Part 3/8:
The common reaction to questioning altruism often leads individuals to a stark binary: those who advocate for others are seen as virtuous, while those promoting self-interest are labeled as selfish or evil, akin to a “bad guy” archetype in modern narratives. Rand complicates this dichotomy by presenting a third path—rational self-interest—which many people struggle to integrate into their worldview, leading to conflicting emotions regarding her philosophies.