Opposite of Exaltation?

Besides (1) examining one's own experiences as referents for a puzzling term/concept, (2) reading a dictionary for its list of conventional usages of the term/concept, and (3) investigating the etymology of a term, there is still another approach to better understanding a problematic term/concept: Consider its opposite.

What is the opposite of the meaning of "exaltation"? My unabridged dictionary offers the adjective "humble" as the antonym of "exalted."[1] The noun form, "humility" (from the Latin noun humilitas, "nearness to the ground") means feeling low or being low (on a scale of value), unworthy (of high achievements), and unsuccessful (in action).[2] Those conventional referents of "humility" are indeed opposites of exaltation: being at a high point in the achievement of a core value; being worthy of the accomplishment; and being ultimately successful in pursuit of a value.[3]

From day to day, I meet the phenomenon of humility in two forms. At first they seem to be contraries but actually they share the same root, just as Mother Theresa and Attila are alike in being mystics and altruists. Only their styles differ. The first form of humility that I see is the conventional one: a soft-spoken, bowed, and obsequious individual who is perhaps more common in theocratic or other highly hierarchical (authority-worshipping) societies.

A second form of humility appears in the type of person who is loud, hostile, and arrogant. I more frequently encounter this type of personality in our egalitarian (envy-ridden) culture. Stylistically, this type of person focuses on the small in stature, the low in value, the negative, the demeaning, and the destructive. In my experience, particularly online, the individuals who live by this standard are often those whose communication style includes: hyperbole that deafens a rational audience, not understatements that allow listeners' minds to function fully; insults, not reasoning; profanity, not words of respect; snickering, not solemnity; and buffoonery, not personal dignity.[4]

What do the two forms of humility have in common? They both reject the prerequisites of exalted moments, those moments in which the achievement of one's highest values and recognition of one's own worthiness are expressed in an upright posture, in dignity of manner, and in speech that respects the minds of rational listeners.

Of course, as always in society, there are mixed cases. Some individuals who are fundamentally humble may oscillate between the two styles of obsequiousness and verbal savagery. Other individuals, at a particular time, might be a mixture, with humility and the potential for exaltation fighting a civil war in their souls. Still others, especially young people yearning for an exalted life but sprouting in the cultural mud of humility, are in transition toward the only sort of life worth living: the exalted life. During that transition, they retain some of the mud, but less and less as the years pass.

Burgess Laughlin
Author, The Power and the Glory: The Key Ideas and Crusading Lives of Eight Debaters of Reason vs. Faith

[1] The Random House Dictionary of the English Language, 2nd ed., unabridged. [2] Cassell's Latin Dictionary. [3] For Ayn Rand's comments on humility: Ayn Rand, "Humility," The Ayn Rand Lexicon. [4] For mention of the use of understatement as an element of an objective style in writing and speaking: Ayn Rand, The Art of Nonfiction, editor Robert Mayhew, pp. 124-125.

What is exaltation?

IMPORTANCE. In his first post (on April 11), "Introduction to 'Exalted Moments'," the anonymous author of the new Exalted Moments weblog quotes Ayn Rand's correspondence. In a letter she wrote in 1960, she said:

You [an admirer of Atlas Shrugged] ask me about the meaning of the dialogue on page 702 of Atlas Shrugged:

"'We never had to take any of it seriously, did we?' [Dagny Taggart] whispered. . . ."

Let me begin [Ayn Rand writes] by saying that this is perhaps the most important point in the whole book, because it is . . . the keynote . . . of the view of life presented in Atlas Shrugged.

What Dagny expresses here is the conviction that joy, exaltation, beauty, greatness, heroism, all the supreme, uplifting values of man's existence on earth, are the meaning of life . . . that one must live for the sake of such exalted moments as one may be able to achieve or experience . . . .[1]

NATURE. In thinking about the meaning of the concept "exaltation," I have set aside related meanings that are merely social applications -- such as to exalt someone, that is, praise someone, perhaps in an effort to raise his position in the estimation of others.

