Thread by @CultExpert

Ayn Rand was an authoritarian cult leader.

I don't use the word "cult" loosely here. I don't use the word in a pejorative way JUST because I disagree with Ayn Rand's ideas.

I use the word "cult" because Ayn Rand was a literal cult leader.

Let's get into it 🧵:

After "Atlas Shrugged" was released in 1957, Ayn Rand clubs were founded at hundreds of colleges. In New York (where Ayn Rand lived), the largest and most prominent group was already in motion (ironically called "The Collective"...ironic because Rand rejected collectivism).

Nathan Blumenthal started the group. Blumenthal was an early admirer of Rand, eventually becoming Rand's #2 and "intellectual heir" (also her lover). Blumenthal published newsletters and created the Nathaniel Branden Institute. Blumenthal changed his last name to "Branden."

Why?

Like Ayn Rand herself (originally born "Alisa Zinovyevna Rosenbaum") Blumenthal and many other Randians changed their names from Russian or Jewish names to presumably harder, TOUGHER, more heroic Anglo-Saxon sounding names (names like "Howard Roark" & "John Galt!").

"The Collective" originally started out as an informal gathering of friends at Rand's apartment but expanded as her profile grew (Branden was instrumental in this expansion).

There's one devotee you will certainly recognize from this early group:

Alan Greenspan.

Greenspan served as CHAIRMAN of the Federal Reserve from 1987–2006, shaping monetary policy in this country. Greenspan said he recalled being drawn to Rand because of a shared belief in "the importance of mathematics and intellectual rigor." vanityfair.com/culture/2000/1…

Nathaniel Branden continued selling Rand's theory (she called it "Objectivism") to the masses. He held courses in New York and sent tape-recorded lectures to “objectivist centers” in other cities.

But it's in these early groups, that we see many troubling (cult-like) attributes.

The following are drawn from Jeff Walker's "The Ayn Rand Cult" as well as economist Murray Rothbard's "The Sociology of the Ayn Rand Cult."

Here are a few of the troubling cult-like qualities I see from these groups pulled from their works:

-Rand's group virtually had an index of permitted books. Non-Randian or anti-Randian ideas were discouraged ("Information Control" to those familiar with my BITE Model). Followers were taught “not giving your sanction to the Enemy" (which apparently, outside works did).

-Anyone who spoke out against this doctrine was often shunned or kicked out of the group. As is the case in Scientology (and many other cults), members were encouraged to disconnect with friends, family members, or even spouses if they disagreed with Randian doctrine.

-Members were encouraged to read and re-read Rand's work (especially “Atlas Shrugged”) over and over again. Many read it more than 30 times! This continued indoctrination is similar to practices in Communist China (Mao’s “Little Red Book”) and Scientology (Hubbard’s “Dianetics”).

-Members often would act as “spies” if other members were speaking out against this Randian doctrine. They would report these “transgressions” to leaders.
-Members were told to dress a certain way.
-Members could only date certain people (people in the group).

-Emotions were seen as problematic and “irrational.” Members were taught to suppress emotions (this of course is deeply problematic. If someone is taught to suppress their emotions, this can dampen alarm signals when their intuition is telling them something is wrong!).

-The group practiced "Objectivist Psychotherapy," a form of indoctrination masking itself as therapy. Members were taught that emotion stemmed from incorrect ideas, so, therefore, all neurosis did so as well.

Hence, the cure for these neuroses...

...was to discover and purge oneself of those incorrect ideas and values. Obviously, the "correct" ideas and values were Randian ideas.

(Many cults like Scientology employ similar techniques like “study tech”).

-The works of those who fell out of favor with Rand were not to be read by current Rand followers (as would happen to Nathaniel Branden. More on this soon...).
-Humor was looked down upon (unless it was humor looking down upon ones’ enemies).

There are other troubling beliefs in Rand's work. She was a Social-Darwinist, included many of Nietzsche's most troubling themes in her work, said homosexuality was “immoral and disgusting" & was a self-professed “male chauvinist” who said she'd never vote for a female president.

Rand was also creepily obsessed with serial killer William Edward Hickman (Hickman sadistically dismembered a 12-year-old girl). Rand filled notebooks GUSHING about Hickman saying "Other people do not exist for him, and he does not see why they should,”

She continued…

...admiringly saying that Hickman has “no regard whatsoever for all that society holds sacred, and with a consciousness all his own. He has the true, innate psychology of a Superman. He can never realize and feel ‘other people.’”
nakedcapitalism.com/2012/08/mark-a…

But back to the story...

Branden (again, the "intellectual heir" to Rand) met and fell in love with a young beautiful model named Patrecia Scott in 1964. In 1968, Rand found out about this affair and was ENRAGED! She ordered all followers to shun Branden without disclosing a reason.

Rand followers were required to sign a loyalty oath saying they would henceforth NEVER read any future Branden work. Any follower seen carrying one of his books was excommunicated. His relatives were expected to (and did!) break with him completely.

Oh and one last thing...

Cult leaders are masters of phobia indoctrination. They implant irrational fears to keep followers dependent and obedient.

Upon hearing of the affair, Rand implanted one last phobia on Branden...specifically on his penis.

She told him he would be impotent for the next 20 years.

There is something interesting of note about cults that should be included here...

When people come from an authoritarian upbringing, they often GRAVITATE or START a group that is JUST as authoritarian. We see this with countless cult leaders.

Many (like my former cult leader Sun Myung Moon) were FIRST members of other authoritarian cults. This is certainly the case with Ayn Rand.

Rand lived in Russia under communist rule. She HATED communism but (ironically) imposed aspects of Stalinism on her followers.

When Branden left, the group lost momentum but continued.

TODAY, many Randian groups still exist. For one such contemporary example, check out this article by @alex_sammon: newrepublic.com/article/154705…

The cult-like structure of these groups may appear fringe, but it is vital to note how MAINSTREAM & accepted Rand's ideas are still today.

Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, & Paul Ryan all cite her work as influential. She's inspired generations of prominent @GOP politicians & personalities.

Rand's ideas are EVERYWHERE in the contemporary @GOP platform. She taught that selfishness was good and that altruism was evil (even writing a book called "The Virtue of Selfishness"). She taught that the rich are being exploited by the poor, she railed against public schools…

..she believed there should be few regulations on the economy (see 2008 housing crisis to see how that worked out), and she argued that government benefits constitute an IMMORAL redistribution of wealth (though she hypocritically received Social Security payouts later in life).

There are also a few funny contradictions for the Republicans who lionize her.

Unlike the modern @GOP, Ayn Rand was VERY pro-choice.

She was also an atheist who spoke out against politicians and groups who wanted to impose their religion on the public (much different than the theocratic Christianity that is a mainstay of the modern @GOP).

For more on Ayn Rand, I highly recommend @profburns book "Goddess of the Market: Ayn Rand and the American Right." amazon.com/Goddess-Market…

I also recommend (I am on chapter 9 right now!) Jeff Walker's book "The Ayn Rand Cult." amazon.com/Ayn-Rand-Cult-…

Ayn Rand's influence is still WIDELY felt today. So much of the opposition we see around SIMPLE actions like masking is very Randian in nature.

If you like "The Fountainhead," & "Atlas Shrugged," that's totally ok, but you should also know her full story.

Thanks for reading🙏