Philosophy For Flourishing

Mitchell Broderick and Tim Chermak join me to discuss their new company and how they're using it to both promote rational philosophy and upend an industry.

This show is all about principles and practices for living the best, most fulfilling life possible, so in this episode, I figured I'd dig into the ideas of a thinker who identified a novel approach to philosophy, the goal of which is to help people flourish. That philosopher is Ayn Rand, and her Objectivist ethics begins with observations of the facts of human life (and life in general) to define a reality-based approach to living one's best life. Enjoy! And as always, leave me your questions in the comments section—I'm happy to try to answer them.

During WWII, while American forces battled dictatorial regimes overseas, three writers back home were unleashing a full-scale assault on the ideas at the very base of tyranny. Isabel Paterson's The God of the Machine, Rose Wilder Lane's The Discovery of Freedom, and Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead, all published in 1943, launched the modern American liberty movement. These women, once described as “the three furies of modern libertarianism,” have been the subjects of separate biographies. But Freedom's Furies by Timothy Sandefur is the first book-length exploration of their relationships and the context surrounding their 1943 books. On February 2—Rand's birthday—Sandefur I discussed his book and the enduring importance of these three authors.   #IsabelPaterson #RoseWilderLane #history #objectivism #AynRand #philosophy #flourishing  

Philosopher, author, and teacher Dr. Andrew Bernstein joins Jon to discuss the abysmal state of American education and what parents and educators can do about it. #education #teaching #history #objectivity #AynRand #philosophy #flourishing #MarvaCollins #classroom  

Philosopher and psychotherapist Jason Stotts returns to discuss the nature of sex and sexual attraction, common misconceptions and errors related to sexuality, and how to improve one's sex life and relationships. #Objectivism #sex #psychology # #objectivity #AynRand #philosophy #flourishing #sexualethics #emotions

Why is intellectual life in America dominated by ideologues that seem disconnected from reality? How can each of us takes steps toward reviving civil discourse? Dr. Peter Boghossian (@peterboghossian)—author of A Manual for Creating Atheists and How to Have Impossible Conversations—joins Hersey for a discussion of how and why he spearheaded the “street epistemology” movement and lessons learned on communicating across deep divides. #Objectivism #scoutmindset #psychology #objectivity #AynRand #philosophy #flourishing #PeterBoghossian #persuasion #emotions

Our emotions are our means of experiencing our values, so it's extraordinarily important to grasp why we feel the way we do and how to change it when our emotional lives are just not ideal. In this conversation, psychotherapist and philosopher Jason Stotts shares his conceptual framework for navigating the human emotional landscape. Stotts, author of Eros and Ethos: A New Theory of Sexual Ethics, also shares tips and techniques for using his sentiments-based framework to improve your life.   #Objectivism #scoutmindset #psychology # #objectivity #AynRand #philosophy #flourishing #sex #sexuality #emotions  

Are you interested in learning about Ayn Rand's Objectivism? Check out this FREE ebook:

Are you interested in learning about Ayn Rand's Objectivism? Check out this FREE ebook:

Ayn Rand was one of the most influential intellectuals of the 20th century, and her works continue to sell hundreds of thousands of copies each year. A 1998 poll conducted by Modern Library ranked Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead as the first and second greatest novels of the century, with Rand's Anthem and We the Living coming in at seven and eight. Reader polls have also ranked Atlas as the most influential book in the world behind only the Bible. Yet Rand is often misunderstood, even vilified.   In this talk, Jon Hersey sheds light on Rand's philosophy by placing it within the context of intellectual history, comparing and contrasting aspects of Objectivism with ideas from a handful of important thinkers, from Plato and Aristotle to Immanuel Kant and Ludwig von Mises. Join Hersey on a tour through the history of ideas for a new perspective on Ayn Rand's philosophy and its historical importance.   Are you interested in learning about Ayn Rand's Objectivism? Check out this FREE ebook:

Jackson Upmann asks Jon his questions on philosophy and flourishing. The discussion ranges over what philosophy can and cannot tell us about career choices, the nature of values, life as the standard of value, and more.   #Objectivism #CareerAdvice #weightlifting #objectivity #AynRand #philosophy #flourishing   Are you interested in learning about Ayn Rand's Objectivism? Check out this FREE ebook:

