and the contest results finalized.

• The Ayn Rand Institute’s (ARI’s) The Fountainhead essay contest is open to all students worldwide, except where void or prohibited by law.
• Entrants must be at least 13 years of age and be enrolled as an 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th student during the school year in which the contest is held. ARI reserves the right to make exceptions to this rule, on a case-by-case basis, for international students or for students with nonstandard school years. Verification of school enrollment will be required for all winning entrants.
• Students are permitted to submit no more than one entry to the contest, provided that they meet the eligibility requirements outlined above and have not previously won first-place in the contest.
• Essays must not include any personally identifiable information (name, email, school, et cetera). Your entry may be disqualified should such information be discovered in the essay.
• Essays must be written in English only, and be between 800 and 1,600 words in length. Spelling errors and/or written corrections (by anyone) found in the essay will count against the final grade and should be omitted before submission.
• Essays must be solely the work of the entrant. Plagiarism will result in automatic disqualification.
• Essays must not infringe on any third-party rights or intellectual property of any person, company or organization. By submitting an essay to this contest, the entrant agrees to indemnify ARI for any claim, demand, judgment or other allegation arising from possible violation of someone’s trademark, copyright or other legally protected interest in any way in the entrant’s essay.
• Essays must be submitted electronically through ARI’s online application portal. If you are unable to submit your essay electronically, please contact us at [email protected].
• Essays must be submitted online by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time of the entry deadline. ARI reserves the right to provide contest deadline extensions on a case-by-case basis when deemed appropriate.
• All entries become the property of ARI and will not be returned.
• All entrants consent to participate in a video interview should ARI deem it necessary for the purposes of verifying eligibility, confirming entry information, or conducting any other relevant assessments related to the contest. Entrants understand that participation in such interviews is voluntary but may be required to determine eligibility status, and agree to make reasonable efforts to accommodate such requests within a timeframe as specified by ARI.
• All entrants who advance to the final round of grading will be expected to participate in a video interview with ARI. Declining such an interview may result in disqualification from the contest.
• All entrants will be notified of the final results via email within three months of the contest deadline.
• Winners are responsible for providing their mailing addresses and other necessary information under the law in order to receive any prizes. Prizes must be claimed within six months of the results being announced.
• Winners agree to allow ARI to post their names and school information on any of its affiliated websites.
• Winners agree to record a short video testimonial about their experience reading The Fountainhead, and consent to ARI’s sharing of said video with donors who make the essay contest possible.
• Winners agree to participate in interviews and allow ARI to use quotes and take photographs or videotapes of them.
• Winners also grant to ARI the right to edit, use and reuse said products for non-profit purposes including use in print, on the internet and all other forms of media.
• Winners release ARI and its agents and employees from all claims, demands, and liabilities whatsoever regarding the above.
• Winners will be solely responsible for any federal, state or local taxes.
• Employees of ARI, its board of directors and their immediate family members are not eligible to participate.

How to Enter

Submit your essay

You will receive an e-mail acknowledging receipt of your entry within 24 hours. If it has been  at least 24 hours , and you still have not received e-mail notification, please first check your junk or spam folders and then e-mail us at [email protected] . Please do not re-submit your essay.

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College Scholarship: Ayn Rand “The Fountainhead” Essay Contest

College costs are on the rise, and many families find it challenging to keep up with the increasing expenses. With 85% of college students on financial aid and 70% graduating with significant student debt, it’s no surprise that college funding is a growing concern for many families. The good news is that scholarships can significantly help to fund a college education, and there are more options out there than most families are aware of. In this series, we outline some great scholarship opportunities for college bound teens. To learn more about the Ayn Rand “The Fountainhead” Essay Contest, and how you can win up to $10,000 towards your college education, keep reading.

About the Ayn Rand “The Fountainhead” Essay Contest

Ayn Rand’s first novel, “The Fountainhead” is widely recognized for its philosophical themes reflecting on the economics of selfishness, and Ayn Rand’s own objectivism. While the characters and themes may at first seem one-dimensional, the novel has become known for its unusual philosophy that places value in both capitalism and individualism.

