Hit him over the head with his unabridged copy of Atlas Shrugged.  That should render him unconscious, then take his wallet. 

Well, you write a 1000+ page novel and slip a 40 page exposition about 3/4 of the way through it as a monologue. Make sure the book has a great start that calls to lots of things that the Objectivist relates to at the start then degrades into b-grade sci-fi toward the end. Additionally, the novel should espouse the values of property ownership and hard work despite having slept your way into your first job. Make sure to charge $40+ a copy and you should be rolling in money fairly shortly.

But seriously, was an agreement made on the money for parts exchange? He should value that contract as well. Otherwise, he's being a jerk first and an Objectivist second (yes, I know, it's a very fine line). I wouldn't bother with some surreptitious hard drive yoinking... if he doesn't pay past your reasonable deadline, just go in with a #2 phillips-head and take back every part that belongs to you.

If he comes back looking for the parts, sell him the parts for $100. And if he asks, offer to install them for a reasonable fee. After all, your time is valuable.

-Triften 

Tell him that he's a leech.

Hello. My name is Matt and I am new to this site. I am also an Objectivist. I thought it would be appropriate, therefore, to lend my thoughts to this post.

I must ask, though: You start by stating that your brother is an Objectivist, but then you say that you repaired your nephew's computer. Your nephew is the one who owes you the money, it would seem; and you ask how to get money from an Objectivist. I won't pretend to know which it is; but for the purposes of this comment, I will refer to this individual as your "brother" for clarity.

You write: "My brother is an Ayn Rand groupie who thinks greed is the be-all and end-all."

Although I am aware of how "greed" is viewed by the majority of people, I would say that I would like to know what your definition of 'greed' is—or, more importantly, how your self-professed Objectivist brother defines it.

Futhermore, and for clarification, an Objectivist does not hold the pursuit and desire of wealth as a primary. We hold the axiom of existence as a primary. Without recourse to a philosophical exposition on Objectivism, it is 'existence' that is "be-all; end-all."

You write: "It's like asking, 'What's the best way to get blood out of a turnip?'"

This characterization is without merit—if it were made to an actual Objectivist. I don't know your brother, but from your description, he is exhibiting ignorance on how we define our economics: the trader principle.

In trade, we trade values. This is, however, contextually dependent on whose value it is. For instance, I wouldn't pay someone more than a few dollars for old postage stamps: I don't value them. Thus, when trading, it is important to trade with someone who espouses a mutual value-judgment to what it is that is being traded.

<> In the case of you and your brother, I assume he values his computer, just as you value the parts with which you repaired it and your mental and physical effort of the reparation. Of course, this is not quite relevant to your question—but it is relevant to being an Objectivist. Thus, in a trade i.e. an exchange of values for mutual benefit, you appraise your materials and your effort as being worth $100. If your brother were an actual, explicit capitalist, he would understand this and gladly pay you. Nay, if he thought you were under-selling your product, he would perhaps offer more.

<>If he benefited to your detriment; that is, if we acquired a product from you without reciprocating the value, he is a thief. A thief has many manifestations, but in all instances, they pursue the unearned. The pursuit of the unearned is the primary vice, according to Objectivism.

You ask: "How do you ask an Objectivist for money he owes you?" If he were an actual Objectivist—I implore him to declare his contentions with my argument that he is not an Objectivist if he takes exception to my judgment—all you should have to do is ask. However, given my preceding explanation on what actual Objectivists believe in regard to economics, I think a more appropriate question would be, "How does one exctricate money from the clutches of a thief?" That is a different matter entirely; and one to which I do not have a ready answer, if there were no binding contract made between the two of you (hence, the accurate statements made by others in this regard).

Well, that's my first RRS website post. Thanks.

You write: "Um, no. My nephew is underage and I made a verbal agreement with my brother not my nephew." 

Okay, for what did you make a verbal agreement with your brother?  You said, "I recently fixed my nephew's computer."  Is he also an Objectivist?  You did not state so in your original post.  If you implied it by your last question asking how to get money from an Objectivist, I am sorry that I missed it.  Otherwise, I am still confused.

 You write: "I've had experience with self-confessed 'Objectivists' and every last one of them was a Bush-supporting dick".

For the record, I hate Bush, and for dozens of reasons.  Also, for the record, you are probably right.  Every other self-professed Objectivist whom I have met, or even mere Ayn Rand enthusiasts, have been Bush-supporting dicks.  The reason, of course, is that the economic theory of Objectivism is capitalism—the system of economics that Republicans purport themselves to uphold.  A proposition which is utterly farcical, given their voting record and personal philosophy.

I like to brush elbows with the liberal crowd, myself, I just don't bring up economics and such too often.<> Speaking of which, the most capitalist politicians that we have had in the White House in recent years have been Bill Clinton and Al Gore—no joke.  It is no coincidence that the most prosperous years in recent history were under Clinton's reign; while authoritarian Republicans such as G.W. squander our resources on foolish quests to spread democracy—a flawed system of government, anyhow—to a region steeped in mysticism.

You write: "Quite probably I have a serious prejudice due to my dealings with Ayn Rand groupies. Sorry, but I'm not all that interested in working on it..."

That is your choice, of course; I only ask that, if we have discussions in the future, you treat me with civility, something with which I will most certainly treat you.  In fact, let me stand beside you against those poser Objectivists.

Lastly, you write: "Life is too short to waste time on obnoxious, fascist (as in Mussolini's definition) assholes."

Allow me to state that, while your brother and aforementioned "Rand groupies" might be fascist, Objectivism does not endorse any such political doctrine. Miss Rand's conception of a governmental body comprised civil courts (those rogue, liberal courts that conservatives hate since civil courts uphold individual rights), military, and police forces, essentially.  She did not endorse a legislative body, or a singular man or woman who ruled the nation—a necessary component of fascism. 

The other component, chauvinism, was also opposed in her thoughts.  She did have American pride, to be sure; but that is quite different than chauvinism or extreme nationalism, which qualify fascism.  She held America in very high esteem since we were the only nation explicitly conceived with individual rights  and the only (now moderately) capitalist nation in the world.   

As for the "philosophy of self-interest", although Objectivist ethics indeed embraces egoism, the ethical concepts don't represent the philosophy as a whole—there are four other branches, after all.  Objectivism is properly indentified as the Philosophy of Reason, though, I suppose you may call it what you wish. 

Sadly, if your brother is the jerk he seems to be from your post, you may have to redefine it as a gift and call it a lesson learned. 

If/When the day comes that they ask you for something else, perhaps they'll have to take your nephew's computer to a retailer.  

Are you turning fundy on us Matt? I mean boiling water in the anus...only difference is they might actually do it.

Just turn his Objectivism back on himself ... take the parts back.  They're yours, they serve you no interest in losing them as you have better ways to utilise them and their costs.  Don't kidnap HDD's etc just take all the parts back leaving him with the problem he started with. 

My question is, was Dagny Taggart supposed to be hot?  'Cause when I read Atlas Shrugged, I envisioned Carmen Sandiego, whom I consider hot for a pictorialized fictional character, which lead me to wonder about Dagny's hotness in the first place ...

Also, you don't need to be an Objectivist to know that agreeing to pay someone for labor and parts and then not paying them is straight up wrong.  Option one: treat him the same way you would treat anyone else ... Option two: Judge Judy; that chick doesn't take any sass mouth ...