Ben Bayer
@benbayer.bsky.social
Senior Fellow, the Ayn Rand Institute. Views expressed are my own, I am not authorized to speak for my employer.
https://ari.aynrand.org/experts/ben-bayer/
https://ari.aynrand.org/experts/ben-bayer/
I was born in July 1976 (not long after the 4th). So this month I celebrate my 50th along with America’s 250th.
July 4, 2026 at 4:41 PM
I was born in July 1976 (not long after the 4th). So this month I celebrate my 50th along with America’s 250th.
"The character traits of the great scientist are just supremely clear examples of the character traits of the morally virtuous man or woman. . . .
To accept the scientific world view is already to accept a set of values."
To accept the scientific world view is already to accept a set of values."
June 10, 2026 at 11:29 PM
"The character traits of the great scientist are just supremely clear examples of the character traits of the morally virtuous man or woman. . . .
To accept the scientific world view is already to accept a set of values."
To accept the scientific world view is already to accept a set of values."
Here I interview UNC Chapel Hill scholar Bart Ehrman about his new, super-interesting book about the the religious, Christian roots of altruism. There's disagreement about whether this is to Christianity's credit or altruism's detriment. Tune in!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=62w3...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=62w3...
Bart Ehrman on the Christian Origins of Altruistic Morality
YouTube video by Ayn Rand Institute
www.youtube.com
May 12, 2026 at 4:16 PM
Here I interview UNC Chapel Hill scholar Bart Ehrman about his new, super-interesting book about the the religious, Christian roots of altruism. There's disagreement about whether this is to Christianity's credit or altruism's detriment. Tune in!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=62w3...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=62w3...
"There’s . . . cause for soul searching here even among those who think of themselves as critics of the Marxist posturing of the Pikers of the world. Why indeed has there been so little attention to and outrage about the terrorizing of corporate America?"
May 10, 2026 at 7:41 PM
"There’s . . . cause for soul searching here even among those who think of themselves as critics of the Marxist posturing of the Pikers of the world. Why indeed has there been so little attention to and outrage about the terrorizing of corporate America?"
On his way around the moon, astronaut Victor Glover quoted scripture. It wasn't the first religious stunt in space. In 1968, Ayn Rand had choice, critical words. "I, for one, felt as if the capsule had disintegrated and we were left in the primordial darkness of empty space."
April 7, 2026 at 12:19 AM
On his way around the moon, astronaut Victor Glover quoted scripture. It wasn't the first religious stunt in space. In 1968, Ayn Rand had choice, critical words. "I, for one, felt as if the capsule had disintegrated and we were left in the primordial darkness of empty space."
"How could I ever advocate that immigration should be restricted, when I wouldn’t be alive today if it were?" Ayn Rand's comment in a 1973 Q&A wasn't an isolated comment. She often sympathetically portrayed the migrant's quest for freedom in her fiction.
new-ideal.aynrand.org/p/ayn-rands-...
new-ideal.aynrand.org/p/ayn-rands-...
Ayn Rand’s Dramatization of the Migrant’s Journey To Freedom
Ayn Rand’s fiction repeatedly portrays the story of individuals who leave their homeland seeking refuge from their oppressors
new-ideal.aynrand.org
March 18, 2026 at 8:14 PM
"How could I ever advocate that immigration should be restricted, when I wouldn’t be alive today if it were?" Ayn Rand's comment in a 1973 Q&A wasn't an isolated comment. She often sympathetically portrayed the migrant's quest for freedom in her fiction.
new-ideal.aynrand.org/p/ayn-rands-...
new-ideal.aynrand.org/p/ayn-rands-...
"How could I ever advocate that immigration should be restricted, when I wouldn’t be alive today if it were?" Ayn Rand comment in a 1973 Q&A wasn't an isolated comment. She often sympathetically portrayed the migrant's quest for freedom in her fiction.
new-ideal.aynrand.org/p/ayn-rands-...
new-ideal.aynrand.org/p/ayn-rands-...
Ayn Rand’s Dramatization of the Migrant’s Journey To Freedom
Ayn Rand’s fiction repeatedly portrays the story of individuals who leave their homeland seeking refuge from their oppressors
new-ideal.aynrand.org
March 18, 2026 at 8:13 PM
"How could I ever advocate that immigration should be restricted, when I wouldn’t be alive today if it were?" Ayn Rand comment in a 1973 Q&A wasn't an isolated comment. She often sympathetically portrayed the migrant's quest for freedom in her fiction.
new-ideal.aynrand.org/p/ayn-rands-...
new-ideal.aynrand.org/p/ayn-rands-...
