Editor's Desk: Taking Flight

by Sherrie Gossett

Summer 2011 issue -- If, as Ayn Rand wrote, “Civilization is the process of setting man free from men” then some are still awakening, wide-eyed, to that newfound freedom. For “Learning Liberty,” writer Sarah Perry and photographer Danny Fulgencio trekked to Armenia to document the transforming work of the Liberty English Camps in a country once dominated by the Soviet Union. Part of that communist legacy is an all-too-prevalent mindset of dependency and waiting to be taken care of. But those attending the camp voiced a different view: “If we spread this idea [of liberty], we will have a better Armenia than we have now” said camp participant Manane Petrosyan. “If you want to be successful in life, it depends on you,” added Givi Kupatadze.

Givi had previously attended a Liberty English Camp in Poland. About that experience he explained, “I realized that I own my life . . . it was amazing for me.”

Closer to home, young adults from the inner city are experiencing that same liberating and exhilarating fact as they learn the skills and thinking necessary to fully become “CEOs” of their own lives. In “Start it Up!” also by writer Sarah Perry, we take a journey into the remarkable life and work of Steve Mariotti and his Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship. We see young people overcome steep challenges, such as homelessness and drug-addicted parents, as they strive to own their future, start their own businesses, and go from “powerless to powerful.”

“Each individual has the right to his own life, his own mind, and the pursuit of his own happiness,” Rand wrote. With the economic downturn, you may well feel your happiness or sense of direction has been suddenly interrupted, like a train jumping its track. In this issue’s theme section, authors Joel Wade, Will Thomas, and Bradley Doucet help us recalibrate our thinking and actions with practical tips on how to sort out our priorities in tough times. A special thanks to Will Thomas who edited this issue's theme section.

These are just some of the highlights of this issue. For our vacationing readers, don’t forget that you can download any TNI article as an mp3 file. Just visit www.atlassociety.org/tni to peruse our articles.

Wherever your summer vacationing may take you, keep in mind Joel Wade's upbeat exhortation in this issue: "When you clearly and confidently express your support for liberty, responsibility, and the positive virtues of individualism—particularly if you do so with dignity and respect—there are people who will notice, and your example will have an effect."

spiderID=1967

‍