On Sunday, I hosted another episode of my live Rationally Selfish Webcast, where I answered questions from viewers on practical ethics and the principles of living well. The live webcasts are held every Sunday at 8 am PT / 9 am MT / 10 am CT / 11 am ET. The webcast consists of me broadcasting on video, Greg Perkins of Objectivist Answers on audio, and the audience in a text chat.

As usual, an audio recording of Sunday’s live webcast is now available as a NoodleCast podcast. To get these podcasts automatically, you can subscribe to the feed in iTunes — just choose either the enhanced M4A format or the standard MP3 format. They’re the same content, but the M4A format breaks each question into its own “chapter.”

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If you prefer to send a check, please write “RS Webcast” in the memo field and send it to “Diana Hsieh; P.O. Box 851; Sedalia, CO 80135.”

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The Video

The full video for the webcast is only available to live attendees. Now, you can listen and/or download the audio podcast. However, I’ll post my favorite segment or two of video to my YouTube channel later this week.

The Podcast

Listen Now

Duration: 1:03:09

Download the Episode

• Download the Enhanced M4A File (29.8 MB)
  
• Download the Standard MP3 File (29.0 MB)

Subscribe to the Feed

• Subscribe to the Enhanced M4A Feed in iTunes or in your RSS reader
  
• Subscribe to the Standard MP3 Feed in iTunes or in your RSS reader

In This Episode

The following segments are marked as chapters in the M4A version of the podcast. Thanks to Tammy Perkins for helping compile the show notes!

Introduction (0:00)

Current Projects:

This week, I spoke at the Colorado Springs SkeptiCamp, and next week, I’ll be speaking on Family, Rational and Otherwise at the Chicago Objectivist Society’s Weekend Conference.

Question 1: The Validity of Introversion and Extroversion (4:15)

Are “introversion” and “extroversion” valid as psychological types? Sometimes people classify themselves and others as “introverts” and “extroverts.” What does that mean? Is the distinction valid and useful? Why or why not?

My Answer, In Brief: Know thyself! A person should know his base personality traits, so that he can manage himself and his life better.

Links:

• Wikipedia on Personality Psychology, the Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator, and the Five Factor Model.
  
• Myers and Briggs Foundation on type basics, extraversion or introversion, sensing or intuition, thinking or feeling, and judging or perceiving.
  
• From The Atlantic: Caring for Your Introvert, Introverts of the World, Unite!, and The Introversy Continues.

Question 2: Circumcision and Religious Freedom (29:30)

Should circumcision be banned? Residents of San Francisco were supposed to vote on a ballot measure that would have banned circumcision, except in cases of medical necessity. (It was struck from the ballot by a judge due to conflicts with state law.) Since circumcision is an millennia-old religious rite for Jews and regarded as essential to their covenant with God, would a ban on circumcision violate the principle of freedom of religion?

My Answer, In Brief: Routine circumcision of baby boys is a violation of rights, and a religious motivation does not change that.

Links:

• The Great Circumcision Rant by Ross
  
• Why I Will Never Attend A Brit Milah by Shea
  
• Circumcision as Mutilation and A Story on Circumcision by Diana Hsieh

Question 3: Lobbying as a Career (37:27)

Can lobbying be a proper career choice? Lobbying involves asking for various kind of favors from the government. Is that a profession that someone who values free markets should avoid like the plague?

My Answer, In Brief: A person can lobby for free markets and individual rights with integrity — and to do so is good!

Question 4: Working for a Statist Company (45:01)

Is it immoral to work for a company that uses government to eliminate or hamper the competition? For example, if a company has brought antitrust lawsuits against its competitors, should you refuse to work for them?

My Answer, In Brief: In most cases, ordinary employees are not responsible for the political activities of companies that they work for. Sanction and responsibility requires a closer connection to the actions in question.

Rapid Fire Questions (51:28)

In this segment, I answered a variety of questions off-the-cuff. The questions were:

• Do we need an Objectivist K-Street team?
  
• Is it wrong to work for Halliburton or another company dependent on government?
  
• Do you know how or if “right-brained/left-brained” tendencies fit in with personality theory?
  
• When it comes to personality traits, doesn’t the attitude of ‘nature to be commanded must be obeyed’ contradict the principle that ‘man is a being of self-made soul’?
  
• Should the government mandate vaccination of children?

Conclusion (1:02:09)

Comments or questions? Contact us!

• Diana Hsieh: DianaHsieh.com: diana@RationallySelfish.com
  
• Greg Perkins: Objectivist Answers: greg@eCosmos.com

If you enjoyed this episode, please don’t forget to contribute to our tip jar! Also, remember to submit and vote on questions in the the ongoing question queue!