Testimonials from FRO Members

FRO members enjoy a walk in beautiful scenery at FRO’s 20th Anniversary Picnic at the Pine Valley Ranch in 2008

“The FRO groups have added immense value to my life in two ways. The first and most obvious has been to increase my knowledge and understanding of Objectivism through purposeful reading and discussion of Objectivist works. The second is through community. A commitment to reason as one’s only source of knowledge places one in the smallest of minorities. The FRO groups have been a method for me to find other rational people and satisfy my desire for positive, engaging social interaction not available elsewhere. I find it profoundly relaxing to be amongst a group of people explicitly dedicated to the practice of Objectivism.” — Mike Janis, Financial Analyst

“FRO helps me know that there are a few great people out there fighting for rational principles grounded in reality and care for that radiant freedom which should be commonplace but isn’t. It is important to have hope that the fight for principled action as a norm can be won and they help me reaffirm that not all of the people in our society are cannibals and savages. These are the people worth more than gold that our society needs in order to uphold justice, individual rights and create a productive future. These are the “new intellectuals”, the movers and shakers, the forgers of a not to distant objectivist culture on this earth.” — Paul Lemke, Design Engineer

“When I came to Colorado I felt an immediate sense of community with FRO. It is the most dedicated and best-organized Objectivist community group I’ve found in the country. It is, above all, an invaluable resource for the regular, interactive study of Objectivism–even for someone who’s been already studying Objectivism for 15 years.” — Ben B., philosophy professor.

“After reading Atlas Shrugged, I was desiring to meet and discuss Ayn Rand’s ideas with like-minded individuals. FRO more than fulfilled that desire for me. I am still very much a student of Objectivism, but being a member of FRO has helped me understand much of the philosophy in a short time, and apply it to my daily life.” — Kelly Valenzuela, Financial Planning Assistant

About FRO’s Supper Talks

Click here for more information on FRO’s Supper Talks.

“FROST provides a delightful evening out: dinner, socializing with people who I have something in common with, and interesting talks that relate to my life and interests. What could be better than that?” — Hannah Krening, Pianist and Teacher

“FROST Supper Talks always leave me energized. I’m eager to explore the new ideas I’ve just heard — and to apply them to my life. I’m impressed by the consistent quality of the lectures, as well as the thoughtfulness and benevolence of these prominent Objectivist intellectuals. FROST Supper Talks are the kind of events that most admirers of Ayn Rand’s philosophy can only dream of!” — Diana Hsieh, Ph.D Philosophy, NoodleFood

“We in the Denver area are fortunate that such talented public intellectuals visit our area to share their latest ideas and research. I have found the FROST talks to be stimulating, relevant to my own life, and a great time to catch up with friends and meet new ones.” — Ari Armstrong, editor of Free Colorado

About FRO’s Atlas Shrugged Reading Groups

Click here for more information on FRO’s Atlas Shrugged Reading Groups.

“Reading Atlas Shrugged with the Atlas Shrugged Reading Group greatly broadened my appreciation for this novel, especially for the depth and complexity of the charcters. Even though I’m usually pretty tired by the end of the day, I really looked forward to the meetings. The discussions were insightful and lively, and everyone was respectful towards each other’s perspectives.” — Tom Hall

“I first read Atlas Shrugged in 1977, and like many people today, I thought it was time to re-read it considering the current political climate. I’m sure I would have appreciated it in a fresh new way if I had read it on my own, but the experience was by far better because of being in the reading group. Our discussions brought up so many ideas that I might have missed, and allowed me to appreciate the book on a new level which is very relevant to a successful fight for the renewal of freedom in this country. I came home refreshed each time!” — Hannah Krening, Larkspur Pianist and Teacher