The basic ideas that people accept are like a computer's operating system. If the OS has bugs and is vulnerable to viruses, it wreaks havoc on the machine and its user. The same goes for a person's fundamental ideas about the nature of the world, his means of gaining knowledge, and what he ought to do with his life. In this episode, Jon gives an overview of some of the ideas that have aided progress, and some that have hindered it.   #Aristotle #Plato #AynRand # #objectivity #ImmanualKant #philosophy #flourishing   Are you interested in learning about Ayn Rand's Objectivism? Check out this FREE ebook:

Are you interested in learning about Ayn Rand's Objectivism? Check out this FREE ebook:

Do you lack purpose? Check out this FREE ebook?

Cal Newport is a computer science professor at Georgetown University and the bestselling author of So Good They Can't Ignore You, Deep Work, Digital Minimalism, and most recently, A World Without Email. In this episode, we talk about how the “hyperactive hive mind” approach to work undermines our productivity and happiness, what he's learned from heroes like Lincoln and Socrates about building a better world, considerations surrounding the choice to have kids, and much more.    Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you're listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/   Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out:   A World Without Email by Cal Newport: https://amzn.to/3rcjDZM   Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport: https://amzn.to/3l5hv2d   Deep Work by Cal Newport: https://amzn.to/3HQhZ6j   So Good They Can't Ignore You by Cal Newport: https://amzn.to/3xgQwWo   “Deep Questions” podcast: https://www.calnewport.com/podcast/   Cal's website and email list sign-up: https://www.calnewport.com/ Cal's articles at The New Yorker: https://www.newyorker.com/contributors/cal-newport

Just as we can build muscle, so we can build moral character—and we must if we want to flourish. Jon discusses morality and flourishing with Lawrence Reed, president emeritus of the Foundation for Economic Education.   Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you're listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/   Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out:   The Alpinist: https://amzn.to/3DjucgR   Pimpernel Smith: https://amzn.to/30sqPWE   Real Heroes: Inspiring True Stories of Courage, Character, and Conviction by Lawrence Reed: https://amzn.to/3wN85gD   https://www.lawrencewreed.com/   https://fee.org/people/lawrence-w-reed/

The artist's job is to determine what is worthy of contemplation, and then to convey it via appropriate means. How can we adopt and apply the skill of prospecting for value, even if we're not artists?   Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you're listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/   Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out:   The Romantic Manifesto by Ayn Rand: https://amzn.to/3DiCrdm “The Ayn Rand Novel You Should Read First” by Jon Hersey: https://fee.org/articles/the-ayn-rand-novel-you-should-read-first/

Jon speaks with entrepreneur and business history chronicler Gary Hoover about the history and morality of business, and what makes people and their businesses thrive.   Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you're listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/   Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out:   Email Gary Hoover at: ​​garyhoov@msn.com   American Business History Center: https://americanbusinesshistory.org/about/   “The Greatest Businessman in American History: Alfred P. Sloan, Jr.” by Gary Hoover: https://americanbusinesshistory.org/the-greatest-businessman-in-american-history-alfred-p-sloan-jr/ Fewer, Richer, Greener by Laurence B. Siegel: https://amzn.to/3mKH5eb

Jon speaks with art expert Luc Travers about how to “read” paintings and extract meaningful experiences from them.   Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you're listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/   Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out:   Luc's Kickstarter for Stories in Paint: http://kck.st/3muUoPD   Touching the Art: A Guide to Enjoying Art at a Museum by Luc Travers: https://amzn.to/3ED0YtF Touching the Art review, by Angelica Werth: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2021/09/touching-the-art-a-guide-to-enjoying-art-at-a-museum-by-luc-travers/

Jon speaks with Dr. Andrew Bernstein about literature and how great stories enhance our lives.   Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you're listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/   Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out: “Get More Enjoyment from Great Literature” course by Andrew Bernstein: https://objectivestandard.org/product/great-literature   “Heroes of Great Literature” by Andrew Bernstein: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2019/02/heroes-of-great-literature/   “How Heroes Improve Our Lives: An Interview with Andrew Bernstein”: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2020/03/how-heroes-improve-our-lives-an-interview-with-andrew-bernstein/ Sherlock Holmes: Literature's Most Singular Man | The Hero Show, Ep 28: https://youtu.be/XzGxqIlBg1o

