I started reading Ayn Rand at about 1970 and still have her books. I've always liked a lot of what she promulgates, but I do not like that she is so absolute in what we are allowed to do to be fair to ourselves. The needs of each person are different...anyway that has already been argued to death. I just wanted to add something I hardly ever see mentioned.

A study was made of animals, both domestic and in the wild. The study found that where animals are altruistic, they have increased their survival rate.

Animals are not altruistic, some may argue? In an experiment, a hungry chimp was offered a banana. It refused to eat until the person gave the other chimp a banana also.

You have seen the lioness who finds a wounded fox lying in the middle of a road? They eat foxes, yet she curled herself around it protectively and when the male dared to try and take the fox from her, she threatened him (lion males usually back off when threatened by a female - just as with our specie).

If you do a search and find I spoke the truth, ask yourself, how will such knowledge affect your theories?