Was Ayn Rand Anti-Family?

Podcast audio:

In this episode of the Ayn Rand Institute podcast, Samantha Watkins and Ben Bayer tackle the common criticism that Ayn Rand is “anti-family” and analyze its philosophical roots. They examine claims that Rand’s novels omit discussions of having children and explore what her actual views on parenting reveal about living a rational, selfish life.

Among the topics covered:

● Debunking the notion that Rand ignores children and parenting;
● Rand’s actual view on children and parenting;
● How choosing to be a parent can be a rational value;
● Why parenting doesn’t require sacrifice;
● Why “fertility crisis” concerns don’t justify treating individuals as means to societal ends.

Recommended in this podcast are Gregory Salmieri’s lecture “Reproduction and the Objectivist Ethics” and Ben Bayer’s article “The Fountainhead and the Spirit of Youth.”

This podcast was recorded July 30, 2025 and posted on August 14, 2025.

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