12-15-2015, 02:13 AM
(This post was last modified: 12-15-2015, 02:14 AM by APeacefulWarrior.)
Well, the difference is that Rand took it one step further. She looked down upon those who weren't already reliant on the Self, referring to them disparingly as "collectivists." Her philosophies were intended to actively break people of their reliance upon others and create a truly Self-focused society where collective positive action is basically impossible. But Ra's certainly right about her being all about separating the Elite from everyone else.
(And even then, there are definite tensions within her own philosophy, since the entire plot of Atlas involves a cabal of Elites working together to achieve this. She needs a lot of philosophical handwaving to explain why this isn't a collective action, despite appearances and her characters even ironically calling themselves "Strikers" in parody of collectivism.)
(And even then, there are definite tensions within her own philosophy, since the entire plot of Atlas involves a cabal of Elites working together to achieve this. She needs a lot of philosophical handwaving to explain why this isn't a collective action, despite appearances and her characters even ironically calling themselves "Strikers" in parody of collectivism.)