ARI is pleased to publish on New Ideal Greg Salmieri's major essay on Ayn Rand's ethics from the volume he recently edited, Two Philosophers: Aristotle and Ayn Rand.
new-ideal.aynrand.org/p/mans-life-...
new-ideal.aynrand.org/p/mans-life-...
“Man’s Life” as the Standard of Value in the Ethics of Aristotle and Ayn Rand
The new book "Two Philosophers" explores the deep philosophical relationship between Aristotle and Ayn Rand. Read an exclusive chapter on why they both made “Man’s Life” the foundation of their ethics
new-ideal.aynrand.org
March 5, 2026 at 12:26 AM
ARI is pleased to publish on New Ideal Greg Salmieri's major essay on Ayn Rand's ethics from the volume he recently edited, Two Philosophers: Aristotle and Ayn Rand.
new-ideal.aynrand.org/p/mans-life-...
new-ideal.aynrand.org/p/mans-life-...
The Ayn Rand Institute has consistently identified Iran as the fountainhead of global Islamic terrorism. We have called for military action against Iran for decades. Here we list previous statements on Iran and Islamic terrorism making this position clear.
new-ideal.aynrand.org/p/ari-resour...
new-ideal.aynrand.org/p/ari-resour...
ARI Resources on the American Conflict with Iran
Learn about ARI’s decades-long perspective on Iran
new-ideal.aynrand.org
March 2, 2026 at 10:10 PM
The Ayn Rand Institute has consistently identified Iran as the fountainhead of global Islamic terrorism. We have called for military action against Iran for decades. Here we list previous statements on Iran and Islamic terrorism making this position clear.
new-ideal.aynrand.org/p/ari-resour...
new-ideal.aynrand.org/p/ari-resour...
Onkar and I read the 170 page decision so you don’t have to (but it wouldn’t hurt if you did).
How the SCOTUS Tariff Decision Helps Slow the Advance of Authoritarianism
In its decision on the President’s tariffs, the Supreme Court struck a blow in defense of the separation powers against advancing statism. But more is needed to return government to the job of protecting individual rights.
In its decision on the President’s tariffs, the Supreme Court struck a blow in defense of the separation powers against advancing statism. But more is needed to return government to the job of protecting individual rights.
How the SCOTUS Tariff Decision Helps Slow the Advance of Authoritarianism
YouTube video by Ayn Rand Institute
youtu.be
February 27, 2026 at 4:06 PM
Onkar and I read the 170 page decision so you don’t have to (but it wouldn’t hurt if you did).
Reposted by Ben Bayer
Trump’s immigration enforcement, however destructive, is ultimately the responsibility of voters. It’s their responsibility to reverse course. Read Ben Bayer's article:
ICE Tyranny is What Democracy Looks Like
buff.ly
February 25, 2026 at 10:19 PM
Trump’s immigration enforcement, however destructive, is ultimately the responsibility of voters. It’s their responsibility to reverse course. Read Ben Bayer's article:
100 years ago this week Ayn Rand came to America. This is her dramatic immigration story -- authored lovingly by Agustina Vergara Cid and Brandon Lisi. There were dozens of ways it might have ended differently--mostly because of arbitrary immigration laws.
new-ideal.aynrand.org/p/i-chose-to...
new-ideal.aynrand.org/p/i-chose-to...
“I Chose to Be an American”: Ayn Rand’s Immigration Story
100 years ago, Ayn Rand came to America in pursuit of her highest ambitions
new-ideal.aynrand.org
February 20, 2026 at 4:09 PM
100 years ago this week Ayn Rand came to America. This is her dramatic immigration story -- authored lovingly by Agustina Vergara Cid and Brandon Lisi. There were dozens of ways it might have ended differently--mostly because of arbitrary immigration laws.
new-ideal.aynrand.org/p/i-chose-to...
new-ideal.aynrand.org/p/i-chose-to...
From me in the OC Register today:
"The laws Trump is enforcing are not ‘undemocratic.’ But they do violate constitutional rights. Even non-citizens have a right to liberty. Laws restricting immigrant labor violate the freedom to work and engage in trade."
www.ocregister.com/2026/02/16/i...
"The laws Trump is enforcing are not ‘undemocratic.’ But they do violate constitutional rights. Even non-citizens have a right to liberty. Laws restricting immigrant labor violate the freedom to work and engage in trade."
www.ocregister.com/2026/02/16/i...