Over the years, Ayn Rand has amassed an extensive following, one that is now nurtured by the Ayn Rand Institute . For over 30 years, the Ayn Rand Institute has been host to worldwide essay contests for students based on the fiction of Ayn Rand. In 2019, they will award over 230 prizes, totaling more than $70,000.

Students who wish to participate in “The Fountainhead” essay contest must submit an essay that addresses one of three prompts based on “The Fountainhead”. The prompts for 2019 are:

• In his climactic courtroom speech, Howard Roark states: “The creator’s concern is the conquest of nature. The parasite’s concern is the conquest of men.” Explain how this quote relates to the theme as dramatized through the characters of Howard Roark, Peter Keating and Ellsworth Toohey.
• When Toohey first meets his niece Catherine, he is described as seeing a particular look on her face. What is the significance of his reaction to her look? How does his treatment of Catherine through the rest of the novel encapsulate his overall strategy for dealing with the world? For your essay, consider also what Ayn Rand says in the essay “ Through Your Most Grievous Fault .”
• Choose the scene in The Fountainhead that is most meaningful to you. Analyze that scene in terms of the wider themes in the book. In your essay, consider also what Ayn Rand has to say about what art, including literature, can do for us, in this excerpt from “ The Goal of My Writing .”

Essays are judged on a student’s skillful use of evidence to justify his or her viewpoint, and not on whether or not the student’s perspective agrees with the judges’ viewpoints. Judges look for writing that is “clear, articulate and logically organized [and] winning essays must demonstrate an outstanding grasp of the philosophic meaning of ‘The Fountainhead’.”

The first place winner receives $10,000. Three second place winners will receive $2,500 each, while five third place winners will receive $500 each. A pool of 50 finalists will each receive $50.

“The Fountainhead” Essay Contest Requirements

Entries are open to students around the world, but all essays submitted must be written in English. Entrants must be in 11th or 12th grade for any part of the school year in which the contest is held.

Essays should be between 800 and 1600 words, and errors in spelling or grammar will result in point deductions during the scoring process. Essays can be submitted through the mail or online.

All submissions must be submitted online or postmarked by April 25, 2019, no later than 11:59 p.m., Pacific Standard Time. Winners will be notified in July 2019. Be sure to read the complete Contest Details for a list of all rules and requirements.

Tips on Submitting an Essay for Ayn Rand’s “The Fountainhead” Essay Contest

Read and Follow All Directions. We know that juggling the various deadlines and rules of multiple scholarship contests at once can require a lot of organization, but missing a deadline or overlooking a rule will usually result in quick disqualification. Consider for a minute that most scholarship programs have hundreds if not thousands of applicants. Those who fail to abide by the official rules provide an easy and reasonable excuse for thinning them out of the applicant pool. Ensure that you don’t go down so easily by carefully adhering to all requirements.

Proofread Your Work. In any scholarship contest, the way that you present yourself on paper is especially important, but in an essay contest it becomes essential. In “The Fountainhead” contest, any grammatical or spelling errors are cause for the judges to deduct points from your final score. With big prizes on the line and many entrants vying for them, proofread your work closely so that you don’t lose any points to careless typos.  

Use the Resources Provided. In many essay contests or scholarship programs, there is very little guidance provided about the direction to take your work. While you’ll ultimately have to come up with your own unique point-of-view to be successful in this contest, there are many resources provided by the Ayn Rand Institute, and you’d be silly not to take advantage of them. Start with the example essays from past winners to see the level of work expected. Then, move on to the Resources tab to find a list of readings and lectures recommended to improve your essay content. Carefully review the available resources before you begin your essay.

Create a Scholarship Team. While it goes without saying that any work you submit needs to be yours and yours alone, there are no rules to stop you from using teachers, mentors, and friends as a sounding board for your ideas. Discuss your essay ahead of time and take feedback seriously, using it to shape the direction of your work. Then, once you’ve written your essay, gather more feedback and enlist some outside help for editing and proofreading your work. You never know when another set of eyes will find a typo or syntax error that blended in before.

