Action Points From The Atlas Meet In Delhi, Aug. 2009

This is following on from the previous blog post…

The participants of the Delhi meeting brainstormed a list of possible ideas for the ‘savor and study’ part of future meet ups. Here is the list –

1. Applying objectivism to issues of current relevance
2. Viewing other installments of the John Galt Speech video series on youtube
3. Discussing the objectivist ethics of rational self-interest and how it applies to specific circumstances (‘walking the talk’, as Geetika put it).
4. Discussing and countering socialist and other ‘anti-objectivist’ perspectives pertaining to life, philosophy and socio-economic factors. Also, perhaps, discussing criticisms of Ayn Rand and objectivism.
5. Talking about Ayn Rand’s fiction.
6. Discussing the ideas in objectivism that we found it hard to accept.
7. Discussions about free-market economics.
8. Discussing and understanding aspects of objectivist philosophy.
9. Presenting and talking about excerpts and lines from Ayn Rand’s novels.
10. Optimism vs Pessimism in India.

This is as far as we could go. Although there are a lot more ideas that could have come up in this list, even this much could provide enough sustenance for several future meetings. After the brainstorming, Vikram made an excellent suggestion –in subsequent meetings, individuals should take the responsibility to present a topic and their thoughts on it briefly. After this, it will be thrown open for comments, opinions, questions and argument. While every meeting need not necessarily follow this pattern, it is a very good suggestion to take forward as a general practice.

Barun, with his irresistible initiative, has already volunteered to present and lead the conversation for the following three topics:

1) Relevance of Objectivism in India, and the reasons for optimism
2) Environmentalism: The assault on man - looking at climate change / conservation / consumption
3) Rationality vs scientific rationalism - universal value vs specific valuation.

Let’s hope there are others who are just as forthcoming!