One step in considering a puzzling term and the idea it names (if any) is to consider the word's origin historically. Etymology is not an infallible guide to current meaning, but sometimes the etymology of a word can give a clue to an early meaning that has survived in some form into modern times. Consider "exaltation." In Latin ex is a preposition that often means "from." Altus is an adjective having various meanings: "great"; "grown" (when one's potential is fully actualized); and "high." Our English word "altitude" reflects that last meaning.[2]

Another early step I take in considering a concept is to look at example referents in my own experience. As a hiker, runner, and walker, I have had a certain feeling when struggling up the side of a steep hill and finally reaching the top. From that high point, I can see far and wide, which is a perspective that reinforces a focus on the biggest values in life, not the trivia. The same three aspects--a certain mode of progressive activity culminating in a particular achievement, a certain feeling, and a certain perspective--appear also, but more intensely, when an individual is aware of achieving a high, long-term personal value (especially one supporting his central purpose in life), one earned through persistent effort. An example is an author reaching a major milestone in working on a book for many years.

PREREQUISITES. What philosophical values and virtues are required of a person to earn the feeling of exaltation? Of course, one needs all the philosophical values (reason, purpose, and self-esteem) and all the virtues, but especially the virtues of rationality (which allows one to set goals and devise plans for achieving them), pride (which is striving to make oneself better), and courage (which is required for achieving plans, even against opposition).

INTENSITY. What factors determine the intensity of exaltation? Working from my own experiences and some observation of others, I would suggest several factors make the feeling more intense: the more important the value--that is, the higher it is in one's hierarchy of personal values, the more intense the emotion; the more clearly one has identified and integrated one's actions and values, the more intense the emotion; and the greater the investment of time and effort in achieving the value, the more intense the emotion. Negatively, emotional repression can reduce the intensity of any emotion; that is a matter of the individual's psychology. I do not know if a person's intelligence or if the historical magnitude of his accomplishment--for example, a man who runs a global billion-dollar business in contrast to one who runs a small-town hundred-thousand-dollar business--affect the intensity of exaltation. I doubt it.

FICTIONAL EXAMPLES. Fiction offers examples of exaltation: the last, triumphant scene of Howard Roark in The Fountainhead, by Ayn Rand; on a smaller scale, some scenes from Heart of a Pagan, by Andrew Bernstein; the last scene of Von Ryan's Express (the book, not the movie), by David Westheimer; and, on a still smaller scale, and only implied, some scenes in success stories created even by emotionally repressed writers such Louis L'Amour, for example, in Utah Blaine. For objective readers, the facts in these scenes evoke positive evaluations that give rise to the emotion of exaltation.

CONCLUSION. Climbing to the top of a steep hill is both a narrow example and a symbol of the setting for feeling exaltation. The situation includes a pattern of progressive action toward a definite milestone or goal, evokes an awareness of intense accomplishment, and produces a broad perspective that casts aside trivia and involves the essence of one's soul--one's highest personal values. Action toward a high goal and its eventual accomplishment are the causes of the feeling, and the accompanying broad perspective is an immediate effect of the situation.

Exaltation is the emotion that arises from reaching a new high point in the core of one's life and knowing that one is worthy of standing there because one has earned it through thought and action.

Burgess Laughlin
Author, The Power and the Glory: The Key Ideas and Crusading Lives of Eight Debaters of Reason vs. Faith

[1] For the quotation: Ayn Rand, The Letters of Ayn Rand, editor Michael Berliner, Plume (Penguin), 1997, p. 583-584.

[2] I am working from Cassell's Latin Dictionary and from the The Random House Dictionary of the English Language, 2nd ed., unabridged.

NWO activists--history in the making?

Updated: Sept. 9, 2009

The following list shows the activism of individuals who are members of Northwest Objectivists. It is a social organization whose primary purpose is enjoying the company of like-minded individuals and whose secondary purpose is assisting members in starting other, specialized groups (for example, for activism or study). By providing a meeting ground, NWO has facilitated activities for change.

As a long-term student of history, I have been fascinated by professional historians' accounts of the spread of ideas through various societies (ancient Greece, medieval France, England in the early Enlightenment, and others). In several posts, I have described the lessons I have drawn from looking at the past and the present:
"Philosophical ripples?"
"What is in-line activism?"
"In-line vs. off-line activism?"
"What is a movement?"
"Quality control in movements?"

Having compiled the following list, I appreciate even more the fervor of activity that must have led to the culture of the West European Enlightenment--many individuals at many levels of society, each in his own chosen manner, pursuing a better future.