“Over the last fifteen years, I’ve read Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand’s epic novel of ideas, about five times. Much to my surprise, reading it with FRO’s Atlas Shrugged Reading Group (Golden, 2009) was a wholly new — and wonderful — experience for me. The discussions helped me understand the characters, events, and ideas of the novel more deeply than ever before — and I loved it! In many ways, I felt as if I was reading the novel for the first time. And now I’ll be better able to apply Ayn Rand’s ideals in pursuing my own goals for my life.” — Diana Hsieh, Ph.D Philosophy, NoodleFood

“I had read Atlas Shrugged before — or at least I thought I had. But I learned so much more about the novel’s ideas and literary themes through the reading group that it was almost as though I was reading Atlas Shrugged for the first time. Those who say Ayn Rand’s ideas and literature lack sophistication simply have not read Atlas Shrugged, not really. Moreover, the novel offers rich moral and political themes, and reading it during this “interesting” period of our nation’s history shed light both on the novel and on the culture in which we live.” — Ari Armstrong, editor of Free Colorado

“As a long time admirer of Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged, having read the book several times, I found that participating in the reading group increased my admiration and understanding even further. The lively discussions revealed aspects of the book that I would not have discovered on my own.” — Anders Ingemarson, Denver

“I got such a value from attending the Atlas Shrugged Reading Group. Not only did I pick up a lot from re-reading the book, but having others to discuss the book with added so much more to my understanding of Rand’s philosophy. If anyone is interested in better understanding Atlas Shrugged and the philosophy of Objectivism, I highly recommend joining an Atlas Shrugged Reading Group. It’s definitely worth it!” — Ann Williams, Mediator

Atlas Shrugged Reading Groups

In response to the enduring popularity of Ayn Rand’s epic novel Atlas Shrugged, Front Range Objectivism periodically hosts weekly study groups for fans of Ayn Rand’s epic novel.

In these Atlas Shrugged Reading Groups (ASRGs), members read and discuss Ayn Rand’s gripping and controversial novel over the course of twenty weekly meetings. Each meeting lasts ninety minutes; it covers about sixty pages of the novel. Discussion is guided by questions prepared by

To avoid the problem of spoilers, members of FRO’s Atlas Shrugged Reading Groups should have read the novel in full at least once before. They should be fans of the novel, even if they disagree with aspects of it.

Members of the Atlas Shrugged Reading Groups differ in their experiences and philosophic ideas, as well as in their familiarity with Ayn Rand’s writings and philosophy. The goal of the group is to better understand Atlas Shrugged in a friendly and constructive way, not to engage in acrimonious debate or proselytizing.

All members should read (or re-read) the assigned chapters of the novel before the meeting. They should bring a copy of Atlas Shrugged with them to the meeting, as well as a copy of that week’s questions. They should help keep the discussion on-track, meaning focused on the assigned chapters of the novel. Most of all, they should act in friendly — or at least civil — way toward others.

People who prove disruptive to the aims of the Atlas Shrugged Reading Group will be removed from it.

What People Say

“Reading Atlas Shrugged with the Atlas Shrugged Reading Group greatly broadened my appreciation for this novel, especially for the depth and complexity of the charcters. Even though I’m usually pretty tired by the end of the day, I really looked forward to the meetings. The discussions were insightful and lively, and everyone was respectful towards each other’s perspectives.” — Tom Hall, Broomfield

“I first read Atlas Shrugged in 1977, and like many people today, I thought it was time to re-read it considering the current political climate. I’m sure I would have appreciated it in a fresh new way if I had read it on my own, but the experience was by far better because of being in the reading group. Our discussions brought up so many ideas that I might have missed, and allowed me to appreciate the book on a new level which is very relevant to a successful fight for the renewal of freedom in this country. I came home refreshed each time!” — Hannah Krening, Larkspur