Jon and his wife Rosalee demonstrate John Gottman's “state of our union” exercise and explain how it can help to improve romantic relationships.   Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you're listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/   Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out:   The Art & Science of Love: A Couples Workshop by John & Julie Gottman: https://amzn.to/3G3K2xY   “How to Savor Gratitude and Disarm ‘Gratitude Traps” by Ellen Kenner: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2020/05/how-to-savor-gratitude-and-disarm-gratitude-traps/ “Deriving More Joy from One of Life's Richest Sources” by Jon Hersey: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2019/06/deriving-more-joy-from-one-of-lifes-richest-sources/

Jon speaks with John Chisholm—entrepreneur, investor, and author—about the problems with the higher ed push for “diversity” and how to correct it.   Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you're listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/   Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out:   “Achieving Holistic Diversity & Inclusion at MIT” by John Chisholm: www.johnchisholmventures.com/dei   “Achieving Holistic Diversity & Inclusion at a Major Research University” by John Chisholm: www.johnchisholmventures.com/deipres   Unleash Your Inner Company by John Chisholm: https://amzn.to/3a1HphD “How to Challenge Racism in College Admissions” by Jon Hersey: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2018/10/how-to-challenge-racism-in-college-admissions/

Jon speaks with Dr. Antonio Saravia—economics professor and director of the Center for the Study of Economics and Liberty at Mercer University—about socialism and stagnation, freedom and flourishing, and teaching competing ideas in the college classroom.   Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you're listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/   Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out:   Center for the Study of Economics and Liberty: https://csel.mercer.edu/   Dr. Saravia's personal website: https://antoniosaravia.wordpress.com/   “Socialist Indoctrination in School Textbooks: The Case of ‘Colección Bicentenario' in Venezuela” by Antonio Saravia, Clara Mengolini, and Robi Ragan: http://journal.apee.org/index.php?title=2021_Journal_of_Private_Enterprise_Vol_36_No_1_Spring_parte5   “Why Universities Should Teach Ayn Rand Alongside Karl Marx” by Jon Hersey: https://fee.org/articles/why-universities-should-teach-ayn-rand-alongside-karl-marx/

Benjamin Franklin's life story is a testament to the fact that free men may rise as high as their ambition will take them. His inventions include not only useful gadgets and live-saving devices but also the genre of self-development nonfiction. With only two years of formal schooling, he managed to become one of the greatest scientists of his age and one of the greatest statesmen in history. Jon Hersey spotlights the principles of freedom and flourishing that we can learn from “the First American” and apply in our own lives today.   Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you're listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/   Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out:   “Benjamin Franklin: The Enlightenment Personified” by Jon Hersey: https://theobjectivestandard.com/franklin/   “‘Sense Being Preferable to Sound'” by Jon Hersey: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2019/05/sense-being-preferable-to-sound/

How can we help young children develop? Can we do anything to accelerate language acquisition? Is a structured curriculum best, or should children be allowed to explore their interests—and to what extent, if so? I speak with Mike Gustafson of Atlas Academy about the Montessori method, how and why it works, and how developments within the method might impact the future of education.   Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you're listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/   Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out:   “The Montessori Method: Educating Children for a Lifetime of Learning and Happiness” by Heike Larson: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2010/05/montesorri-method/ “Jesse McCarthy on Montessori and Independence”: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2018/08/jesse-mccarthy-on-montessori-and-independence/

I speak with Juilliard-trained musician F. F. Mormanni about the 19th-century Romantic composer Frédéric Chopin; his music in Prometheus, Tolkien, and Green Book; and what listening to such a virtuoso pianist adds to our lives.   Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you're listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/   Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out:   The Romantic Manifesto by Ayn Rand: https://amzn.to/3i61AyA   Sweet Anticipation: Music and the Psychology of Expectation by David Huron: https://amzn.to/2Te5EEu   Mozart's Music for the Mind: https://youtu.be/HVFNu1cxPl0 “A New Window on Scriabin” by Timothy Sandefur: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2019/01/a-new-window-on-scriabin/