Curious about your chances of acceptance to your dream school? Our free chancing engine takes into account your GPA, test scores, extracurriculars, and other data to predict your odds of acceptance at over 500 colleges across the U.S. We’ll also let you know how you stack up against other applicants and how you can improve your profile. Sign up for your free CollegeVine account today to get started!

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• Competitions , Writing

Fountainhead Essay Contest by Ayn Rand Institute [Free; Prizes Worth Rs. 25L+]: Submit by September 13

• Ananya Sharma
• Jul 25, 2024

The Ayn Rand Institute’s Fountainhead Essay Contest offers a unique platform for students to engage deeply with literature and philosophy. The deadline is September 13, 2024.

What is the Fountainhead?

This modern classic is the story of intransigent young architect Howard Roark, whose integrity was as unyielding as granite…of Dominique Francon, the exquisitely beautiful woman who loved Roark passionately, but married his worst enemy…and of the fanatic denunciation unleashed by an enraged society against a great creator.

As fresh today as it was then, Rand’s provocative novel presents one of the most challenging ideas in all of fiction—that man’s ego is the fountainhead of human progress.

About the Contest

For nearly four decades, the Ayn Rand Institute has hosted annual student essay contests on Ayn Rand’s novels. These contests encourage students to seriously engage with Rand’s ideas through reflection on her profound and influential novels. Students who participate will need to read the book they have selected carefully, grapple with its complex themes, and push the boundaries of their writing ability. By doing so, we hope students will achieve a deeper appreciation for Rand’s literary works and develop a curiosity for the philosophy that underlies them.

Steven Mallory tells Roark that he fears there is something like a “drooling beast of prey” that is hanging over the world. What do we learn from the rest of the book about what is the object of Mallory’s fear and in what way is it like a beast of prey? How does Roark help Mallory and others learn to overcome it? How does Roark’s success in helping his friends combat this fear relate to the theme of the novel? To answer all of these questions, give specific examples from the novel.

Eligibility

The contest is open to middle and high school students worldwide, aged 13 and older. Students can enter by submitting an essay based on the provided prompt related to Ayn Rand’s novel, “The Fountainhead.”

Steps of Participation

• Read an Ayn Rand novel : Select the book according to your level of education, and begin reading. Pay attention to the themes and character motivations, and be thinking about how you might answer the essay topic questions.
• Write an essay on the book : As you start to write, be thinking about how to answer the essay question you have chosen to write on. Be sure to give yourself enough time to construct a coherent outline, find supporting evidence, and revise your draft a couple times.
• Submit for grading: Submit your essay online using ARI’s application portal. Be sure to check that the information you provide in your application is correct, and that your essay satisfies our requirements.
• Wait for the results: Grading for all submissions begins once the deadline has passed. Essays go through three separate grading stages, and the final results are announced approximately three to four months after the entry deadline.

Judgement Criteria

• Organization
• Understanding

Contest Guidelines

• The participation is Free.
• Each entry round features a unique topic designed to provoke a deeper understanding of the book’s central themes and characters.
• Essays must be written in English only and between 800 and 1,600 words in length, double-spaced.
• Application Window Opens for Fall Prompt: June 21, 2024
• Entry Deadline for Fall Prompt: September 13, 2024
• Grading Begins for Fall Prompt: September 20, 2024
• Results Announced for Fall Prompt: November 29, 2024
• The total prize amount is worth Rs. 25L+ / $31000.
• The top three essays from each season will be awarded a cash prize. The first-place essay from each season will advance to compete for the annual grand prize.
• Grand Prize: Rs. 20L+ / $25k.
• 1st Prize: Rs. 2.5L+ / $3000
• 2nd Prize: Rs. 1.6L+ / $2000
• 3rd Prize: Rs. 83k+ / $1000

How to Register?

Interested participants can register through this link.

The deadline for submission is September 13, 2024.

Click here for the official notification of the Fountainhead Essay Contest.

