The Age of Selfishness – Ayn Rand, Morality and the Financial Crisis

Written and Illustrated by Darryl Cunningham

Since this book was published in 2015, the financial crisis it refers to in its sub-title is the one that occurred in 2008. The author splits the book into 3 sections. The first outlines the life of Ayn Rand, her philosophy of objectivism, the cult-like following, her influence on the American political right and one of her acolytes, Alan Greenspan and his role leading to the crash.

The second part of the book explains the financial devices, utterly obscene greed and the lack of government regulation that led to the collapse of the world economy.

Finally, it takes a philosophical look at how the poor and minority have become scapegoats and the subsequent rise of the Tea Party. Which seems quaint now as this was a pre-Trump publication.

This book is a thorough education in factors that have led us to the divided nation we live in now. The advent of Citizens United money, the corporate corruption of our politics have led to “the veneration of individualism over collective responsibility” giving them the right to do whatever they wish.

The author’s sparse illustrations take us panel to panel in the necessary small bites to swallow this all.