WRITERS
- Writing weblogs: Kate Gerber, CareerMama; Andrew Miner, On Coding Style, epistemology of writing software; Brad Williams, Scripsit, political; Andrew Dalton, Witch Doctor Repellent, political; Burgess Laughlin, Making Progress, philosophical and historical; Peter Namvedt, Reason to Freedom, political; Gaia Marrs, Life on Marrs, political.
- Debating or advocating in specialized areas, online: Mia Eilebrecht, advocating for rational parenting; Rachel Miner, advocating for rational parenting; Rick Wilmes, researching the history of the ideological sources of US military policies, and debating on a US military academy discussion forum; and Peter Namtvedt, writing guest posts for political theory weblogs.
- Writing letters to editors, politicians, and bureaucrats: Maryallene Otis, Rachel Miner, and Peter Namtvedt.
- Writing supportive letters or calls to victims of statism (physicians, industrialists, property owners, etc.): Rachel Miner.
- Creating art carrying objective messages: Duane, writing a novel; and Peter Namtvedt, planning a political novel.
- Writing supportive comments on Objectivists' internet essays: Rachel Miner.
- Pursuing in-line philosophical activism: Burgess Laughlin, a long-term historical project.

ORGANIZERS, ENABLERS, AND FACILITATORS
- "Enabling" the activism of others, by organizing socials or discussion groups: Jason Crawford, Rachel Miner, Andrew Miner, and Burgess Laughlin.
- Providing a site (Study Groups for Objectivists) for structured, text-based study of elements of Objectivism and related topics: Brad Williams and Burgess Laughlin.
- Organizing for intellectual activism: Brad Williams, Oregonians for Individual Rights.
- Grading essays for the ARI essay context: Andrew and Rachel Miner.
- Creating organizations: Blake Scholl, Club for Capitalism (Seattle).

SPEAKERS
- Informally and singly speaking to friends and co-workers: Most of the 50 members of NWO.
- Making phone calls to local, state, or national legislators: Rachel Miner.
- Speaking to live audiences: Maryallene Otis (Toast Masters).

DEMONSTRATORS
- Carrying signs, distributing leaflets, participating in work parties: Blake Scholl, Jason Crawford, Bill Herman, Tom Lahti, Maryallene Otis, Don Otis, Alex Bleier, Thanh D., Brad Williams, Burgess Laughlin, and other NWO members (participating in "Tea Party" events, protesting "universal health care," and addressing other issues).

DONORS
- Signing ARI's The Atlantis Legacy: Jim and Duane; Don and Maryallene Otis; Andrew Layman; and Burgess Laughlin.
- Donating to ARI and Oregonians for Individual Rights: Burgess Laughlin and anonymous donors.

Burgess Laughlin
Author, The Power and the Glory: The Key Ideas and Crusading Lives of Eight Debaters of Reason vs. Faith

Ludwig von Mises on the economic crisis?

Dr. Robert Garmong, guest writer

What if the greatest economist in history, Ludwig von Mises, could directly comment on the current financial crisis and tell you how to deal with it? Well, unfortunately that's not possible -- Mises died in 1973. However, his "Monetary Reconstruction" essay, the work we will be studying in a September study group, comes close.

In it, Mises analyzes the reasons why government manipulates the money supply, and he demonstrates the manner in which those manipulations must lead to economic boom/bust cycles. He shows how inflation stems from the statist desire for government control over the economy and in turn leads to further intervention. He offers both a frightening picture of "the trend toward all-round planning" and a plan for the return to sound money (a full gold standard).

The three-week Mises Study Group should interest anyone who wants to understand economics, business-cycle theory or the current financial crisis. No special knowledge of economics will be required, beyond the layman's knowledge of basic economic concepts. We should all come away with greater insight into the seemingly incomprehensible melt-down of the American financial system and indeed the world economy. Both on the level of political solutions and personal financial planning, we should be better equipped to cope with the situation.