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Read Now: Prize-Winning Essays on Ayn Rand Novels

ARI has held worldwide essay contests for students on Ayn Rand’s fiction for thirty years. This year we will award over 750 prizes totaling more than $130,000. Last year’s contestants read and responded to essay prompts on Ayn Rand’s Anthem , The Fountainhead or Atlas Shrugged . You can read all three winning essays on our essay contest page . Here are excerpts from each of the three grand-prize-winning essays:

Atlas Shrugged essay contest

(responding to the prompt: Francisco d’Anconia says that the “words ‘to make money’ hold the essence of human morality.” What does he mean? What are today’s prevalent moral attitudes toward money? Do you agree with Francisco’s view? Explain why or why not. )

. . . When I am told that I am lucky for achieving something, I narrow my eyes and want to ask exactly what it is that I am lucky for? I am a first-generation American, first-generation college student, who received a full ride to a top-tier university. My scholarship was given to well-rounded first-generation college students, who not only excelled academically and demonstrated great leadership potential, but overcame dire socioeconomic hardship. To tell a student like myself that the sum of my achievements were based on luck is to scoff at every ounce of energy I have ever spent scrapping for what I have, and every drop of blood, sweat and tears I have ever shed working for my future—studying when my friends were out having fun, working extra hours to help support my family, etc. What am I lucky for? Am I lucky to have experienced hardship? “Luck” is a term people use in self-defense for their own lack of achievement. To say that one has luck is to imply that others do not, which is a way for those who do not achieve to undermine the achievements of those who do. What others call “luck” is what I call grit, what I call will-power, sacrifice, perseverance, and my own ability. It is what I call “earned.” . . . Christina Jeong, El Paso, TX – University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN

*          *          *

The Fountainhead essay contest

(responding to the prompt: In his courtroom speech, Howard Roark explains the nature, motivation and importance of those who create values (such as new artworks, technological inventions and innovations, and advances in theoretical knowledge). Why does he think that value-creation and what it requires of the creators is crucially important from a moral perspective? In your answer, consider what a character from another Ayn Rand novel, Atlas Shrugged, has to say about the process of value-creation, in the speech “ The Nature of an Artist .” )

. . . The protagonist of the novel, Howard Roark, is a fictional representation of these convictions — he is a philosophical idea, turned into a physical character, the manifestation of the independent, purposeful individual, whose only goal in life is his happiness. He is the creator, whose concern is conquering nature. He is the one who realises that he is the maker of his own destiny, the one who does not require others to live for his sake, and does not live for the sake of others. He is every individual who has been shamed for his achievement and later had it taken away from him; every mind, which has ever been enslaved to the degrading idea of serving “the common good” at the expense of sacrificing his own truth. He is the breaker of chains. . . . Adelina Fendrina, Sliven, Bulgaria—High School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics “Dobri Chintulov,” Sliven, Bulgari

Anthem essay contest

(responding to the prompt: Equality knows that his invention will benefit mankind greatly. However, this was not his primary motivation in conducting his experiments, and it is not the primary source of the joy and the pride he experiences in his work. What is his primary motivation? Do you think that Equality is right to be motivated in this way? Explain the reasons for your answer. What do you think the world would be like if everyone were motivated in the same way? )

Unlike during the Unmentionable Times, when men created “towers [that] rose to the sky,” it is an affliction to be born with powerful intellectual capacity and ambition in Ayn Rand’s apocalyptic, nameless society in Anthem. Collectivism is ostensibly the moral guidepost for humanity, and any perceived threat to the inflexible, authoritarian regime is met with severe

punishment. The attack on mankind’s free will and reason is most evident in the cold marble engraving in the Palace of the World Council: “We are one in all and all in one. There are no men but only the great WE, One, indivisible and forever” (6). Societal norms force homogeneity and sacrifice among all people. Laws and rules are crafted to prevent advancement and preserve relentless uniformity under the guise of moral righteousness. Here we find Equality 7-2521 on the path to self-discovery, struggling to understand the internal conflict he faces — his desire to learn and create against government indoctrination to force stagnation and conformity. . . . Elisabeth Schlossel, New York, NY – The Spence School, New York, NY

Find out more details about the contests and enter for your chance to win .

