when i first thought of volunteerism many years ago, i thought about being a nice person helping those in need. after reading her books, i was taught that no one has the right to my time, and that i should not live one minute of another person’s life for them, nor ask them to live one minute of my life. it all seemed simple, of course nobody had a right to my time, it was my time after all. however ayn rand believed volunteerism was evil only because it was forced upon people. i now have the courage to disagree. i want to help other people, being perfectly selfish is impossible for me, for i have a much kinder heart than ayn rand. unlike her, i do not believe that volunteerism is free labor, it’s a mutual agreement between two parties, and each side benefits from it. some may be supporting a cause they believe in, others may be rich and not need the money; i do it because i do not care about money. i care about the act of working and the final production not the money. this is one main modified idea that i’ve retained from ayn rand’s philosophy.



charity on the other hand is ayn rand’s nemesis. her main objection to charity is that it gives money to the undeserved, people who have not earned the money. i too had regarded charity with distaste. beyond the superficial dinners and special guests, i see an aristocratic form of mendicancy. however i do see the genuine goodness in charities and i am sympathic to their cause. it is just the money that bothers me; i believe money has to be earned not freely given out.

-paul ma, comparative expostulation of the self-