Tom Snyder Interviews Ayn Rand (1979)

In July 1979, Ayn Rand appeared on NBC’s Tomorrow Show, hosted by Tom Snyder, in what would be one of her final televised interviews.

At 74, Rand delivered a forceful and articulate defense of her philosophy of Objectivism, with the interview serving both as an accessible summary of her views and a final demonstration of her combative clarity. The conversation, filmed in a studio set evocative of late-night intimacy—complete with Snyder’s trademark cigarette smoke—offered a platform for Rand to expand on her intellectual legacy for a broad television audience.

The tone of the interview was relaxed yet deliberate. Snyder allowed Rand to speak at length without interruption, a courtesy that suited her discursive, definition-heavy method of argument. Rand opened with a defense of reason as the only means of acquiring knowledge. She rejected mysticism, religious faith, and emotionalism as destructive to human life and freedom. In doing so, she reiterated the foundation of Objectivism: that reality exists independently of consciousness, that reason is man’s only means of knowledge, and that rational self-interest is the proper moral purpose of life.

Rand emphasized that Objectivism upholds capitalism as the only moral social system because it is based on individual rights and voluntary exchange. She drew a sharp line between economic power—which she defined as the power to produce and trade—and political power, which is the power to force. This distinction is critical in her philosophy, as it explains why she sees free-market capitalism as just, while viewing statism and collectivism as forms of coercion.

One of the most engaging segments of the interview came when Snyder questioned whether Rand’s rational morality left room for joy or emotional depth. She responded, as always, with a demand for clear definitions and logical precision, calmly arguing that genuine joy comes only from rational values, not from sacrifice or duty. Her commitment to a morality of reason—one which aligns virtue with personal happiness—remained the unwavering core of her message.

Rand also turned her critical lens toward the American university system, which she accused of promoting irrational doctrines and undermining the intellectual foundations of freedom. She saw the academic world as a breeding ground for collectivist ideology, which in her view was infiltrating culture through altruistic and subjectivist moral teachings.

The interview stands out for its rare combination of clarity and gravitas. Rand does not merely explain her ideas; she performs them. Every answer is framed with moral urgency and philosophical depth. Snyder, for his part, offers a respectful and open-ended forum, though he seems at times caught between admiration and skepticism.

As a whole, the 1979 Tomorrow Show interview captures Rand in late style—still sharp, still fiery, still convinced that reason and freedom are inseparable. For newcomers, it provides an excellent introduction to her worldview. For those familiar with her work, it is a reaffirmation of her legacy, rendered in her own words, unfiltered and unsoftened.