Forging a Path to the Future: An Interview with ARI’s New CEO

Changing the World by Reaching the Right Mind at the Right Time

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Ayn Rand Fountainhead Essay Contest

The Fountainhead Essay Contest Information

Eligibility: 11th and 12th Graders

Entry Deadline: April

FIRST PRIZE: $10,000 5 SECOND PRIZES: $2,000 10 THIRD PRIZES: $1,000 45 FINALISTS: $100 175 SEMIFINALISTS: $50

Essays will be judged on both style and content. Judges will look for writing that is clear, articulate and logically organized. Winning essays must demonstrate an outstanding grasp of the philosophic meaning of  The Fountainhead .

Essay submissions are evaluated in a fair and unbiased four-round judging process. Judges are individually selected by the Ayn Rand Institute based on a demonstrated knowledge and understanding of Ayn Rand’s works. To ensure the anonymity of our participants, essay cover sheets are removed after the first round. Winners’ names are unknown to judges until after essays have been ranked and the contest results finalized. The Ayn Rand Institute checks essays with Ithenticate plagiarism detection software.

Click here for more information…

The Fountainhead Essay Contest

Students around the world who are in 11th and 12th grade are able to enter The Fountainhead essay contest for the chance to win $10,000. To enter, students can choose one of three pre-determined topics based upon the novel The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand and write an essay between 800 and 1,600 words. There is not an application for this contest, however, along with an essay, individuals must submit a contact sheet with the following information by April 26th:

• Name and address of applicant
• Email address
• Name and address of school
• Topic selected
• Current grade level

This contest is sponosored by the Ayn Rand Institute, and the following prizes will be awarded based upon the evaluation of the pre-determined judges:

• First prize: $10,000
• Second prize (5): $2,000
• Third prize (10): $1,000
• Finalists (45): $100
• Semifinalists (175): $50

Portrait of a serious student writing an essay photo courtesy of Shutterstock

Posted in International Scholarships

i also want to participate

i want to participate

what are the three topics?

I think it’s useful for us. It’s not only a sholarship but also experiences for our life

Thank you for your interest.

You can view more details on and how to enter the Fountainhead Essay Contest here . Please ensure that you visit before April 26, as that is the deadline for the contest.

am i to choose the name of the university am interested and submit or you are the one to give list of the universities?

To apply for this award you will need to apply directly through the institution hosting it. You can find more by visiting here .

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The Fountainhead Essay Contest

🏆 available: 9, scholarship description.

Annual Essay Contest on Ayn Rand’s novel, The Fountainhead, for 11th and 12th graders. Essays will be judged on both style and content. Judges will look for writing that is clear, articulate and logically organized. Winning essays must demonstrate an outstanding grasp of the philosophic and psychological meaning of The Fountainhead. Essays should be between 800 and 1600 words.

Award amounts vary from $1,000 – $25,000.

• Every three months there is a new seasonal entry round, with its own unique essay prompt. You may compete in any or all of these entry rounds.
• The top three essays from each season will be awarded a cash prize. The first-place essay from each season will advance to compete for the annual grand prize.
• The first-place essay from each season will be eligible to contend for the annual first-place title, with the opportunity to secure a grand prize of $25,000.

Eligibility Requirements

• Must currently be in high school
• Type of institution award is open to: two-year college
• Type of institution award is open to: four-year college
• Award is available to U.S. citizens
• Award is available to Canadian citizens
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Home  >  What's New  >  Fountainhead Essay Contest for Middle and High School Students

Fountainhead Essay Contest for Middle and High School Students

Deadlines June 7, September 13, December 20 (must be received by these dates), formerly April 25. Highly recommended free contest for middle and high school students, ages 13+, awards $25,000 annual grand prize, three $3,000 top seasonal prizes, and other large prizes, for essays on Ayn Rand's novel 'The Fountainhead'. Essays should be based on one of the three prompts on the sponsor's website (one assigned for each of the three seasonal entry rounds: summer, fall, and winter) and be 800-1,600 words long. The winning essays in the three seasonal contests are eligible to win the annual grand prize. A student can enter any or all of the three seasonal rounds. Submit your essay online. Contest is looking for entries that are sympathetic to Rand's rationalist, libertarian philosophy. See sponsor's website for other student contests.