“Over the last fifteen years, I’ve read Atlas Shrugged about five times. Much to my surprise, reading it with FRO’s Atlas Shrugged Reading Group was a wholly new — and wonderful — experience for me. The discussions helped me understand the characters, events, and ideas of the novel more deeply than ever before — and I loved it! In many ways, I felt as if I was reading the novel for the first time. And now I’ll be better able to apply Ayn Rand’s ideals in pursuing my own goals for my life.” — Diana Hsieh, Sedalia

“I had read Atlas Shrugged before — or at least I thought I had. But I learned so much more about the novel’s ideas and literary themes through the reading group that it was almost as though I was reading Atlas Shrugged for the first time. Those who say Ayn Rand’s ideas and literature lack sophistication simply have not read Atlas Shrugged, not really. Moreover, the novel offers rich moral and political themes, and reading it during this “interesting” period of our nation’s history shed light both on the novel and on the culture in which we live.” — Ari Armstrong, Westminster

“As a long time admirer of Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged, having read the book several times, I found that participating in the reading group increased my admiration and understanding even further. The lively discussions revealed aspects of the book that I would not have discovered on my own.” — Anders Ingemarson, Denver

“I got such a value from attending the Atlas Shrugged Reading Group. Not only did I pick up a lot from re-reading the book, but having others to discuss the book with added so much more to my understanding of Rand’s philosophy. If anyone is interested in better understanding Atlas Shrugged and the philosophy of Objectivism, I highly recommend joining an Atlas Shrugged Reading Group. It’s definitely worth it!” — Ann Williams, Denver

Past Reading Groups

Atlas 1 – Lakewood 2008

Atlas 2 – Longmont 2009/2010

Atlas 3 – Colorado Springs 2010/2011

Atlas 4 – Broomfield 2010/2011

Atlas 5 – Lone Tree 2010/2011

Ayn Rand’s Philosophy of Objectivism

Objectivism is the philosophy of Ayn Rand, the popular and controversial 20th century novelist and philosopher. Ayn Rand first presented her philosophy in her novels, We the Living, Anthem, The Fountainhead, and Atlas Shrugged. She later turned to writing philosophical essays, many of which are collected in The Virtue of Selfishness, Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal, Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology, Philosophy: Who Needs It, The Romantic Manifesto, The Voice of Reason, and Return of the Primitive.

Note: Due to the “Amazon Tax” imposed by the Colorado legislature and governor in early 2010, FRO no longer benefits from those Amazon links. For more information, visit Repeal The Amazon Tax.

The Ayn Rand Institute summarizes the Essentials of Objectivism as follows:

• Metaphysics: “Reality, the external world, exists independent of man’s consciousness, independent of any observer’s knowledge, beliefs, feelings, desires or fears. This means that A is A, that facts are facts, that things are what they are — and that the task of man’s consciousness is to perceive reality, not to create or invent it.” Thus Objectivism rejects any belief in the supernatural — and any claim that individuals or groups create their own reality.

• Epistemology: “Man’s reason is fully competent to know the facts of reality. Reason, the conceptual faculty, is the faculty that identifies and integrates the material provided by man’s senses. Reason is man’s only means of acquiring knowledge.” Thus Objectivism rejects mysticism (any acceptance of faith or feeling as a means of knowledge), and it rejects skepticism (the claim that certainty or knowledge is impossible).

• Human Nature: Man is a rational being. Reason, as man’s only means of knowledge, is his basic means of survival. But the exercise of reason depends on each individual’s choice. “Man is a being of volitional consciousness.” “That which you call your soul or spirit is your consciousness, and that which you call ‘free will’ is your mind’s freedom to think or not, the only will you have, your only freedom. This is the choice that controls all the choices you make and determines your life and character.” Thus Objectivism rejects any form of determinism, the belief that man is a victim of forces beyond his control (such as God, fate, upbringing, genes, or economic conditions).

