The Ayn Rand Institute Podcast

The 2026 midterm elections resulted in a decisive victory for the Democrats over the Republicans. But does this signal support for the Democratic agenda, or merely a rejection of the party in power? In a joint livestream of New Ideal and The Yaron Brook Show, Dr. Onkar Ghate and Dr. Yaron Brook examine the election’s significance for America’s political future. They discuss the failures of both parties, the growing influence of nationalist and socialist factions within them, the prospects for a

The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) have become a major force to contend with in U.S. politics, as seen in Zohran Mamdani’s election as mayor of New York and in a series of congressional electoral successes. However, while many see the DSA as an idealistic alternative to the status quo, their ideals are deeply rooted in dogmas held on faith, such as their faith in “economic democracy,” in the future promise of socialism, in the evil of Israel, and in the view of capitalism as inherently e

Ayn Rand famously held Aristotle in high regard, describing him as a “philosophical Atlas who carries the whole of Western civilization on his shoulders.” Given such a statement, it’s not surprising that there are rich connections to be found between Aristotle’s philosophical system and Rand’s, which she called Objectivism. Scholars of Aristotle and Rand have found deep connections between the two in metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and aesthetics. In this episode of the Ayn Rand Institute po

Recently, author and ARI’s VP of Fundraising and Marketing Don Watkins was interviewed on the Texas Talks podcast, where he discussed Ayn Rand’s unique moral admiration for productive work, her new conception of self-interest, and ARI’s work to preserve and spread her philosophy today. Topics include: Why Ayn Rand has an enduring appeal The morality and spirituality of wealth creation Working, marketing, and fundraising at ARI News about the Ayn Rand Center in Austin Why we need a new conc

Recently, ARI Senior Fellow Ben Bayer was interviewed on the Texas Talks podcast, where he discussed Ayn Rand’s unique approach to philosophy as a practical means for living, the life-promoting philosophy she developed as a result, and how her idealist-realist heroes dramatize it. Bayer contrasted Rand’s approach and views with the dominant ones in today’s culture, focusing specifically on Stoicism and altruism. Bradley Swail is the host of the Texas Talks podcast, not an employee of the Ayn Ra

In her recent book The Mattering Instinct, philosopher Rebecca Newberger Goldstein argues that much of what human beings do is driven by a universal need to matter — to prove to ourselves that we are worthy of consideration. She argues that efforts to fulfill this need are responsible for a wide range of human projects, from the greatest achievements of scientific discovery and artistic creation, to the worst atrocities of murder and genocide. On this episode of ARI Bookshelf, Greg Salmieri, Be