Source: https://aynrand.org/students/essay-contests/the-fountainhead/

Published: July 31, 2024

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The Fountainhead (Written for an Essay Contest)

EF_Simone 2 / 1984   Jul 17, 2009   #2 Noto, I'd not have thought you to be an Ayn Rand fan. I'm not sure how to critique this essay. If you're submitting in for the contest, you've got to write as though you embrace the philosophy in the book and refrain from critiquing it in the way you might if you were writing for another purpose. It does seem to me that, to win such a contest, you need to say something other than what is usually said about the book while at the same time keeping in mind the fact that the judges probably will be looking for essays that conform to Rand's philosophy.

OP Notoman 20 / 419   Jul 17, 2009   #3 I have mixed feelings on Ayn Rand. I haven't totally figured out my political beliefs yet, but I think I lean toward Libertarianism. Jefferson is my political hero. If he were alive today, not only would he be very old, but I think he'd be a Libertarian. I tried to write the essay to withstand the judging process . . . praise Rand and her heroes. I can't enter this year's contest, but I want to learn so I can have a chance at next year's contest. The prize money is HUGE . . . first place is $10,000. There are 10 third prizes worth a grand each. Critique it as if you were an employee of the Rand Institute and on the judging panel, *grin* You're right in that I didn't go too far out of the box. I read the last five years or so worth of winning essay and scoured the Rand Institute's website. I kept my writing in line with what I read there, but it is a little sanitized. In what areas do you think I could improve writing of this nature? Thanks!

EF_Sean 6 / 3480   Jul 17, 2009   #4 Pity the essay was on The Fountainhead -- I always much preferred Atlas Shrugged myself. The essay reads too much like a book report. And by no means should you write merely to please the judges, which would be utterly against the book's main message. You might start, as I often recommend, by defining key terms. In this case, what might an objectivist understand by the term "soul," especially given that Rand was an inveterate atheist? And if Roark is supposed to be a purely selfish hero, in a Randian sense, why does he help Keating out in the first place? Beyond that, you might look at how even an objectivist might take issue with some of Roark's views. Is Roark right to refuse to follow his professor's instructions? Surely the whole point of taking courses is to master certain design principles and to show that you have mastered them by following the assignment criteria. How is his obstinate refusal to be open-minded and try new design techniques according to the assignment criteria heroic? Also, you say he prefers to work in a quarry rather than to modify his designs. But surely, in that job, he cuts stone from where he is told by his employer, takes it where his employer has designated, and so on. As an architect, his job is to design buildings for his clients . They are commissioning him to design a building to their specifications . Cooperating and collaborating with them wouldn't therefore be an altruistic act of soul-selling, any more than following his employers' instructions at the quarry was. Or, if you disagree, on what grounds would you defend Roark? And two digressions: A) I think it is interesting that, by and large, the West over the past century or so has tended to become more libertarian, even though almost no one votes that way. Fiscal conservatism has been very popular since the collapse of the Soviet Union, with many of the leaders of the "left," from Tony Blair, to Jean Cretin, to Bill Clinton adopting it as policy. In contrast, the left has tended to make progress on social issues such as gay marriage, legalized euthanasia, and, with the exception of the U.S., the decriminalization of drugs, all of which a libertarian would support. B) What do you think of the claim that Ayn Rand was a strong philosopher, but a poor psychologist?

