Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
In this episode of the Ayn Rand Institute podcast, Elan Journo talks with Ben Bayer, Robertas Bakula, Alex Silvermen, Audra Hilse, Sam Weaver, and Keith Lockitch about their upcoming talks at OCON 2026 in New Orleans.
● [0:45] Introduction
● [0:45] Bayer: Ayn Rand on progress
● [6:27] Bakula: antitrust is anti-production
● [12:18] Silverman: metaphysics of productiveness
● [17:33] Hilse: publishing "We the Living"
● [23:14] Weaver: Milton’s Paradise Lost
● [29:27] Lockitch: Descartes and Newton on the rainbow
● [35:24] Outro
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– App Store itunes.apple.com/us/app/ayn-rand-university/id1452535178?mt=8
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ARI is funded by donor contributions. You can support our work by becoming an ARI Member or making a one-time contribution: ari.aynrand.org/donate
Explore these ideas further! ARI's online publication, New Ideal, explores pressing cultural issues from the perspective of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism: newideal.aynrand.org
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In this episode of the Ayn Rand Institute podcast, Elan Journo talks with Ben Bayer, Robertas Bakula, Alex Silvermen, Audra Hilse, Sam Weaver, and Keith Lockitch about their upcoming talks at OCON 2026 in New Orleans.
● [0:45] Introduction
● [0:45] Bayer: Ayn Rand on progress
● [6:27] Bakula: antitrust is anti-production
● [12:18] Silverman: metaphysics of productiveness
● [17:33] Hilse: publishing "We the Living"
● [23:14] Weaver: Milton’s Paradise Lost
● [29:27] Lockitch: Descartes and Newton on the rainbow
● [35:24] Outro
Subscribe to ARI’s YouTube channel to make sure you never miss a video:
youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=AynRandInstitute
Download or stream free courses on Ayn Rand’s works and ideas with the Ayn Rand Institute app:
– App Store itunes.apple.com/us/app/ayn-rand-university/id1452535178?mt=8
– Google Play play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aynrandu
ARI is funded by donor contributions. You can support our work by becoming an ARI Member or making a one-time contribution: ari.aynrand.org/donate
Explore these ideas further! ARI's online publication, New Ideal, explores pressing cultural issues from the perspective of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism: newideal.aynrand.org
******
Keep in Touch! Sign up to receive email updates from ARI: aynrand.org/signup
Follow ARI on Twitter: twitter.com/AynRandInst
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Subscribe to the ARI Live! podcast: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ayn-rand-institute-live/id1440399458
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Join an upcoming virtual or in-person event: ari.aynrand.org/events
Visit ARI’s website for more about our content and programs: ari.aynrand.org
![Does Targeting Columbia University Target Intellectual Freedom?
In this episode of The Ayn Rand Institute Podcast, Sam Weaver and Ben Bayer discuss the Trump administrations decision to cut federal funding to Columbia University in response to its handling of pro-Hamas protests. They argue that government involvement in universities makes such coercion possible and threatens intellectual freedom.
Among the topics covered:
● How to think about the pro-Hamas protests at Columbia;
● The nature of Trump’s actions against Columbia;
● How federal funding threatens intellectual freedom;
● How Trump’s actions violate intellectual freedom;
● Why Trump’s measures are uniquely destructive;
● How the concept of “academic freedom” confuses the issue;
● How to remove force from educational institutions.
Mentioned in this podcast are Ayn Rand’s essays “The Establishing of an Establishment” [https://www.amazon.com/Philosophy-Needs-Rand-Library-Vol/dp/0451138937?tag=aynrandorgcampus-20] and “Fairness Doctrine for Education” [https://www.amazon.com/Philosophy-Needs-Rand-Library-Vol/dp/0451138937?tag=aynrandorgcampus-20], the article “More University Donors Should Go Galt [https://newideal.aynrand.org/more-university-donors-should-go-galt/], and the podcast episode “DeSantis’s Push to Ideologically Transform Florida Colleges” [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qMsLQlG9Fs].
This podcast was recorded on April 8, 2025 and posted on April 16, 2025.
