Of course, these examples are more than mere thought experiments. While they are a bit of a caricature, they aren't far from reality. Moralism is widespread in Objectivism. In preparing this talk, I decided not to waste time chronicling numerous examples because anyone even vaguely familiar with Objectivism should have numerous examples of his own. Consider, for example, Ayn Rand's depiction of Ellsworth Toohey in The Fountainhead. Ellsworth Toohey is incontrovertibly evil in every sense of the word. There can be no doubt that he is a destroyer of life and needs to be brought to justice and defended against, but these are simply facts of reality. Ayn Rand's picture of Ellsworth Toohey is not a simple depiction of reality; it is loaded with emotion. In particular, it is loaded with moralism. There is anger implicit in almost every remark about Toohey and, in my view, not an ounce of compassion. This concords with what Rand has to say about this attitude in Atlas Shrugged: "To withhold your contempt from men's vices is an act of moral counterfeiting." Of course, this attitude applies not only to how Ayn Rand related to fictitious characters, but to people in real life as well. I need not go into details regarding her attitude towards Nathaniel Branden during and after their break. Whatever you may think of the moral status of Nathaniel Branden, there can be no doubt that Rand reacted to him with extreme moralization. Reportedly, she responded to almost anyone with whom she disagreed in this way. Unlike many academic philosophers, who welcome constructive criticism and eagerly engage in cordial debates, Rand is said to have been so dismissive of her critics that few, if any, stuck around to sort out ideas with her. Others-like Leonard Peikoff-learned to never disagree or criticize to avoid her moralistic wrath. Of course, it shouldn't surprise you that Ayn Rand's only self-described "intellectual and legal heir," Leonard Peikoff, is one of the most moralistic Objectivists you'll find anywhere. One of my favorite moralistic passages from Peikoff comes from his philosophical treatise, Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand. In it, he writes: "A man who would throw away his life without cause, who would reject the universe on principle and embrace a zero for its own sake-such a man, according to Objectivism, would belong on the lowest rung of hell" (247-8). This is Peikoff's Objectivism, I should note, not mine. I'll come back to this quotation later to examine its implications for interpersonal relations. And given my audience, I need not recount the history of David Kelley's excommunication. For further details on that matter, I refer you to Peikoff's "Fact and Value" and Kelley's "Truth and Toleration."

Fortunately, Kelley brought to bear a level of benevolence previously unknown in Objectivism. In that sense, he departed from the tradition that Ayn Rand established and that many of her followers followed. David Kelley does a good job justifying the inclusion of benevolence in the list of major virtues on the basis of the trader principle, but absent from works like Unrugged Individualism and "Truth and Toleration" is a justification of benevolence on the basis of empathy and compassion. And often absent from even TOC Objectivists are empathy and compassion towards people they consider evil. In accordance with Kelley's approach, TOCers tend to be much less quick than their ARI counterparts to dismiss as evil those with whom they disagree, but those they do dismiss as evil they tend to moralize against just the same. Just think of the look that comes onto most Objectivists' faces or the change that happens in their tone of voice when discussing people like Immanuel Kant or Karl Marx. The discussion of such people rarely consists solely of cool, calm, level-headed rationality. Objectivists-even TOCers-tend to get worked up, angry, indignant, self-righteous, vituperative-in a word, moralistic-when discussing those whom they regard as evil.