OP Notoman 20 / 419   Jul 18, 2009   #5 Pity the essay was on The Fountainhead -- I always much preferred Atlas Shrugged myself. There are different contests depending on your grade level. 8th, 9th, and 10th grade write about Anthem (my brother entered this one and I really think he'll earn one of the prizes), 11th and 12th grades write about The Fountainhead , 12th grade and college write about Atlas Shrugged . Are you still in school? Even grad school folks can enter the Atlas Shrugged contest . . . the deadline isn't until September. The Atlas Shrugged contest only has 49 winners. I could probably enter the Atlas Shrugged contest as well because I will be in 12th grade by September. The competition is sure to be *much* stiffer though! Not only would I be competing against college students, but there are a lot less prizes. The essay reads too much like a book report. Yes, it does. I reread it and man, it is BORING. I don't have a lot of experience with creative writing. I tend to follow the prompt to a T and not stray too far from the directive (how very un-Roark of me!). I also get bogged down in word choice and grammar and fail to see the forest for the trees. I feel like I am a decent writer, but I want to be a great writer. I still have a lot to learn. I love your suggestions for tacks to take. It certainly would make a more interesting essay! Libertarianism . . . you hit the nail on the head! It is interesting how people talk about fiscal conservationism in the US, but NO ONE votes that way. Our two-party system seems to be set up to see which party can garner the most pork barrel for their supporters with little concern for the big picture. It is also interesting how "socialism" is a bad word in the US, but many politicians unabashedly embrace the tenets of socialism (look at the recent governmental acquisition of GM and reallocation of stock shares to the union for an example). I by no means espouse all of the Libertarian Party's beliefs . . . some governmental regulation and even censorship is a good thing, nor would I want to see all taxes abolished. The Libertarians have a funky stand on education as well. I don't agree with Obama's idea that every American needs a taxpayer-funded higher education, but I wouldn't want to change the K-12 public system too much. What I really want from my government is fiscal responsibility. Is that too much to ask? Are you supposed to use question marks with rhetorical questions? Hmmmm . . . Ayn Rand as a strong philosopher, but a poor psychologist. I will have to think about that. I could see her saying something like, "I think, therefore I am better than all of you other peons!" I do see her philosophy of Objectivism as a valuable contribution to the field of philosophy (something I have never studied, btw). Does the statement imply that she'd be a poor psychologist because she lacks all empathy, she doesn't understand human nature, or both? Personally, I don't think that she was the best writer. Her books are unnecessarily long and repetitive. She could have benefited from a having a ruthless editor unafraid of paring down extraneous verbiage.

EF_Sean 6 / 3480   Jul 18, 2009   #6 Alas, I graduated a fair while back, now, and so cannot enter. I seem to remember taking a shot at the Anthem one, back when I was still eligible for it, though. I by no means espouse all of the Libertarian Party's beliefs . . . some governmental regulation and even censorship is a good thing, nor would I want to see all taxes abolished. Personally, I subscribe to what I think of as enlightened libertarianism. It is possible to embrace libertarianism's core principles, and still support some social programs. The government's main purpose, libertarians agree, is to defend the country from outside military threats, and to uphold individual rights within the state, by, among other things, upholding law and order. Now, I see no reason why the latter goal can only be pursued through policing. The level of education in society has been shown to be inversely proportional to the level of crime in society. That is, the better educated the populace on average, the lower the violent crime rates. Given that, it seems to me a system of education might be a cheaper and more effective way of keeping crime rates down than simply funding more police officers and building more prisons, especially as the former prevents crime, whereas the latter can only ever punish it. Moreover, surely an educated populace is as vital to the preservation of a democratic state as a well-armed one. Finally, an educated populace tends to earn more, and so generate more tax revenue at lower tax rates, than an uneducated one, so that a public system of education at least partially pays for itself. I see no contradiction, then, between being a libertarian (in the sense of holding core libertarian, or even objectivist, beliefs) and supporting public education. Similar arguments can be made for many other social services many libertarians would reflexively oppose. The key is to support them for the right reasons. One does not support them because one believes that everyone has a right to material equality, or because one believes one has a duty to the less fortunate, but because one recognizes that having a social safety net of a certain size and scope is likely a more cost-effective and humane way of upholding the government's core purposes than not having one. This also provides, at least in theory, a way to limit the size of any given program through an attempt at cost-benefit analysis, something that a program meant to blindly provide "universal" coverage of some social good simply because one thinks everyone deserves such coverage must inevitably lack. Does the statement imply that she'd be a poor psychologist because she lacks all empathy, she doesn't understand human nature, or both? Well, as a philosopher, Rand was very good. It is difficult to argue against her description of how we gain knowledge, or of her defense of capitalism or our natural right to liberty. As a psychologist, though -- well, I don't know that her conception of romance, or even regular friendship, would resonate with very many people. Furthermore, most people would recognize that a certain amount of social skill is in and of itself a valuable asset, and that attempts to put others at ease and to build common interests with them is not dishonest soul-selling so much as a concession to the deeply social part of our nature.

