Coming from a family of readers with exposure to wide range of books; the one book I read which changed my way of thinking and influenced my decisions was Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged”.
Its basic principle is Objectivism. What is objectivism? It is a mix of many principles of Ayn Rand who among other things believed that a human being achieves true happiness only when one lives for himself and pursues his own interest to reach the highest levels of satisfaction possible for himself; that the proper moral purpose of one's life is the pursuit of one's own happiness or rational self-interest.
An over-simplification would be live for your own happiness and not for others.
But can this theory or rather the practical use of this theory possible in India (The ultimate example for a co-dependent society)???
Ours is a country in which bonds and relationships are a way of life and people here are dependent on each other .Some relations we love to have and some we love to hate. But none the less; we live with them. From the time we are born till we die, we are bound by the rules, customs; traditions set by our ancestors without even knowing the origins for most of them.
If you loved a person who did not meet the “standards” of your family; would you follow the principle of Objectivism or turn practical? If your chosen career is not your dream career; would you stay or quit?
Objectivism would say stand up against everyone and achieve your dreams; do what drives your inner passion; achieve the ultimate satisfaction everyday…..Live your life as you wish it!! But reality would say do the practical thing that profits you and everyone else; think about the others; think about your responsibilities…..
No matter what you choose; each comes with its own price. Now all you have to decide is what are you willing to pay?
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