Ayn Rand’s Unique Understanding of Racism

In this episode of New Ideal Live, Onkar Ghate and Nikos Sotirakopoulos discuss Ayn Rand’s distinctive understanding of racism.

Among the topics covered:

Why Rand thought racism is not fundamentally an issue of institutionalized power;
Why Rand thought that racism is the idea that one’s character is produced by internal physiology;
The difference between racism and having affection for one’s country;
Why racism is a version of determinist collectivism;
Whether individual freedom incentivizes racism;
How racism rationalizes the desire for the unearned;
Ayn Rand’s view of the Civil Rights Act of 1964;
The invalidity of the concept of “states’ rights”;
Whether racial solidarity is a valid response to racist oppression;
Whether today’s race consciousness is racist;
Why living in a racist society does not grant anyone any privilege;
Why people don’t understand that race consciousness is a form of racism.

Mentioned in the discussion is Ayn Rand’s essay “Racism” and the current Ayn Rand University course “The Road to Critical Race Theory” (taught by Ghate and Sotirakopoulos), which is still open to auditors.

This podcast was recorded on January 13, 2022. Listen to the discussion below. Listen and subscribe from your mobile device on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or Stitcher. Watch archived podcasts here.