Objectivist Conferences 2021: OCON Austin

The Objectivist Conference (OCON) in Austin, Texas featured great lectures

For years, I’ve attended OCON, sponsored by Leonard Peikoff’s Ayn Rand Institute (ARI), where I’ve studied, worked and graded papers throughout my career, in various incarnations from New York City to Southern California and places—Chicago, Las Vegas, Rocky or Blue Ridge Mountains and Pittsburgh—in between. I know many OCON speakers. Some may be reading this. OCON’s the best and foremost Objectivist conference. Despite flaws, my limited schedule and advanced knowledge, this year’s is no exception. OCON—Objectivist Conference—2021 was held at the University of Texas, Austin’s AT&T Conference Center.

Besides mixers and work during the conference, my lecture and event schedule included a dramatic presentation of one of Ayn Rand’s favorite plays, Monna Vanna, by Ann Ciccolella’s Austin, Texas, performing arts company. My favorite lecturer, Shoshana Milgram, author of a forthcoming Rand biography, spoke about the play in her talk, “Rising in Love: Monna Vanna as Magnificent Drama.” Monna Va…