ICE tyranny is what democracy looks like
Voters made this possible.
www.ocregister.com
February 16, 2026 at 10:40 PM
From me in the OC Register today:
"The laws Trump is enforcing are not ‘undemocratic.’ But they do violate constitutional rights. Even non-citizens have a right to liberty. Laws restricting immigrant labor violate the freedom to work and engage in trade."
www.ocregister.com/2026/02/16/i...
"The laws Trump is enforcing are not ‘undemocratic.’ But they do violate constitutional rights. Even non-citizens have a right to liberty. Laws restricting immigrant labor violate the freedom to work and engage in trade."
www.ocregister.com/2026/02/16/i...
Here Sam Weaver and I discuss @tamu.bsky.social's deletion of philosophy from the philosophy curriculum because Plato is too "woke." First Amendment violations are unavoidable in public education; a "fairness doctrine" would be less destructive then A&M's ham-handed approach.
Texas A&M’s Ban on Plato: Anti-”Woke” Censorship?
A new policy at Texas A&M University restricts professors’ ability to teach certain topics, prevented one from teaching Plato.
A new policy at Texas A&M University restricts professors’ ability to teach certain topics, prevented one from teaching Plato.
Texas A&M’s Ban on Plato: Anti-”Woke” Censorship?
YouTube video by Ayn Rand Institute
youtu.be
February 5, 2026 at 7:15 PM
Here Sam Weaver and I discuss @tamu.bsky.social's deletion of philosophy from the philosophy curriculum because Plato is too "woke." First Amendment violations are unavoidable in public education; a "fairness doctrine" would be less destructive then A&M's ham-handed approach.
I'll be on the Yaron Brook show at 7pm ET to discuss tribalism, "cancel culture" and other related topics (probably including this past weekend's events):
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hbu8...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hbu8...
Conversation with Ben Bayer -- Rethink “Cancel Culture” and More | Yaron Brook Show
YouTube video by Yaron Brook
www.youtube.com
January 26, 2026 at 11:04 PM
I'll be on the Yaron Brook show at 7pm ET to discuss tribalism, "cancel culture" and other related topics (probably including this past weekend's events):
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hbu8...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hbu8...
Another shooting in Minneapolis. Much of the analysis in this podcast still applies. The main issue is not about the particulars of the shooting, but about the context leading up to it and the administration’s reaction. Watch to see how a real thinker processes this.
Renee Good Killing and Tribalism in America
The killing of Renee Good in Minnesota at the hands of an ICE agent further revealed the tribal divide in America. What does this mean for the rule of law and the future of America?
The killing of Renee Good in Minnesota at the hands of an ICE agent further revealed the tribal divide in America. What does this mean for the rule of law and the future of America?
ICE, Renee Good, and the Rule of Law
YouTube video by Ayn Rand Institute
youtu.be
January 24, 2026 at 4:42 PM
Another shooting in Minneapolis. Much of the analysis in this podcast still applies. The main issue is not about the particulars of the shooting, but about the context leading up to it and the administration’s reaction. Watch to see how a real thinker processes this.
Here I argue that we must abandon the "cancel culture" concept: the debate over antisemitism in the GOP shows how it obscures the basic unity between woke activists and MAGA antisemites. Both are faith-driven witch hunters. That's the only concept we need.
Ostracizing antisemites like Nick Fuentes is necessary and just. The “cancel culture” concept only obscures what’s wrong with today’s political culture. Read Ben Bayer's recent analysis!
📷: Paul Taylor / Stone / via Getty Images
📷: Paul Taylor / Stone / via Getty Images
It’s Time to Rethink “Cancel Culture”
buff.ly
January 14, 2026 at 8:35 PM
Here I argue that we must abandon the "cancel culture" concept: the debate over antisemitism in the GOP shows how it obscures the basic unity between woke activists and MAGA antisemites. Both are faith-driven witch hunters. That's the only concept we need.
Why there needs to be more moral support for the Iranian protestors — and why almost no one is offering it.
Iranian Theocracy on the Brink? Why Protesters Deserve Our Moral Support
In this episode, of The Ayn Rand Institute Podcast, Elan Journo and Onkar Ghate examine why Iran’s ongoing uprising may be the regime’s most serious challenge yet—and why it deserves far more moral support from the free world.
In this episode, of The Ayn Rand Institute Podcast, Elan Journo and Onkar Ghate examine why Iran’s ongoing uprising may be the regime’s most serious challenge yet—and why it deserves far more moral support from the free world.