I recently spoke with organizational psychologist and bestselling author Adam Grant, and our conversation highlighted the importance of spiritual values and how they impact success.   Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you're listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/   Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out: “Adam Grant on Clear Thinking, Persuasive Writing, and Rational Self-Interest”: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2021/06/adam-grant-on-clear-thinking-persuasive-writing-and-rational-self-interest/

Rajshree Agarwal and I discuss how she became interested in helping people home in on a central purpose, the relation of purpose to independence, and how both of these enable people to create marketable values.   Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you're listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/   Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out:   “Being Enterprising In Your Own World to Change the World” by Rajshree Agarwal: https://www.forbes.com/sites/rajshreeagarwal/2021/02/08/being-enterprising-in-your-own-world-to-change-the-world/   “The Meaning of Work for a Happy Life (and New Year)” by Rajshree Agarwal: https://www.forbes.com/sites/rajshreeagarwal/2021/01/12/the-meaning-of-work/   “Finding Joy When Chores and Pressures Pile up at Work” by Rajshree Agarwal: https://www.forbes.com/sites/rajshreeagarwal/2020/11/16/finding-joy-when-chores-and-pressures-pile-up-at-work/ “The Book that Helped Me Find Purpose in Life” by Jon Hersey: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2021/04/the-book-that-helped-me-find-purpose-in-life/

I speak with F. F. Mormanni, a Juilliard trained musician, about what Mozart offers modern listeners and how to reap that value.   TOS-Con details and registration: https://objectivestandard.org/tos-con   Get your free copy of Loving Life by Craig Biddle here: https://objectivestandard.org/lovinglife   Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you're listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/   Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out:   Mozart: Symphonies No. 39, 40 & 41: https://amzn.to/3fW7VfX   Mozart: Clarinet Concerto & Quintet: https://amzn.to/3gfkKAT   Mozart: A Life by Paul Johnson: https://amzn.to/3iphLc0 Music in Western Civilization by Paul Henry Lang: https://amzn.to/3ggLtNx

I speak with Caitlyn Machiraju, an independent and ambitious young woman who not only landed a job, but also met her husband at our annual conference, TOS-Con: Philosophy for Freedom and Flourishing.   TOS-Con details and registration: https://objectivestandard.org/tos-con   Get your free copy of Loving Life by Craig Biddle here: https://objectivestandard.org/lovinglife   Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/   Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out: “Cal Newport to Speak at TOS-Con 2021”: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2021/01/cal-newport-to-speak-at-tos-con-2021/

It is clarifying to periodically reflect on the various means-ends relationships in our lives, to re-evaluate whether we’re choosing the right means for our chosen ends, and to think about whether these add up to a worthwhile life.    Get your free copy of Loving Life by Craig Biddle here: https://objectivestandard.org/lovinglife   Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/   Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out:   Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, translated by Joe Sachs: https://amzn.to/2S7iO5i   Aristotle’s Ethics by J. O. Urmson: https://amzn.to/3yx65JU Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, translated and edited by Roger Crisp: https://amzn.to/3bEysfn

You don’t need a college degree or a stamp of approval to build a career you love. Praxis CEO Cameron Sorsby joins Jon to discuss the mindset and skills that anyone can apply to open doors of opportunity today.   Get your free copy of Loving Life by Craig Biddle here: https://objectivestandard.org/lovinglife   Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/   Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out:   Claim your $1,000 Praxis Scholarship: https://discoverpraxis.com/osi/   Follow Cameron on Instagram and Twitter: @CameronSorsby   “The Book that Helped Me Find Purpose in Life” by Jon Hersey: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2021/04/the-book-that-helped-me-find-purpose-in-life/   “Reinventing Flight: An Interview with Blake Scholl,” interviewed by Jon Hersey: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2020/10/reinventing-flight-an-interview-with-blake-scholl/

