"Ayn Rand is a Dick" - excerpt from a new book by Mike Monteiro

The comments might. Yeesh.

​One of the rare instances where I can say I loved the tv series, but hated the books.

Michael Landon and Melissa Gilbert, most likely.

As a 12 year old, I remember being amazed by just how bad the books were, in comparison to the popular series that was based on them.

Edit:

I should have kept reading the whole thread!

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Is this the “it’s OK to punch people I think are ‘Nazis’” guy? He can go pee up the nearest convenient rope, initiating violence is not the answer.

Okay now I got to post a Stirner meme. >:)

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Ayn Rand did us all a favor. If not for her, some other more talented author might have couched her poisonous ideas in more seductive prose. If there’s going to be a devil, better to have it red, horned, and waving a pitchfork so everyone knows it for a devil.

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I take it you’ve lived a relatively nazi-free life. Should you find that changing, I guess my only advice would be that they do not share your opinions about violence— act accordingly.

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Why would the Devil need any more advocates when he already has all the best lawyers?

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Good question.

Ask all the folks who are constantly chomping at the bit to volunteer for an unpaid position which was already filled, eons ago.

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I would agree if I thought Rand was somehow original, like those more subtle devils hadn’t already come before her.

If Rand didn’t read Nietzsche she must have hung around some people who did, or maybe it had just percolated into the culture.

A too-long quotation of Zarathustra talking about how awful the masses are

Lo! I show you THE LAST MAN.
“What is love? What is creation? What is longing? What is a star?”—so asketh the last man and blinketh.
The earth hath then become small, and on it there hoppeth the last man who maketh everything small. His species is ineradicable like that of the ground-flea; the last man liveth longest.
“We have discovered happiness”—say the last men, and blink thereby.
They have left the regions where it is hard to live; for they need warmth. One still loveth one’s neighbour and rubbeth against him; for one needeth warmth.
Turning ill and being distrustful, they consider sinful: they walk warily. He is a fool who still stumbleth over stones or men!
A little poison now and then: that maketh pleasant dreams. And much poison at last for a pleasant death.
One still worketh, for work is a pastime. But one is careful lest the pastime should hurt one.
One no longer becometh poor or rich; both are too burdensome. Who still wanteth to rule? Who still wanteth to obey? Both are too burdensome.
No shepherd, and one herd! Every one wanteth the same; every one is equal: he who hath other sentiments goeth voluntarily into the madhouse.

“Give us this last man, O Zarathustra,”—they called out … And all the people exulted and smacked their lips. Zarathustra, however, turned sad

Rand repackaged Thus Spoke Zarathustra for teenagers who hadn’t read enough to notice how bad a writer she was.

And I think Nietzsche would have hated Rand. Rand was a shallow thinker and a bad writer. And, worst of all for Nietzsche, a woman.

I also think Rand would hate her current fans like Paul Ryan. How could Rand ever like someone who worked for the government? And, worst of all for Rand, they are Christians.

Other, more subtle, more clever people have already sold the ideas that Rand sold. The reason they aren’t as influential is because the sort of people who become Randians needed to have the ideas dumbed down for them. They never would have understood the more subtle, more clever writers.

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I think you misunderstand - if I get punched first (by Nazis, Commies, or even Methodists) I’ll be punching back and then some. But punching first is not something I am inclined to do, and (s)he who throws the first punch is pretty much always going to be in the wrong.

The fascists have already thrown the first punch.

My personal experience is that if they want to fight you they will fight you. No amount of debate will stop that, not that my continued existence should ever be up for debate. Neither will being on the other side of the street or ignoring them. All you can do is prepare to defend yourself and not care if someone thinks you threw the first punch, because if they throw the first punch it may also be the last.

Fascists literally beat the pacifism out of me.

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Agreed; the moment a person decides to put on paraphernalia associated with Nazis, they’ve already broadcast their intent to be violent and to seek discord.

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Even taking fascists out of the equation, I could watch the clip of Buzz Aldrin punching that moon hoax conspiracy guy who called him “a coward, a liar and a thief” all day long.

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Say what you want about Ayn Rand but if you ever get a chance to watch the 1949 movie version of The Fountainhead, do it. It’s an incredibly surreal experience, moreso if you have no prior familiarity with the characters and plot points.

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It lines up with Zoolander so much

“What is this? A center for ants!”

Surreal in what way? It was a dumb movie with bad direction. Not helped at all by a flat script from the novel, which itself was marginally better than the steaming pile that was AS.

Just like Ayn Rand, her followers are happy to accept degrading charity.

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Dear lord, i only made it half way down that page without recoiling in horror and closing the tab…

I suspect i may need to give this book a miss :wink: Seems the economic equivelent to 50shades treatment of BDSM/relationships…

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