When the news broke while I was watching the Olympics, I was excited. I may have cheered just a little.
You see, there has always been a certain "Greed is Good" mentality to the Romney campaign -- the more money you make, the better person you are.
And then, just to confirm this, he nominates Paul Ryan to be VP.
Paul Ryan once said "“Rand more than anyone else did a fantastic job of explaining the morality of capitalism, the morality of individualism… It’s that kind of thinking, that kind of writing that is sorely needed right now.”" Don't believe me? Well, he said it in a video he posted on his Facebook account.
And, well, there's this video, which takes Ryan's comments and intersperses them with Ayn Rand's:
And, another awesome quote from Ayn Rand: “Each man must live as an end in himself and follow his own rational self-interest.”
For more info on how Christians must distance themselves from Ayn Rand, follow this link.
So, how does this doctrine of individuality mesh with the doctrine of Mormonism? Well, not very well.
"We live in perilous times when many believe we are not accountable to God and that we do not have personal responsibility or stewardship for ourselves or others. Many in the world are focused on self-gratification, put themselves first, and love pleasure more than they love righteousness. They do not believe they are their brother’s keeper. In the Church, however, we believe that these stewardships are a sacred trust." -Elder Quentin L Cook, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, October 2009
I believe the Savior is telling us that unless we lose ourselves in service to others, there is little purpose to our own lives. Those who live only for themselves eventually shrivel up and figuratively lose their lives, while those who lose themselves in service to others grow and flourish—and in effect save their lives. -President Thomas S Monson, October 2009
Man’s greatest happiness comes from losing himself for the good of others. -President David O McKay, October 1963
Satan’s position is the opposite. He sponsors self-interest, raw and unrefined by any other consideration. One of his most effective tools is the temptation to take unfair advantage in order to get gain. It has been so from the beginning. -Elder Dallin H Oaks, October 1986
