From: hees@cubic.com (Phil Hees)
Subject: Re: Ayn Rand, Open vs. Closed Polyamory
Organization: Cubic Toll Systems
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 92 06:36:34 GMT

Jim Baranski (BARANSKI@VEAMF1.NUSC.NAVY.MIL) either writes or quotes (the
attribution appears to have been lost):

> "However, all the "you are responsible for your own actions" part
> aside, dunno how applicable polyamory is to Rand, or vice versa.  I
> can't think of any healthy polyamorous relationships in her books;
> Dominique gets raped and likes it..."

And Gerard Deckert (ad1x+@andrew.cmu.edu) writes:

> So it's about Ayn Rand.  To be honest, I don't really think this is an
> appropriate bboard to discuss her and/or Objectivism . . . Rand hasn't
> really spoken directly to the issue of polyamory . . .


I'm surprised that no one else has commented on this yet, but as I have
just picked up this thread, my apologies if I missed an earlier post.

Ayn Rand hasn't really spoken directly about polyamory, it is true.  But
during most of the writing of _Atlas Shrugged_, and for some years after,
she was living in an openly polyamorous relationship with both her husband
Frank O'Connor and her lover and protege Nathaniel Branden, the two men to
whom she dedicated that book.

The details of this period have been written about by Barbara Branden in
her biography "The Passion of Ayn Rand", and by Nathaniel Branden (I don't
have the title of his book handy).  I would recommend both books to anyone
who is interested in Miss Rand or in Objectivism, and I will try to obtain
and post the title of Nathaniel's book in the next few days.

I think it is very appropriate to discuss Ayn Rand in this newsgroup.  In
her fiction and nonfiction writings she presented a view of romantic love
which was decidedly monogamous, but in her private life she maintained two
very close romantic relationships openly and simultaneously.  The details
are quite interesting.  She and Nathaniel, who was twenty-five years her
junior, began their affair only after discussing it with Frank and Barbara
and getting their permission.  For many years they scheduled one afternoon
each week to spend alone together in Ayn and Frank's apartment (Frank
would often greet Nathaniel at the door and chat for a while before
leaving).  This arrangement was apparently not without emotional distress
for all four involved, but it was maintained until the mid-nineteen-
sixties, at which time Nathaniel left both women (and the Objectivist
movement which he had been instrumental in starting) for the woman he
loved, Patrecia Wynand.

I imagine that much of Rand's philosophy of romantic love was influenced
by this experience.  Much of _Atlas_ was written during the early years of
her relationship with Nathaniel, when it must have seemed to her that
rational human beings could find a solution to any situation they found
themselves in, including a love triangle.

To the best of my knowledge, the only time she publically discussed
polyamory was during one of her lectures: she stated in answer to a
question from a member of the audience that "it is possible for a person
to be in love with two people at once, but it is so difficult that it is
perhaps only possible for giants" [my paraphrase from memory].  Of course,
she had herself, Nathaniel, Barbara and Frank in mind!

                     . . . . . . . . . . . .

And while we're on the subject of favorite authors:

Gerry, I appreciated your mention of Heinlein, who I hereby nominate as
the patron saint of polyamory.  Offhand, I can't think of one book he
wrote after and including _Stranger in a Strange Land_ which didn't
touch on the subject.  Your description of how an extended family would
go about bringing in a new member could be straight from the pages of
any one of the following: _The Moon is a Harsh Mistress_, _Friday_, or
_Time Enough For Love_ (and I probably missed one or two more).

Here's a challenge: can anyone think of a Heinlein novel published after
1960 which didn't include at least one polyamorous relationship?  (Maybe
_Job_ or _Farnham's Freehold_, but I think they lean that way too.)


--
Phil Hees
hees@cubic.com