0:00:00 Introduction
0:02:35 Pro-Hamas protests at Columbia
0:9:39 Trump’s actions against Columbia
0:17:57 Federal funding and intellectual freedom
0:27:57 Trump violating intellectual freedom
0:38:47 Trump’s measures as uniquely destructive
0:44:34 The concept of “academic freedom”
0:50:24 Removing force from educational institutions
Subscribe to ARI’s YouTube channel to make sure you never miss a video:
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Download or stream free courses on Ayn Rand’s works and ideas with the Ayn Rand Institute app:
– App Store https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ayn-rand-university/id1452535178?mt=8
– Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aynrandu
ARI is funded by donor contributions. You can support our work by becoming an ARI Member or making a one-time contribution: https://ari.aynrand.org/donate
Explore these ideas further! ARIs online publication, New Ideal, explores pressing cultural issues from the perspective of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism: https://newideal.aynrand.org/
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![Behind the Scenes of Ayn Rand’s Second Interview with Mike Wallace
In this episode of New Ideal, Brandon Lisi and Agustina Vergara Cid discuss the backstory of the newly published “lost” Mike Wallace—Ayn Rand interview from 1960 [https://youtu.be/AyHnNNdjc8E].
Among the topics covered:
● Historical background of the “lost” interview;
● Rand’s role as a public intellectual during the 1960s;
● How Rand’s intellectual confidence shines through in the interview;
● How the Ayn Rand Archives recovered the recording;
● Upcoming projects of the Ayn Rand Archives.
Mentioned in this podcast are Rand’s first [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHl2PqwRcY0] and fourth interviews with Wallace [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DM_kP6vBlFs], Letters of Ayn Rand [https://aynrand.org/novels/letters-of-ayn-rand/] and the online archive exhibit [https://aynrand.org/archives/letters-of-ayn-rand-intro/], and Rand’s letter “To Senator Barry Goldwater” [https://aynrand.org/archives/letters/letter-467/].
The podcast was recorded on December 10, 2024 and posted on December 12, 2024. Listen to the discussion below. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcast. Watch archived podcasts here.
0:00:00 Introduction
0:00:58 Historical background of the interview
0:07:39 Rand’s role as a public intellectual in the 60s
0:16:10 Rand’s confidence in the interview
0:23:55 Recovering the recording
0:30:00 Upcoming projects of the Ayn Rand Archives
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Download or stream free courses on Ayn Rand’s works and ideas with the Ayn Rand University app:
– App Store https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ayn-rand-university/id1452535178?mt=8
– Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aynrandu
ARI is funded by donor contributions. You can support our work by becoming an ARI Member or making a one-time contribution: https://ari.aynrand.org/donate
Explore these ideas further! ARIs online publication, New Ideal, explores pressing cultural issues from the perspective of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism: https://newideal.aynrand.org/
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![I’ve Read Ayn Rand. Now What?
In this episode of The Ayn Rand Institute Podcast, Don Watkins, Onkar Ghate, and Keith Lockitch discuss the Institutes recently announced educational program on Objectivism: ARU Core.
• [0:00] Introduction:
• [01:10] Making Objectivism your own personal perspective
• [07:50] Personal vs professional value of philosophy
• [13:20] Expertise and gaining mastery
• [22:28] ARU program and benefits
Resources:
1. Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged
2. Ayn Rand, The Virtue of Selfishness
3. Leonard Peikoff, Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand
4. Ayn Rand “Through Your Most Grievous Fault” in The Voice of Reason
5. Ayn Rand, The Fountainhead
This episode was recorded on July 30th, 2026.
Subscribe to ARI’s YouTube channel to make sure you never miss a video:
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Download or stream free courses on Ayn Rand’s works and ideas with the Ayn Rand Institute app:
– App Store https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ayn-rand-university/id1452535178?mt=8
– Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aynrandu
ARI is funded by donor contributions. You can support our work by becoming an ARI Member or making a one-time contribution: https://ari.aynrand.org/donate
Explore these ideas further! ARIs online publication, New Ideal, explores pressing cultural issues from the perspective of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism: https://newideal.aynrand.org/
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