Dr. Robert Garmong
Recorded Lectures: The Ayn Rand Bookstore
Weblog: Professor-in-Dalian

Guest writer Dr. Robert Garmong will lead the 3-week "Monetary Reconstruction" course which begins Sept. 14 on SGO. Dr. Garmong holds a B.A. degree in economics and political science from the University of Chicago, and a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Texas. He has studied both Austrian-School economics and mainstream contemporary economics. He is now a Professor in the School of International Business and Communication at Dongbei University of Finance and Economics, in Dalian, China.

Book Review: The Independent Scholar's Handbook

For many individuals, properly defining a central purpose in life is a difficult process of abstraction. Even with that accomplished, there is another hurdle: designing a path that makes that abstract purpose concrete. For those individuals who want to be scholars, either in the humanities or in one of the sciences, but do not want to be professors in a university, Ronald Gross has written The Independent Scholar's Handbook.[1]

"Serious intellectual work can be pursued outside of academe," says the author stating his theme.[2] This book is not a mere call to spend a lifetime in study, no matter how passionate. Gross writes not to dilettantes but to individuals who are eager to learn better methods of research, create new knowledge, and expect to produce something with their studies--a book, a series of lectures, or some other ultimately marketable product.[3]

The front cover, but not the title page, contains this subtitle: "How to turn your interest in any subject into expertise." Each of the ten chapters of the book covers one phase of independent scholarship. In Part One ("Starting Out"), one chapter covers "From 'Messy Beginnings' to Your First Fruits of Research." In Part Two ("The Practice of Independent Scholarship."), chapters cover selection of resources (such as finding specialized libraries and gaining access to data bases), the benefits of working with other scholars, maintaining a high level of scholarly craftsmanship, and seeking financial support. Last, in Part Three ("Independent Scholars in Action"), Gross displays the range of activities in which scholars can make use of their expertise: tutoring, nonacademic teaching, writing in various forms, and "intellectual activism."

"Independent scholars are pioneering in a new area I call 'intellectual activism'," says Gross. "By that," he notes, he means scholars "undertaking activities that are not in themselves scholarship or science. These activities do not [themselves] create new knowledge, but they make existing knowledge more accessible, understandable, useful, or enjoyable to others; . . . they do something which benefits . . . the general culture." Though his abstract description is somewhat unclear, his examples of "intellectual activism" show that he usually means activism for intellectualism, that is, activism encouraging others to live "the life of the mind."[4]

Nevertheless, readers familiar with philosopher Ayn Rand's idea of intellectual activism--intellectuals taking action to spread philosophical principles by applying them to current problems in society--will find plenty of instruction and inspiration in this handbook.[5] At the end of every chapter, Gross offers a case study of an independent scholar in action, often rising from obscure beginnings to public success in one form or another. An example is Betty Friedan, author of The Feminine Mystique, a book that launched a women's movement that brought early progress (by debunking Freudian views of women) and later regress (by advocating governmental controls on employment).[6] Gross very briefly describes numerous other examples throughout the chapters--for instance, Rachel Carson, a scientifically trained author whose book for general readers, Silent Spring was most responsible for starting the modern environmentalist mass movement.[7] Through his many examples of independent scholars, Gross unintentionally gives the serious student of modern history--particularly the intellectual activist trying to gain insights that will make his work more effective--historical examples of the many independent intellectuals who, in decades past, shaped our society today--its movements, its values, and its politics.

Thus there are three potential audiences for The Independent Scholar's Handbook: would-be independent scholars, acting professionally; intellectual activists, acting as advocates of a movement; and individuals integrating the two points, that is, those individuals who have chosen to be in-line activists, which means advocates of intellectual change within their own chosen profession.

Cautions: The author provides a flood of examples and particulars. Objective readers will need their skills in reading at varying levels of intensity because some sections will be much more valuable to some readers than to others. Readers will also need to be wary of the author's "philosophy," which is a mishmash of an implicit benevolent universe principle, genuine intellectual excitement, and vague, conventionally leftist solutions to social problems.[8] Also be aware that this first edition was written before the internet became widely available as a resource. This fact does not detract from the book's main value, which is not the specific resources Gross lists but the timeless methods and virtues required for success.

For the appropriate readers, The Independent Scholar's Handbook can be an informative and inspiring guide.