OP Notoman 20 / 419   Jul 19, 2009   #7 Alas, I graduated a fair while back I thought that might be the case, but I know so little about your personal life. "Sean," in my mind, is a young name. The only older Seans I can think of are Sean Connery and Sean Penn. I think of Kevin as a young name as well (probably in part because that is my younger brother's name). I subscribe to what I think of as enlightened libertarianism I like that! I might have to adopt similar terminology to describe my own political beliefs. Politics is a vast and complicated subject. I have not fully fleshed out my personal political philosophy, but I am working on it. I've spent the morning reading more about Ayn Rand's personal life. What a mess! Could you imagine having her as a mother? Not that she ever wanted kids. I was under the impression that she had a romantic relationship with Alan Greenspan, but I didn't find anything authoritative confirming that. Her relationship with Nathanial Branden was unusual enough. Interestingly, he became a psychologist and authored several books on self-esteem. I would have to agree that Ayn Rand was a strong philosopher, but a poor psychologist! I appreciate the conversation, Sean. I could never say to my peers, "So, do you think that Ayn Rand controlled the Federal Reserve from Alan Greenspan's bed?" They'd look at me funny, steal my lunch money, and then stuff me into a locker.

EF_Sean 6 / 3480   Jul 19, 2009   #8 I thought that might be the case, but I know so little about your personal life. Its true, these forums tend to be conducted mostly anonymously. We might know names (though these could easily be fake) and a couple of personal details might leak out here and there, but by and large, these forums constitute an interesting virtual world, one in which only ideas really matter. "Sean," in my mind, is a young name I have noticed before that I tend to associate names with the characteristics of people I have known who have those names. So, for instance, I expect any Paul I meet to be open and easy-going, because that is how most of the Pauls I have met have been in the past. Of course, this is ridiculous, as is assuming that Seans will tend to be young, but I suspect a tendency to perform inductive reasoning is an innate part of human nature. I have not fully fleshed out my personal political philosophy, but I am working on it. And probably will do, for the rest of your life. I don't think anyone ever really finishes fleshing out their political philosophy, or any other type of personal philosophy either, for that matter. We are constantly having new experiences that give us reasons to modify our beliefs. I've always liked John Locke's notion that "Every step the mind takes in its progress towards Knowledge makes some discovery, which is not only new, but the best too, for the time at least." I've spent the morning reading more about Ayn Rand's personal life Have you read about the history of her books? They still aren't studied seriously in most of academia, either as philosophical or as literary texts, and they rarely garnered positive reviews from formal critics, with one or two notable exceptions. Yet, her works became very popular, mostly through word of mouth, and continue to be bestsellers, with Atlas Shrugged alone selling anywhere between 150,000-200,000 copies annually. Not bad for a book that was written over 50 years ago. I suspect that puts it ahead of most of the "classics" from that time period, especially if you don't count the sales of those books that arise entirely from students buying them because they have to study them. Her works in that sense form their own proof of the philosophy they discuss. I could never say to my peers, "So, do you think that Ayn Rand controlled the Federal Reserve from Alan Greenspan's bed?" They'd look at me funny, steal my lunch money, and then stuff me into a locker. Then you need to find better peers. Simply moving from high school to university will help immensely in that respect, as you immediately have the below 70 crowd weeded out for you. Unfortunately, intelligent doesn't always translate into intellectual, so you'll still have to seek out like-minded people, but at least you'll be working with a more promising group of people. Also, university, being voluntary, is a much better social environment than school, which, being compulsory, has much of the prison about it.

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