This session consists of two talks, each 30 minutes long, followed by a Q&A panel with the speakers. First, Eric Daniels will discuss the place of the self-made man in American thought. According to him, the idea of the self-made man is a uniquely American creation, and he explores the origins, development and corruption of this concept in American culture and thought. The talk culminates in an explanation of why Ayn Rand’s individualist conception—the man of the self-made soul—is the only true conception of self-making, and that all other aspects—economic, physical and beyond—grow out of it.

Andrew Bernstein will present a talk titled “Giants of Contemporary Business.” The story of Steve Jobs is both well known and, because of the lessons it contains, worthy of continued study. But other great figures, although not as well-known, are equally deserving of admiration. Li Ka-shing, for example, left school before age fifteen, worked sixteen hours a day, eventually founded his own company, and today is the wealthiest man in Asia. Who are some of the other giants of contemporary business—and what are their achievements? This talk tells their stories.