Burgess Laughlin
Author, The Power and the Glory: The Key Ideas and Crusading Lives of Eight Debaters of Reason vs. Faith

[1] Ronald Gross, The Independent Scholar's Handbook, Reading (Massachusetts), Addison-Wesley Publishing, 1982. This is the first edition; the second, 1993, edition reportedly contains only minor improvements. Both are out of print. Inexpensive used copies are available from Amazon Books. [2] For the "outside of academe" quotation: p. xvi. [3] Ch. 1, "Risk-takers of the Spirit." [4] For the three quotations: p. 148. [5] For Ayn Rand's discussion of intellectual activism: Ayn Rand, "What Can One Do?" in Philosophy: Who Needs It, Ch. 17. See also discussions of intellectual activism on the website of The Ayn Rand Institute and The Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights, under the Participate/Activism tabs or search http://www.aynrand.org for "intellectual activism." [6] The case study of Betty Friedan appears on pp. 94-99. If my memory of 30 or 40 years ago serves me well, Ayn Rand wrote a book review of The Feminine Mystique, praising some of its insights, but I cannot identify the exact issue and periodical. [7] For mention of Rachel Carson: p. 94. [8] For the skill of choosing an appropriate level of reading depth: Edwin Locke, Study Methods and Motivation: A Practical Guide to Effective Study, at The Ayn Rand Bookstore. I wrote the review featured there.

Objectivist Roundup

Welcome to the February 26, 2009 Objectivist Roundup!

Objectivism is the philosophy created by Ayn Rand (1905-1982). She described it as a "philosophy for living on earth." For the five branches of that philosophy, the foundational ideas are: objective reality (metaphysics); reason (epistemology); self-interest (ethics); capitalism (politics); and romantic-realism in art (esthetics).

For the events of Ayn Rand's life, read Jeff Britting, Ayn Rand, 2004. For her philosophical thoughts, with leads to individual writings, peruse The Ayn Rand Lexicon, editor Harry Binswanger. Unique among primary philosophers, Ayn Rand not only wrote technical philosophical works (such as Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology), but she was also a best-selling fiction writer showing her philosophy in action--for example, in her novels, The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged. (The Ayn Rand Bookstore carries all of her works.)

This Roundup includes the following articles written by supporters of Objectivism:

Kendall J presents Inflation Temptation posted at simply Capitalism. "When economists start claiming that a little inflation is good for the economy, watch out!"

Miranda Barzey presents My Visit to Obamaland posted at Ramen & Rand.

Ryan Krause presents How Capitalist Capital Markets Should Work posted at The Money Speech.

Roberto Sarrionandia presents Empathy with Maniacs posted at Tito's Blog. "Britain's suicide strategy for extremism."

Benjamin Skipper presents Socratic Questions about the Israel-Gaza Conflict posted at Benpercent. "This essay examines three questions about the Israel-Gaza conflict that should have been given public debate, but instead have been left to cultural defaults."

Stephen Bourque presents Penn and Teller Explain Sleight of Hand posted at One Reality. "Up to now, I’ve been regarding the government’s activities to be the result of serious economic thinking. However, if one views all this as mere theatre, a sort of grotesque and fascinating vaudeville act, it renders it comprehensible."

Gus Van Horn presents Welfare and Borderline Cases posted at Gus Van Horn. "[A] borderline case in the realm of lending standards ... [is] being used to obliterate a black-and-white moral objection to a government policy of theft and passing out stolen goods."

J. Brian Phillips presents My Virtual Platform: Taxes posted at Houston Property Rights. "Most people complain that taxes are too high. I would agree. The reason that taxes are too high is because government attempts to do too many things, most are which are outside of its proper and legitimate sphere."

Ari Armstrong presents 9News Covers 'Low-Carb Food Stamp Diet' posted at FreeColorado.com. "Denver's NBC affiliate covered my "Low-Carb Food Stamp Diet.""

Michael Labeit presents On the Epistemological and Ethical Superiority of Capitalism posted at Philosophical Mortician. "Learn how a system discovered by rationality in turn positively reinforces further rationality."

To submit a weblog article to the next Objectivist Roundup use our submission form. For past posts and future hosts, see: blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: objectivist round up, blog carnival.

