Oh, that Cory! I mean, it’s not like Rand wrote a novel about a handful of inventors, artists, doctors, and heirs to huge family businesses ragequitting a mass society of “moochers” and “looters” and other hoi polloi layabouts, destroying/withdrawing their own magic alloys and magic engines and other benefits to the undeserving masses, and only agreeing (via a turgid statement of the author’s own ideology disguised as a radio address) to return when said society recognises their greatness as individuals and puts them in charge.
Nor did she write another novel about a brilliant and talented architect who eschews mass society’s and his own industry’s debased tastes, manages to starting building his masterpiece edifice despite all these Takers, and then destroys it when they don’t allow him to have his way (later re-building it after he wins a trial based on a statement about his individual greatness that’s really a thinly disguised polemic on the author’s ideology).
Yes, obviously Cory has never read anything by Ayn Rand.
Ayn Rand was a third rate Max Stirner wannabe, who was too driven by her hatred of the left to recognise that her brand of lassaiz-faire capitalism wasn’t in the rational self interest of most people.
I bought a copy of “Atlas Shrugged” from a charity shop and sneakily left it on the shelf of my annoyingly-Leftist housemate before I moved out. One day someone will spot it and call her on it.
Some of the books in my collection (ebooks, I don’t have the space for a physical library) would surprise a lot of people, but I believe that knowing your enemy is important. I deleted Ayn Rand though because her books were so bad.
I wholeheartedly agree; it was just me being petty and leaving a tiny “fuck you” behind me.
Seems like these days the “reading” done by the enemy is short-form and internet based…
Speaking of charity, I’d like to point out that BB&T got a TARP bailout.
I’ve never read anything by Rand and I don’t really plan to do so. The exception might be Anthem which a Rand fan gave me as a gift (and which seems incredibly ironic). I’ve heard (possibly here) that Anthem might be the one worthwhile book by the author. But I have a couple of boxes of other books I’d prefer to read first, and as it’s taken me several weeks to get through a mere 46 pages of The Continental Op, I might get to Anthem when I’m a nonogenarian.
But how can I be so dismissive of Ayn Rand when I’ve never read her books? Shouldn’t I keep an open mind? About twenty years ago a young person approached me in a parking lot and asked me a few questions, the last of which was “do you consider yourself to be open-minded?” I answered “yes” and he launched into a spiel about Krishna consciousness. I concluded that the answer to “do I consider myself open-minded,” at least the brief answer to strangers who want to know about my business, is “No. No, I am pretty much set in my ways.” I’ve never eaten a shit sandwich, either.
Many years ago, I stumbled upon Atlas Shrugged by mere happenstance (someone had left a copy in my sublet) and I only picked it up out of boredom, not knowing anything about Rand at the time.
Hubbard wrote some fun, pulpy sci-fi before he went full Nutbar, wrote a book on How To Create A Religion and then Created A Religion!!
Can’t be unread…
I find myself unable to watch or read stuff that I used to enjoy once I found out “Oh, it’s by that asshole!” (I’m looking at YOU, Linehan!) but I think that’s a whole other thread we’ve sort of covered before.
I remember walking by one of their pop-up kiosks with my mom, when I was very little. Naturally curious, I asked her who those people were, and I distinctly remember her reply:
“That’s a cult, dear. Don’t make eye contact, and never engage them.”
Over the years, the more I learn about scientology, the more her words ring true.
Yes, she took Social Security. She was not given the option of not paying into it so she viewed her taking Social Security as a form of restitution of funds taken from her by threat of violence. (Don’t think mandatory taxation is a form of violence? Don’t pay your taxes and see what happens.) There is no direct evidence she took Medicare but if she did, she would have also viewed it as restitution. Ayn Rand never advocated being a martyr.
Republicans hated her more than Democrats and she also disliked Libertarians. She was a advocate of strong government but strong in the proper context and role.