Marvel’s WandaVision shows that to live a good life, we must accept the facts, even when painful, including the fact that individuals must be free to act on their own judgment in order to flourish.   Get your free copy of Loving Life by Craig Biddle here: https://objectivestandard.org/lovinglife   Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/   Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out: WandaVision, Created by Jac Schaeffer, reviewed by Thomas Walker:  https://theobjectivestandard.com/2021/03/wandavision-created-by-jac-schaeffer/

Robert Begley joins Jon to discuss techniques for keeping your head above water and focusing on your most important work.   Get your free copy of Loving Life by Craig Biddle here: https://objectivestandard.org/lovinglife   Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/ Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out:   Your Supersystem for Flourishing with Robert Begley: https://objectivestandard.org/product/your-supersystem-for-flourishing-may-2021   Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen, reviewed by Amy Peikoff: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2009/05/david-allen/

With his Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle aimed to create a guide for flourishing, and he brought a tremendous depth and breadth of knowledge to the task.   Get your free copy of Loving Life by Craig Biddle here: https://objectivestandard.org/lovinglife   Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/   Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out:   Nicomachean Ethics, translated by Joe Sachs: https://amzn.to/32bHmvE   The Cave and the Light: Plato Versus Aristotle, and the Struggle for the Soul of Western Civilization by Arthur Herman, reviewed by Jon Hersey: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2016/08/the-cave-and-the-light-plato-versus-aristotle-and-the-struggle-for-the-soul-of-western-civilization-arthur-herman/   “Aristotle Versus Religion” by Andrew Bernstein: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2014/02/aristotle-versus-religion/

Elliott Hill joins Jon for a discussion of his new website, Enlightenmore.com, which brings together arguments for and against various philosophic, economic, and political positions.   Get your free copy of Loving Life by Craig Biddle here: https://objectivestandard.org/lovinglife   Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/   Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out:   “Independence vs. Second-Handedness” by Craig Biddle: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2010/11/independence-vs-second-handedness/   “Independent Thinking, Morality, and Liberty,” by Craig Biddle: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2012/11/independent-thinking-morality-liberty/

Hannah Frankman talks about her early introduction to alternative education and how it helped her develop a mindset and skills for creating value and getting paid for her work. Check out her upcoming course, “The Art of Finding and Creating Opportunity,” here: https://objectivestandard.org/product/the-art-of-opportunity-april-2021    Get your free copy of Loving Life by Craig Biddle here: https://objectivestandard.org/lovinglife   Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/   Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out:   “The Art of Finding and Creating Opportunity”: https://objectivestandard.org/product/the-art-of-opportunity-april-2021 “Ends vs. Means,” by Hannah Frankman: http://hannahfrankman.com/2021/03/20/ends-vs-means/

Clearly formulating our thoughts is a challenge we all face, and it affects all aspects of our lives. Here’s a standing order for thinking more clearly, whether about our own thoughts or those of others.   Get your free copy of Loving Life by Craig Biddle here: https://objectivestandard.org/lovinglife   Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/   Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out: Less Than Words Can Say by Richard Mitchell: https://sourcetext.com/grammarian-less-than-words-can-say-index-html/

It is a plain fact that to get from point A to point B, we must progress one step at a time. But what else can we pull from the principle of incremental progress?   Get your free copy of Loving Life by Craig Biddle here: https://objectivestandard.org/lovinglife   Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/   Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out:   “How Teaching Benefits Teachers” by Arie Vilner: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2020/04/how-teaching-benefits-teachers/   Isaac Morehouse on College Alternatives and Career Development: https://youtu.be/MQ91mvHQo28

What is free speech? What is censorship? How does understanding these concepts impact one’s evaluations of social media companies and their policies?   Get your free copy of Loving Life by Craig Biddle here: https://objectivestandard.org/lovinglife   Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/   Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out:   “Freedom of Speech Is Freedom to Think” by Craig Biddle: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2017/09/freedom-of-speech-is-freedom-to-think/   “Social Media and the Future of Civil Society” by Jon Hersey: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2020/02/social-media-and-the-future-of-civil-society/ “Free Speech, Property, and the Right to Discriminate” by Ryan Puzycki: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2018/03/free-speech-property-and-the-right-to-discriminate/

