The purpose of life

One of my professors one day asked our class what the purpose of life is. People gave a few noble-sounding suggestions, but everyone was surprised when my professor said it was to be happy. Ever since that class, I have wondered why this was such a difficult answer. It seemed like a shameful thing to even say, as if it goes against everything I have been taught. In The Fountainhead, Ayn Rand has addressed this issue in more depth than I could imagine. She has once again challenged my perspective on life and the way that I view society.