ROR Colorado is the local chapter of ROR in Denver, Colorado. ROR Colorado is an objectivist club dedicated to objectivist ethics & personal enlightenment. Though we hold objectivist ethics and moral virtue to be of the highest significance, we believe that to learn to respect the rights of others is not an end, but merely a beginning. This objectivist club is different from others in that it aims not only for ethical understanding and intellectual advancement- but also to teach emotional intelligence (emotional capacities such as compassion, courage, humanity, optimism, and forgiveness).
This is not an advocacy of altruism, but merely a personal and selfish goal of man pursuing human perfectibility. It is the simple acknowledgment that man's measure is NOT limited to only his intellect, but also includes his character. Our goal is to develop ourselves through association with other individuals who have attained a high degree of moral virtue, reasoning capacity, and emotional intelligence.
Traditionallly, objectivist clubs have been limited to discussing and learning only Ayn Rand's ideas. Our impression of such clubs is that they seek not so much to teach members to learn to reason for themselves, but rather to learn (and implicitly- agree with) someone else's reasoning. Objectivism is often taught as an unquestioned truth. We believe in no unquestioned truths, but rather recognize that truth can only be found through questioning. It is our goal that each member learn to reason and discover the truth for himself, rather than unquestioningly accept the thinking of others.
As such, our studies and focus include not only the works of Ayn Rand and Nathaniel Branden, but also the works of other authors such as Viktor Frankl, author of Man's Search for Meaning, and Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence amongst many others. We seek to enlighten, rather than to ingrain. We also believe that indoctronating people based on dogma does not teach them to reason, but only usurps their reasoning abilities. Our goal is to teach the ethics of objectivism and to develop our reasoning; as such, we often use Ayn Rand and Nathaniel Brandon's thinking in demonstrating the same. However, unlike other groups, we neither limit nor bound ourselves strictly to their conclusions. We leave reasoning open to all logical avenues and remain open to all reasoned thought in order to achieve the true objectivist purpose of enlightenment in empowering man to think and act for himself.
Furthermore, it is our goal to to teach capacities that extend beyond reasoning. Capacities such as hope, optimism, compassion, humanity, humility, joy, courage, and self-discipline. These virtues are all emotional capacities rather than intellectual abilities. We consider one's abilities to harness and control his emotions, to overcome adversity, and to understand the human experience as vital keys to enlightenment. These emotional aptitudes represent mental capacities completely outside the realm of the intellectual. The ability to get along with others, to feel compassion for others, to enjoy life, and to control one's impulses are determining hallmarks of intelligent behavior and intelligent emotion (See Howard Gardner's book Multiple Intelligences). Emotional intelligence marks the natural evolution of man's development from objectivism, to enlightened objectivism.
If you are interested in learning and teaching objectivism, in learning to reason, in developing emotional intelligence, and in taking part to create an open, tolerant, gentle, trusting, and trustworthy community, we would be interested in having you join our discussions and events. There is no cost to join or obligation to stay. The only profits we seek are in the form of self development. It is our philosophy that there are many many better ways of making money than an objectivist club, but no better way to gain access to a society of intellectuals. This club represents but one society of the such. If you think that you would like to be a part of it, send Will Providence an e-mail to:
Willprovidence@yahoo.com
to be added to our group discussion list. We also try to meet 4 to 6 times a year to get acquainted and discuss differing subjects. We look forward to your company.
Will Providence
ROR of Colorado
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For more details about RoRColorado, contact Will Providence by email (note, you must be logged in to view this email address). |