Ayn Rand said that man is a “being of self-made soul.” In the new year, what will you do to build your moral character?   Get your free copy of Loving Life here: https://objectivestandard.org/lovinglife   Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/   Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out:   “Purpose, Value Hierarchies, and Happiness” by Craig Biddle: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2014/05/purpose-value-hierarchies-happiness/ “Benjamin Franklin: The Enlightenment Personified” by Jon Hersey: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2018/04/benjamin-franklin-the-enlightenment-personified/

Policy proposals of all sorts depend on both moral and economic arguments, yet some claim that these disciplines should not—or cannot—be integrated. Raymond Niles begs to differ.   Get your free copy of Loving Life here: https://objectivestandard.org/lovinglife   Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/   Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out:   “Henry Hazlitt Meets Ayn Rand: Economics and Objectivism, United for Freedom,” a course with Raymond Niles: https://objectivestandard.org/product/henry-hazlitt-meets-ayn-rand-economics-and-objectivism-united-for-freedom   “Henry Hazlitt in One Lesson” by Tom Malone: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2018/04/henry-hazlitt-in-one-lesson/   “Who Is Ayn Rand?” by Craig Biddle: https://theobjectivestandard.com/who-is-ayn-rand/ “Ayn Rand’s Theory of Rights: The Moral Foundation of a Free Society” by Craig Biddle: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2011/08/ayn-rand-theory-rights/

Why is knowing history vital to living a flourishing life today? What is the proper approach to studying it, and what are the most important events and ideas to understand? Learn more in this wide-ranging discussion with Eric Daniels, assistant director of Clemson University’s Institute for the Study of Capitalism.   Get your free copy of Loving Life here: https://objectivestandard.org/lovinglife   Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/   Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out:   “The History and Philosophy of Liberty in America,” a course with Eric Daniels: https://objectivestandard.org/product/the-history-and-philosophy-of-liberty-in-america Clemson Institute for the Study of Capitalism: http://www.clemson.edu/centers-institutes/capitalism/index.html

Christmas is a celebration of the rational, selfish desire to make your own life great, which includes spreading joy among those you value.   Get your free copy of Loving Life here: https://objectivestandard.org/lovinglife   Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/   Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out:   “For the Love of Christmas” by Craig Biddle: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2015/12/for-the-love-of-christmas/   “A Life-Enhancing Lesson from Dickens’s Christmas Carol” by Jon Hersey: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2018/12/a-life-enhancing-lesson-from-dickenss-christmas-carol/   “Reclaiming Spirituality for Lovers of Life” by Craig Biddle: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2016/07/reclaiming-spirituality-for-lovers-of-life/   “A Dozen Christmas Gift Suggestions for Fans of Ayn Rand” by Timothy Sandefur: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2018/12/a-dozen-christmas-gift-suggestions-for-fans-of-ayn-rand/ “More Gift Ideas for Fans of Ayn Rand” by Jon Hersey: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2019/12/more-gift-ideas-for-fans-of-ayn-rand/

From everyone at Objective Standard Institute to everyone who works to create the values on which human life and happiness depend: Thank you.   Get your free copy of Loving Life here: https://objectivestandard.org/lovinglife   Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/   Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out:   “Happy Thanksgiving from The Objective Standard?” by Craig Biddle: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2012/11/happy-thanksgiving-from-the-objective-standard/ “Don’t Say Grace, Say Justice” by Craig Biddle: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2011/11/dont-say-grace/

Some proponents of freedom base their political positions in what they call “the presumption of liberty.” But opponents of freedom easily undercut this with their own moral presumption: “the presumption of altruism.”   Get your free copy of Loving Life here: https://objectivestandard.org/lovinglife   Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/   Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out:   “Liberty: What Is It? Why Is It Good? On What Does It Depend?” by Carl Barney and Craig Biddle: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2019/02/liberty-what-is-it-why-is-it-good-on-what-does-it-depend-2/   “The Creed of Sacrifice vs. The Land of Liberty” by Craig Biddle: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2009/08/creed-of-sacrifice-vs-land-of-liberty/   “The Passion of Socialists” by Craig Biddle: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2018/07/the-passion-of-socialists/   “John Locke: The Father of Liberalism” by Jon Hersey: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2019/08/john-locke-the-father-of-liberalism/

