Everyday we are swamped with bad news The deluge of unwanted news arrives in the form of bank failures, old established financial firms biting the dust, stock markets plunging, precipitous drops in consumer spending, unemployment soaring, etc

Economic illusions are running amuck Sound economic reasoning is difficult to come by

"What the World Needs Now Is Love" a song written by Hal David and Burt Bacharach, performed by Jackie DeShannon, was a top 10 song during the summer of 1965 It captures the “love” movement of the 60’s

Success philosophers and gurus advocate “going the extra mile” as a prerequisite for accumulating riches They claim that only the individual who gives more than he is receives—or is willing to put in the extra effort without any immediate returns reaps the benefits of success and prosperity

Western Civilization is crumbling under the burdensome weight of destructive social ideas and false moralities And the crushing weight continues to increase—day after day

The last work Ayn Rand planned before her death in 1982 was a series of essays released as the book “Philosophy: Who Needs It” Her conclusion is that everyone needs philosophy

In the song “Pilgrim” Enya beautifully sings about a philosophy of being—a metaphysical way to joyously live your life The second verse reveals timeless wisdom

Many people have pondered the question: What is the meaning of life—why are we here After much reflection, most conclude that this question is unanswerable

Many people have undoubtedly asked themselves what their purpose in life is Others go through life without any purpose—drifting aimlessly—seeking instant gratification

You believe that you are a rational individual who has control over his thoughts, feelings and emotions You take effective actions to achieve your goals

A person may believe that he embraces the philosophy of rational selfishness—but still not have control of his thoughts, feelings and emotions Because of this he acts in an irrationally selfish manner—especially when presented with unpleasant circumstances

Beginning with the creation of those wealth destroying entities called the Federal Reserve System and the Federal Income Tax—politicians, altruists, government bureaucrats and the establishment media have existed for one purpose—and one purpose only—to destroy the capitalistic system and “The American Way of Life

In Part 1, I mentioned that you must avoid the social philosophy of altruism In Part 2, I explained how irrational selfishness in others and yourself is detrimental to your success and happiness

In Part 1 I discussed the destructiveness of social altruism and the pitfalls of personal altruism Irrational selfishness ties in with altruism because altruists need irrationally selfish people

The thing we fear most has come upon us—and that is extreme economic crisis Years of government intervention is reaping havoc on the market place

People act as if the government possesses magical powers that can solve all of our individual and social ills All this mythical entity has to do is wave its wand and all our problems vanish in a blink of an eye

It is obvious that America has become a nation of individuals who want immediate satisfaction and short-term "solutions" A perfect example is our current financial crisis-a crisis caused by the easy money policy of The Federal Reserve System

Some would shockingly exclaim "Objectivism dating New Age Spirituality-you've got to be kidding" Others would speak about the incompatibility of the two

How many people awaken in the morning hoping to be renewed—only to unhappily discover that instead—it is their suffering and despair that has been renewed They think “My God—another day without hope—a day of drudgery—a day without any pleasure or satisfaction

In one of the great songs about the cycles of life—a song that captures the feelings of the moment—Joni Mitchell wrote and sang: “And the seasons they go round and round And the painted ponies go up and down We're captive on the carousel of time We can’t return we can only look behind From where we came And go round and round and round In the circle game” Are we captured on the carousel of time—experiencing fleeting moments of joy, suffering and some pain along the way—thrilling to victory one day, reeling in defeat the next—until we finally take that one last ride—when the painted pony goes up and comes down for the final time