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By blaming the society, don't we hide our own evils? ||Acharya Prashant, on 'The Fountainhead'(2019)
Acharya Prashant
1.3K views
6 years ago
Maya
Prakriti
The Fountainhead
Ayn Rand
Conditioning
Individualism
Collectivism
Responsibility
Description

Acharya Prashant addresses a question regarding the character Ellsworth Twohey from Ayn Rand's 'The Fountainhead' and the tendency of academic institutions to prioritize tradition over individual creativity. He explains that society is not an external entity to be blamed; rather, society is composed of individuals like ourselves. He argues that blaming professors or authorities for a lack of freedom is a form of self-gratification and an avoidance of personal responsibility. Both the student and the professor are often equally trapped in the past, seeking security in old patterns and conditioning. He emphasizes that the common enemy is not society, but 'Maya' or 'Prakriti', which represents the fundamental tendencies of the human brain. Acharya Prashant further critiques the use of collective language, such as 'we' and 'our', noting that it stems from an evolutionary need for survival in the jungle. He points out the irony of idolizing individualistic characters like Howard Roark while simultaneously demanding encouragement and support from others, which he identifies as a form of dependency. He explains that while human exteriors and technology have evolved rapidly, the internal state remains prehistoric and driven by primal instincts. He concludes that man's tragedy lies in this disconnect: while the outside world is developed and modern, the inner world remains a 'roaring jungle' governed by ancient conditioning.