From: blanc <blancw@accessone.com>
Date: Sun, 28 Jul 1996 13:37:11 +0800
To: "'cypherpunks@toad.com>
Subject: RE: [NOISE IS NOISE] Re: Rand and smoking Re: Flaws of Thinkers  (Jefferson, Rand, Nietzsche, Voltaire, etc.) [NOISE E. D.]
Message-ID: <01BB7BFD.39BF47C0@blancw.accessone.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
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From: 	Bill Stewart

You fail to understand the precisely reasoned Aristotelian syllogistic
logic of Ms. Rand's position (you heretic!):

        1) Smoking is a result of fire.
        2) Fire is cool.
        3) Therefore, smoking is cool.
                Q.E.D.

        4) Logic is cool, and non-logic is non-cool
        5) We're cool
        6) Therefore, light up that cigarette or be excommunicated!
                Q.E.D.
.....................................................................


I don't remember reading anything about Ayn Rand insisting that her followers smoke, although I've read many of the Objectivist newsletters which were published for some time and read Barbara Branden's biography of her (I must have missed those parts).

I do remember somewhat her description of what smoking meant to her and know that it was a very important symbol in her life.  If her followers saw fit to emulate her on account of a mere symbol to the detriment of their health, and if this was at Rand's insistence, then I would say that they were demonstrating the principle which Rand also illustrated in her books, that being "the sanction of the victim".   

Ironic, huh.   Sometimes you can identify the things that are far enough away to see, but not the ones that are too close to notice.

   ..
Blanc