The Ayn Rand World

In this brave new world why:

- would anyone be willing to fight and die for their country, for a few
hundred bucks a month? Where's the personal advantage right there for
that person?

- How would democracy work without an ethos of public service? Why
should some elected official regard his duty as being to serve his
constituency? Why not just the position to line his own pockets?

- Why not be corrupt in general if it makes more money for a given
individual in a given position?

etc, etc, etc, why should anyone do anything that isn't in his personal
immediate interest? For example, Ayn Rand herself took welfare later in
her life. I've seen that defended as being exactly correct because her
point was you act selfishly at all timeslly, so it's ok for her to take
advantage of a system she totally disagreed with. So in other words, it
wasn't an argument for her, that she shouldn't take the welfare because
although there was an immedate benefit to her, ultimately she benefited
more by not taking it, on the grounds if everyone did the same it would
create a better world.

So please no arguments based on the individual being swayed by some
bigger more abstract benefit....giving his life for such a thing...in
Ayn Rand terms.