The Egoists Vs. The Second-handers

The world really boils down to two types of people - the egoists and the second-handers. To clarify, the egoists aren't exactly who they are perceived to be in this situation. They are those who work for themselves. By this I mean that they don't work to reap the ends of their means, they work for the love of the means. The second-handers are the group that are all about greatness in other peoples eyes. The second-handers are the ones who cheat but externally portray innocence to achieve the ends of greatness without actually being great. They are deemed by society the selfish ones, but, in fact, they are the selfless ones. They have no self, they only exist due to others. Thus, they are selfless because they truly don't have a self.

Both the egoists and the second-handers are capable of making changes in the world. The difference is that the second-handers change is predicated upon the values others place on the idea. If the others that the second-handers look to are also second-handers, this creates a circular logic until stopped by an egoist in society. So, all change - by the second-handers - can boil down to the values of the egoists. Additionally, the change made by the egoists is that of their own ideas.

Personally, I want to be an egoist who sweeps the world with their ideas. I refuse to value the validity of my ideas on the values of those around me. I believe that upon my own fair values should my ideas be interpreted. With this lens can my ideas be valued to truly make me happy. With my own rational and logical understanding of ideas, can these ideas then be accepted by the other egoists of the world. Since the second-handers depend upon the egoists for their value in life, my values would become theirs.

For more information on Ayn Rand check out: