Book Review: The Fountainhead

The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand is a powerful novel that tackles what is possibly the most important question for any individual to answer. What is the purpose of my life. This was a gripping book that I could not put down. Written in the middle of the last century it rang true with me today.

Ayn Rands philosophy is known as objectivism. It is for the heroic in man and argues that the only true way to happiness is to live the selfish life. Ayn Rands selfish is not the selfishness as contemporarily known. By it the author means that you should be true to yourself without compromise, for to compromise is to deny your self worth. From single mindedness great things come and they can benefit others so through individual selfish behaviour mankind benefits. This is consistent with the contemporary biological theories such as the selfish gene or the origins of virtue.

At the time when the book was written Ayn Rand lived in a world that was being swallowed by communsim. China and teh Soviet block both had designs on global communist domination. The Fountainhead attacks the core of that now defunct political system by justifyung the right if the individual. Rand strongly favours the capitalist model as the only model that lets individuals thrive. The alternative, to be selfless and live for others is to destroy your own life force.

I identified with many of the characters in the novel from the heroic Howard Roark to the failed Peter Keating. Dominique Francon connects the characters taking us into their worlds. The author considers that the purpose of anyones life is to pursue what you can not help but do. For Howard Roark this is to be an Architect. For Peter Keating this is to be an artist. However Peter is unable to take up his raison de etre due to vanity wheras Howard Roark pursues his work ignoring external influence. Ultimately Howard Roarks path is justified and is argued to be the only true path to a happy life.

This book impressed me. It gave an explanation for my behaviour spanning many years, not without some discomfort I might add. I am a convert to this way of thinking. The only important standard is your own and within and it is in all of us. Whatever your field of work you innately know the quality of work that you deliver because is it judged against your own potential best. It is mans task to strive to deliver that best.

Resources: Wiki
Film