<p>In this episode, the late entrepreneur, Stephen Fry talks about the impact Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged (and later The Fountainhead) had on him as a young Oxford undergraduate in the early 1980s. Coming from a working-class East London background shaped by postwar collectivism and the welfare state, 🟡Fry says Rand introduced him to libertarianism and legitimised focusing on “I/me” rather than “we/us,” challenging the idea that prioritising oneself is inherently wrong. He describes Oxford as a class-mixing environment where adopting independence helped him navigate social differences and feel “free from class.”🟡Fry links this mindset to business decision-making taking responsibility for choices while also asking what value he can add for others and recommends reading Rand to be challenged, noting philosophers broadly shaped his thinking.00:00 Podcast Introduction00:47 Oxford and Ayn Rand03:04 Collectivism vs Individualism04:40 Oxford Studies and Thinking07:54 Class and Identity at Oxford10:34 Libertarian Lessons in Business13:41 Books That Challenge You15:54 Closing Thanks and Outro<br /></p>