Do you want to become a better thinker, a more persuasive writer, and an effective advocate of liberty? Here are some basic principles and resources for defending liberty in a clear and compelling way.   Get your free copy of Loving Life here: https://objectivestandard.org/lovinglife   Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/   Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out:   “How to Write Powerfully in Defense of Liberty” with Jon Hersey: https://objectivestandard.org/product/how-to-write-powerfully-in-defense-of-liberty-november-2020   “Liberty: What Is It? Why Is It Good? On What Does It Depend?” by Carl Barney and Craig Biddle: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2019/02/liberty-what-is-it-why-is-it-good-on-what-does-it-depend-2/   “Here’s What’s Wrong with Ayn Rand’s Philosophy” by Craig Biddle: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2018/02/heres-whats-wrong-ayn-rands-philosophy/   “Want to Live among Heroes?” by Jon Hersey: https://objectivestandard.org/blog/want-to-live-among-heroes “Defining a Future to Fight For” by Jon Hersey: https://objectivestandard.org/blog/defining-a-future-to-fight-for

Recently, a friend asked me, “If philosophers have been trying to resolve fundamental questions for centuries and have come up short, why do you think Ayn Rand got so much right?” This is a helpful question because it focuses our attention on the difference(s) that set Objectivism apart from other philosophies.    Get your free copy of Loving Life here: https://objectivestandard.org/lovinglife   Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/   Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out:   “Who Is Ayn Rand?” by Craig Biddle: https://theobjectivestandard.com/who-is-ayn-rand/   “What Is Objectivism?” by Craig Biddle: https://theobjectivestandard.com/what-is-objectivism/   “Here’s What’s Wrong with Ayn Rand’s Philosophy” by Craig Biddle: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2018/02/heres-whats-wrong-ayn-rands-philosophy/ “The Beauty of Ayn Rand’s Ethics” by Craig Biddle: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2010/12/the-beauty-of-ayn-rands-ethics/

Praxis and Crash founder Isaac Morehouse discusses the gulf between the needs of employers and the abilities of entry-level applicants—and how to bridge that gap without spending four-plus years and tens of thousands of dollars on college.   Get your free copy of Loving Life here: https://objectivestandard.org/lovinglife   Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/   Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out:   Crash Your Career by Isaac Morehouse: https://amzn.to/34rqm5d   Don't Do Stuff You Hate by Isaac Morehouse: https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Do-Stuff-You-Hate/dp/1535568089 Better Off Free: A Collection on Liberty by Isaac Morehouse: https://amzn.to/3irX77m

Making good decisions can be tough, and for some of us, making certain decisions can feel like torture. Here are some ideas for more easily distinguishing what options will best serve your life.   Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/   Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out:   “Purpose, Value Hierarchies, and Happiness” by Craig Biddle: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2014/05/purpose-value-hierarchies-happiness/   Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology by Ayn Rand: https://amzn.to/35Filfi   Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown: https://amzn.to/2RzrCx4   Rational Egoism: The Morality for Human Flourishing by Craig Biddle: https://amzn.to/3iCCXsj The Virtue of Selfishness by Ayn Rand: https://amzn.to/3k5B4V5

What does it mean to be “a good person”? Is morality an arbitrary social convention, a decree from on high, or a recognition of and respect for man’s nature?    Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening right now.   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/objectivestandard Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObjStdInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/objectivestandardinstitute/   Email Jon at jon@objectivestandard.org with questions, comments, or topic suggestions.   Also check out:   The Virtue of Selfishness by Ayn Rand: https://amzn.to/3k5B4V5   Philosophy: Who Needs It by Ayn Rand: https://amzn.to/3hfEPWa   Loving Life: The Morality of Self-Interest and the Facts that Support It by Craig Biddle: https://amzn.to/3m0T1WS   Rational Egoism: The Morality for Human Flourishing by Craig Biddle: https://amzn.to/3m4k9UI   “Secular, Objective Morality: Look and See” by Craig Biddle: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2017/04/secular-objective-morality-look-and-see/ “Objective Moral Values” by Craig Biddle: https://theobjectivestandard.com/2009/11/objective-moral-values/