Ayn Rand on writing book reviews

"In 1969," editor Robert Mayhew says, "Ayn Rand gave a course on nonfiction writing to . . . friends and associates" who might become writers for her magazine, The Objectivist.[1] The course, edited, now appears in book form as The Art of Nonfiction. One small part of her course focuses on writing book reviews, an important element of her magazine dedicated to applying philosophy to contemporary culture. Following are my notes from the first half of Chapter 9, "Book Reviews and Introductions," plus a few comments.

What is a book review? I would say a book review is an essay that describes the essential nature of a particular book and evaluates it. A book review presents both facts and values--what a book is and what it is worth.

Why write a book review? The general reason for reviewing a book is to announce to a certain audience that a particular book exists. As a reviewer, you could also have special purposes. For example, you might want to encourage a particular writer by publicizing his book, thus increasing its sales and influence.[2] I can see at least two other special motivations. First, to save your audience from wasting time and money, you might occasionally review a book that is wildly popular and seductively advertised, but has an undeserved reputation. Second, you might want to write an informal review for yourself as a way of recording your thoughts about a book that will probably be important to you throughout your career. For example, a student of history planning to teach someday might want to write an informal book review of a classic history text such as the seminal work, The Great Chain of Being: A Study of the History of an Idea, by Arthur O. Lovejoy. As another example, an author writing a book of his own might informally review each work he frequently cites--as a way of preparing for discussions of his sources with critics in his field. (Upper level undergraduate, as well as graduate, students of history will recognize these informal reviews as resources for writing a bibliographic essay to accompany a thesis or dissertation.)

What are the main components of a book review? Generally, a book review mostly describes the essential nature of the book: What is the book's subject? Its theme? Its style? Its approach (for example, tutorial or scholarly)? The review should not recapitulate the book, following it step by step, and should not misrepresent the book by reporting nonessentials while ignoring essential characteristics.

Use quotations from the reviewed book as proof statements. Ideally, the quotations will show the book's subject matter, theme, style, and approach, thus confirming what you have said and earning the reader's trust. A major problem, however, is finding quotations that serve those purposes but are also brief and representative of the whole book.

The second major component of a book review, after describing its nature, is your evaluation of the book. Is it a "good" book--if so, for whom and why?[3] Any evaluation, I think, should be backed up quickly with facts and reasons. "Good" alone is floating. More precise terms would be more helpful: "informative," "thoughtful," and "objective" are examples, if established in the text of a full review.

The third major component of a book review is a brief sketch of "the book's philosophical and stylistic flaws." Indicate the author's errors that might confuse a less experienced reader of the book. Do not debate the author or propagandize ("A review is not a polemic," Ayn Rand says), but instead briefly refer the reader to other works that offer a correct view.[4]

What are pitfalls for novice book reviewers? One pitfall in writing book reviews is focusing--without telling your readers what you are doing--on a small element of a book because it is especially interesting to you but is not representative of the book as a whole.[5] A second pitfall is telling an author of a book how you think he should have written it. To do so is a context-dropping act of arrogance.[6] A third pitfall is failing to make clear to your reader when you are speaking for yourself (in evaluating the book) and when you are speaking for the author (by describing the book). This difficulty arises frequently because, rather than presenting a block of facts followed by a block of evaluations, an effective book review usually interweaves descriptions with evaluations.[7]

In summary, an objective book review tells and shows readers what a book is and what value it has.

Burgess Laughlin
Author, The Power and the Glory: The Key Ideas and Crusading Lives of Eight Debaters of Reason vs. Faith

[1] The course was recorded and, many years later, transcribed and edited. The result is Ayn Rand, The Art of Nonfiction: A Guide for Writers and Readers, editor Robert Mayhew, New York, Penguin/Plume, 2001. For the Mayhew quotation: p. xi. To buy the book: http://www.aynrandbookstore. [2] For Rand's purposes in reviewing books in The Objectivist: ANF, pp. 145-146. [3] For Rand's comments on the first two major components of a book review: ANF, pp. 147-149. [4] For describing a book's flaws: ANF, pp. 149-150. For not using a book review to propagandize: ANF, p. 152. [5] For the reviewer needing to say he is giving special attention to a minor part of the book: ANF, pp. 148-149. [6] For stating flaws and offering possible solutions, rather than prescribing the way an author should have written a book: ANF, pp. 150-151. [7] For distinguishing but interweaving description and evaluation: ANF, pp. 151-152.