Ayn Rand Is for Children

Ayn Rand Is for Children
Objectivism is more young adult fantasy than political philosophy.

Photo Credit: Flickr

January 20, 2013 |


With this week’s news that Glenn Beck and others are preparing to build libertarian communes and “Going Galt,” I figure now is the time to finally refine my theory about those who claim to be Ayn Rand acolytes or who brag that their favorite book is “Fountainhead Shrugged” (they are the same book written twice in order to double Rand’s profit, so for brevity, let’s just use one name).

I came across the above article at Alternet.

www.alternet.org...

I own experience of "Atlas Shrugged" (and I read it about once every 5 to 10 years) is that it is a wonderful science fiction story but is just pure fantasy (I know I'm mixing my genres here - but so does the book). My first reading I skipped over the long-winded philosophical lectures to get to the action. Next reading, I read some of it, then a little more - now - I skip again.

My interpretation of Rand comes out different then what seems to pass for objectivism. She was opposed to money making that didn't envolve any actual product. I found it a derisive of indeavors that created wealth without any physical asset as in speculative market trading and the like. I think others read Rand differently, Greenspan (a follower) certainly did.

Any way I like to hear how others have read her work. I beg you, please reply only if you have actually READ one of her books,

I'd like the discussion to be about personal experience with the material and not hearsay.

reply to post by FyreByrd


Doesn't look like anybody apart from you has read any of her books,

It's surprising since they were all glorifying her when Ryan was picked as Romneys running mate.

Sorry.

First read, when I was young I quit after 50 pages. It was dull. Much later, mid-aged, I tried again and it was good. I dont think its something you'd see in your teens or twenties.

her first novel 'we, the living' was my favorite so far.
it's a more personal tale, modeled after her, on the devastating effects of communism, without alot of talk on her economic beliefs.
the endings real sad, however.