Summer Seminar 2007

Individualism, Joy, Benevolence, Bare Midriffs... Go Bollywood!!

nevin — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 15:48:58 GMT

- Objectivist values in Hindi cinema -

I am posting this to gauge how much interest there might be in a PSS on this topic.

The format I have in mind is showing film clips for 50% or 60% of an hour-long session, interleaving these with short talks on specific topics:  a brief overview of the Hindi film industry, the exuberant sense of life that dominates most recent hit films (as well as many older ones,) Hindi stars who are openly fans of Ayn Rand, conventions of the genre, etc.

In keeping with the musical nature of commercial Indian cinema, the film clips shown  would be mainly of song sequences.  They would be chosen to illustrate the points of the talks, but would consist of a selection from the best of the genre and would be delightful to watch in themselves.

The focus of the presentation would be on esthetic and ethical values  that are of interest specifically to Objectivists, such as Romanticism, storytelling ability, novelty and surprise, visual excellence, and general vivaciousness.  Also, the industry's contribution to the emergence of a modern social order from the constraints of religious tradition.  The contemporary Hollywood film industry, with its characteristic cynicism, epistemological skepticism, reflexive anti-capitalism, and zealously-guarded status as a handmaiden to leftist "environmentalism," may be mentioned as a contrast object.

Other possible topics include the impact of India's economic liberalization/rise in living standards on the Hindi film industry, and the debut, in January of this year, of Mani Ratnam's Guru.  This last film projects an heroic vision of man the creator, explicitly extolling the virtues and achievements of a titan of heavy industry, and has provoked speculation that Ratnam was directly influenced by the novels of Ayn Rand.

If you have wondered what all the buzz concerning Bollywood is about, or are already a fan, this is your chance to find out more and to enjoy some lively and colorful entertainment!

Please post replies on this list, or send e-mail to me at:

bolly4objectivists (at) mac.com

-Bill Nevin

Two participant-sponsored sessions

JerryB — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 21:36:00 GMT

Hi 2007 Summer Seminar Attendees:

WELCOME to Baltimore!
Sort of my (adopted) "home town," since I live in Columbia, about 20 miles from Towson.

I have also posted here, two participant-sponsored sessions that I plan to present. If you have any questions or comments, please post a reply!

Thank You! Jerry Biggers

"AMERICAN PHILISTINE: the forgotten radical individualism of Hubbard ( - that's Elbert Hubbard, not L.Ron!)."

Although largely forgotten today, the influential books and journals of Elbert Hubbard attracted great popularity and controversy at the turn of the 19th to 20th centuries, with his unique championing of individualism, self-reliance, and capitalism - while issuing fusillades against socialism, government interventionism, and religion. At its height, Hubbard's iconoclastic journal, "The Philistine," had a circulation of over 200,000. This talk will present samples from his writings, discuss his influence, and compare and contrast with Rand's Objectivism.

"DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN? Some surprising - and ironic - comparisons of the development of the Positivist movements of Saint-Simon and Auguste Comte with that of the Objectivist movement."

Although diametrically opposed to Objectivism on most philosophical issues, an examination of the course and development of the Positivist movement shows some surprising and ironic simlarities, both in its political and sociological concerns and particularly in the behaviors of its advocates and organizations. The ultimate demise of the Positivist movement, to a large degree caused by the antics of its own advocates - and not necessarily its philosophy, presages a warning that Objectivists should heed in order to avoid becoming a footnote in American textbooks.

“Hume’s Guillotine” Thwarted: Proof of Egoism

Robert Hartford — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 21:08:29 GMT

Participant Session: Fri 5:00, Room 306

This session provides a summary of a paper to be published in:
The Journal of Ayn Rand Studies, Vol. 8, No. 2, Spring 2007, “Objectivity and the Proof of Egoism,” pp. 291-303, by Robert Hartford

I will have copies of the slides and a limited number of courtesy preprints of the paper. Look me up if you are intested in having them ahead of time.

Staying in the D.C. Area....

Nadia — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 05:28:53 GMT

I'll be staying in the D.C area for a few days after the seminar....Is anyone interested in hanging out? I will be visiting the monuments and such...Let me know...either here or at the seminar...

Question about travel to Towson

kraorh — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 00:53:10 GMT

I'm wondering if anyone is traveling to Towson via the other two DC-area airports. If so, is travel to Towson from either a readily available service?

Summer Seminar Message Boards Welcome 2007

Conference Director — Sun, 27 May 2007 14:10:57 GMT

Hi everyone. You can use this message list to exchance information about your Summer Seminar plans, plans for the free day on Wednesday, July 11, ideas for participant-sponsored sessions, or whatever strikes your fancy.

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone at the Summer Seminar, which kicks off Sunday, July 8 at Towson University.

--Will Thomas, Conference Director