• Ethics: “Reason is man’s only proper judge of values and his only proper guide to action. The proper standard of ethics is: man’s survival qua man — i.e., that which is required by man’s nature for his survival as a rational being (not his momentary physical survival as a mindless brute). Rationality is man’s basic virtue, and his three fundamental values are: reason, purpose, self-esteem. Man — every man — is an end in himself, not a means to the ends of others; he must live for his own sake, neither sacrificing himself to others nor sacrificing others to himself; he must work for his rational self-interest, with the achievement of his own happiness as the highest moral purpose of his life.” Thus Objectivism rejects any form of altruism — the claim that morality consists in living for others or for society.

• Politics: “The basic social principle of the Objectivist ethics is that no man has the right to seek values from others by means of physical force — i.e., no man or group has the right to initiate the use of physical force against others. Men have the right to use force only in self-defense and only against those who initiate its use. Men must deal with one another as traders, giving value for value, by free, mutual consent to mutual benefit. The only social system that bars physical force from human relationships is laissez-faire capitalism. Capitalism is a system based on the recognition of individual rights, including property rights, in which the only function of the government is to protect individual rights, i.e., to protect men from those who initiate the use of physical force.” Thus Objectivism rejects any form of collectivism, such as fascism or socialism. It also rejects the current “mixed economy” notion that the government should regulate the economy and redistribute wealth.

• Esthetics: “Art is a selective re-creation of reality according to an artist’s metaphysical value-judgments.” The purpose of art is to concretize the artist’s fundamental view of existence. Ayn Rand described her own approach to art as “Romantic Realism”: “I am a Romantic in the sense that I present men as they ought to be. I am Realistic in the sense that I place them here and now and on this earth.” The goal of Ayn Rand’s novels is not didactic but artistic: the projection of an ideal man: “My purpose, first cause and prime mover is the portrayal of Howard Roark or John Galt or Hank Rearden or Francisco d’Anconia as an end in himself — not as a means to any further end.”

Book by Ayn Rand and Objectivists

Ayn Rand’s Novels:

• Atlas Shrugged
• The Fountainhead
• Anthem
• We the Living

Ayn Rand’s Philosophical Anthologies:

• The Virtue of Selfishness
• Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal
• Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology
• Philosophy: Who Needs It
• The Romantic Manifesto
• Return of the Primitive
• The Voice of Reason
• For the New Intellectual

Works Compiled Posthumously:

• Ayn Rand Answers, edited by Robert Mayhew
• The Art of Fiction, edited by Tore Boeckmann
• The Art of Nonfiction, edited by Robert Mayhew
• Objectively Speaking, edited by Marlene Podritske and Peter Schwartz
• Letters of Ayn Rand, edited by Michael Berliner
• The Journals of Ayn Rand, edited by David Harriman

Quality Secondary Literature:

• Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand by Leonard Peikoff

• Ayn Rand’s Normative Ethics by Tara Smith

• The Capitalist Manifesto by Andrew Bernstein

• Objectivism in One Lesson by Andrew Bernstein

• Loving Life by Craig Biddle

• Ominous Parallels by Leonard Peikoff

• Essays on Ayn Rand’s We the Living, edited by Robert Mayhew

• Essays on Ayn Rand’s Anthem, edited by Robert Mayhew

• Essays on Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead, edited by Robert Mayhew

• Essays on Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged, edited by Robert Mayhew

Biography:

• Ayn Rand by Jeff Britting

• Facets of Ayn Rand by Mary Ann and Charles Sures

Other Resources

• About Objectivism

• Ayn Rand on Libertarianism

• Ayn Rand on Amazon.com

• Ayn Rand Lexicon

• Ayn Rand Institute

• Ayn Rand Center

• Ayn Rand Society

• Anthem Foundation

• The Objective Standard

• The Undercurrent

• Clemson Institute

• FIRM (Freedom and Individual Rights in Medicine)

• Coalition for Secular Government

• Mother of Exiles

• Free Colorado

• OList.com Mailing Lists

• Philosophy In Action

• Modern Paleo
• Atlas Shrugged Reading Groups