Changing Our Address Not Our Philosophy
June 25, 2002 

      MARINA DEL REY, CA--"I've been asked by a number of reporters if the Ayn Rand Institute's move to conservative Orange County from liberal Los Angeles County has anything to do with our political philosophy," said executive director, Dr. Yaron Brook.

      "Although we know Orange County is a little more politically conservative," Dr. Brook said, "I don't think any geographic community is fundamentally in sync with Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism. The Ayn Rand Institute (ARI) is neither conservative nor liberal. For example, we not only advocate the complete separation of church and state but also the complete separation of state and economics. Neither conservatives nor liberals are consistent defenders of liberty or individual rights: each is prepared to grant man some freedom in one area so long as it can control him in the other. As champions of the morality of selfishness, we hold that man has the right to pursue his rational self-interest in the spiritual and material realms, in regard to mind and body. That's why we advocate individual rights across the board, whether one is discussing the right to freedom of thought or the right to property--and that makes us neither conservative nor liberal."

      "So, regardless of where ARI conducts business," said Dr. Brook, "conservatives, liberals and everyone else on the political spectrum will continue to hear our arguments against their ideas and, more important, for our own ideas. It's certainly a good indication that ARI's message is being heard when the press attributes philosophical motives to even such mundane activities as changing addresses. It's proof they're thinking about where we're coming from--pun intended.

Dr. Yaron Brook is available for interviews. To interview Dr. Brook or book him for your show, please e-mail media@aynrandcenter.org

For more articles by Yaron Brook, and his bio, click here.