Objektivisten: verzweifelt gesucht!
Auf dem Objectivism Online Forum sehe ich einen deutschen Objektivisten, der keinen Menschen kennt, der überhaupt vom Objektivismus gehört hat. Ein Anmerkung zu Kant: Der Philosoph wurde in Königsberg geboren, das heute zu Russland gehört. Der beschriebene Straftatbestand "sedition" heißt in Deutschland "Volksverhetzung" und in Österreich "Verhetzung". Es handelt sich um ein Recht, dass die Meinungsfreiheit einschränkt und somit in einem freien Land nicht zulässig sein kann. Ich stimme der Meinung von Ernst Nolte zu, dass es nicht Sache des Parlaments oder der Justiz sei, geschichtliche Wahrheiten zu definieren.

Hello,

I'm new to this forum and I really enjoy it!
Just by searching I can find so many answers to life's unanswered questions.

I'm a student from Germany. I discovered objectivism three months ago.
I read "Atlas Shrugged", now I enjoy the "Fountainhead" even more.
Also I read "Objectivism: the philosophy of Ayn Rand" and "Philosophy: Who needs it" at the moment.

Yeah, we need it. Badly!

In my country Kant is supposed to be the greatest philosopher.
Surprise, surprise, he's from Germany.
The town where he lived now is in Poland, but it was German at his time and Kant was German, not polish.

Another explanation for the admiration of Kant might be that even young Germans still feel guilty for the holocaust.

Children are taught at school that they are guilty for the holocaust.
Well, not personally at all, but collectively guilty as a German.

The holocaust is also often referred to as "the German's unforgivable crime against humanity".

German laws forbid to doubt or play down the holocaust. You can go to jail for five years for the crime of "sedition" if you doubt or play down the holocaust.

Just to make it clear: I don't doubt the holocaust. It is a historical fact and I think it was the worst illness that mankind has ever seen.

But even I still have to be careful. They might prosecute me for "sedition" if I told people ob objectivism and including that I might have to tell people that they are not guilty for the holocaust. Many things might be considered "play down of the holocaust" by over-dutiful judges...

So if Germans read this, feel offended or might want to call the police:

I just want to discuss whether the feeling of guilt for the holocaust might be one of the reasons why Germans feel so at home with Kant.

Objectivism is nearly completely unknown in Germany.
I don't even know a single person that has ever heard of objectivism.
"Atlas Shrugged" has Amazon.com rank #3.809.
The original version on Amazon.de ranks at position #31.911.
The German translation at #254.995.

Now just imagine what Kant as the greatest philosopher and the unforgivable guilt for the holocaust do to the Germans.

Germany was unable to conquer Europe during World War II, but now it is considered the main driving force of the European Union.

Is the Kantian philosophy a ticking bomb in any German head, from childhood on?

I think: "Objectivism: Germans need it most!"

What do you think?