Iranian Theocracy on the Brink? Why Protesters Deserve Our Moral Support
YouTube video by Ayn Rand Institute
youtu.be
January 14, 2026 at 5:52 PM
Why there needs to be more moral support for the Iranian protestors — and why almost no one is offering it.
Root for the Iranian protesters if you're critical of ICE. If Trump intervenes because of the repression of protesters, he'll have to explain how he can bomb another country's repressive Gestapo while creating his own. Freedom for Iran could help American freedom.
January 11, 2026 at 11:42 PM
Root for the Iranian protesters if you're critical of ICE. If Trump intervenes because of the repression of protesters, he'll have to explain how he can bomb another country's repressive Gestapo while creating his own. Freedom for Iran could help American freedom.
"Mamdani has...done us a favor: he’s used the most accurate name for his ideology and for the idea that’s taken more seriously in both of today’s political camps. 'Collectivism' is the broad category that covers socialism, fascism, and any other system that sacrifices the individual to some group."
As long as American culture regards self-sacrifice as the moral ideal, collectivism will seem “warm” to idealistic activists. Read Ben Bayer's article about Mamdani's recent speech.
📷: JASON ALPERT-WISNIA / AFP/ via Getty Images
📷: JASON ALPERT-WISNIA / AFP/ via Getty Images
Mamdani’s “Warmth of Collectivism” Channels Ayn Rand’s Villains, but the Problem Is Wider than Socialism
buff.ly
January 8, 2026 at 11:38 PM
"Mamdani has...done us a favor: he’s used the most accurate name for his ideology and for the idea that’s taken more seriously in both of today’s political camps. 'Collectivism' is the broad category that covers socialism, fascism, and any other system that sacrifices the individual to some group."
Here Elan Journo, Onkar Ghate and I use the f-word quite liberally. No, the really bad f-word.
The Constitution Ignored: Trump's War on Venezuela
In Venezuela, we saw the just downfall of a socialist dictator. But also the rise of a nationalist authoritarian foreign policy abrogating the American Constitution.
In Venezuela, we saw the just downfall of a socialist dictator. But also the rise of a nationalist authoritarian foreign policy abrogating the American Constitution.
The Constitution Ignored: Trump's War on Venezuela
YouTube video by Ayn Rand Institute
youtu.be
January 8, 2026 at 8:08 PM
Here Elan Journo, Onkar Ghate and I use the f-word quite liberally. No, the really bad f-word.
I'll never forget the day a professor in grad school defended socialized medicine against the idea it would tyrannize doctors by saying "as the employee of a state university, I don't feel my liberty is violated."
www.kbtx.com/2026/01/07/t...
www.kbtx.com/2026/01/07/t...
Texas A&M philosophy professor ordered to remove Plato reading or be reassigned
Professor Peterson said the discussion about love and biological sexes from Plato’s Symposium is what the administration red-flagged.
www.kbtx.com
January 8, 2026 at 6:32 AM
I'll never forget the day a professor in grad school defended socialized medicine against the idea it would tyrannize doctors by saying "as the employee of a state university, I don't feel my liberty is violated."
www.kbtx.com/2026/01/07/t...
www.kbtx.com/2026/01/07/t...
This is still true. Trump opened his second term with an act of pure dishonesty and wicked contempt for the rule of law when he did a blanket pardon of all Jan 6ers. I laid out the case last January.
youtu.be/fEOGBX9R05w?...
youtu.be/fEOGBX9R05w?...
The Dramatic Injustice of the January 6th Pardons
YouTube video by Ayn Rand Institute
youtu.be
January 6, 2026 at 5:33 PM
This is still true. Trump opened his second term with an act of pure dishonesty and wicked contempt for the rule of law when he did a blanket pardon of all Jan 6ers. I laid out the case last January.
youtu.be/fEOGBX9R05w?...
youtu.be/fEOGBX9R05w?...
Onkar Ghate and I comment here on a recent essay by Steven Pinker and Marian Tupy. What is the threat that Enlightenment values are really up against, and what will it take to save those values?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClmX...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClmX...
Steven Pinker's Weak Defense of Enlightenment Values vs. Religion
YouTube video by Ayn Rand Institute
www.youtube.com
January 2, 2026 at 3:33 PM
Onkar Ghate and I comment here on a recent essay by Steven Pinker and Marian Tupy. What is the threat that Enlightenment values are really up against, and what will it take to save those values?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClmX...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClmX...