Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

[Butterfly]

Originally Posted by witchcurlgirl

^^ don't bother. It's a complete waste of time.

Whenever I meet an Ayn Rand devotee I laugh.

Thanks wichcurlgirl for the heads up!

[H. Lecter]

Originally Posted by marina

I don't know if anyone actually reads that 70p speech.

Anyway, I read the book and was completely enchanted by the content in my early 20s and totally revolted by my early 40s, if that gives you any indication. A lot of people outgrow their Ayn Rand fascination.

There was a great movie about her life starring Helen Mirren a while back. What a loser of a bitch! It's worth seeing.

I read the whole enchilada (yes even the speech)...I really liked it at 21 Years old, I re read it last year 41 and I found a lot ofinconsistencies and fundamentalism disguised as a motor for completness....so yes I have outgrown it...

Heck even RUSH lyrics from the 70 and 80 had to do with her...I still like RUSH a lot but Ayn...MMMMM not anymore..and yes she was a real loser in real life.

[Dixie Normos]

Ok, someone explain to me what was so awesome about The Fountainhead? I read it after a friend of mine told me it was his absolute favourite book (he's an English major, and very intelligent besides) and it was too analytical to move me. While I understood what Ayn was getting at (lowing the bar to make every day people feel better, hurts us socially by making truly wonderous things less special) I don't really agree, or put much importance in superficial social structure anyhow. Who the eff bases beauty or worth on anything save their own perspective anyhow? To me her whole notion was moot.

Did I miss the point of the book somewhere?

[Snarker]

Originally Posted by Dixie Normos

Ok, someone explain to me what was so awesome about The Fountainhead? I read it after a friend of mine told me it was his absolute favourite book (he's an English major, and very intelligent besides) and it was too analytical to move me. While I understood what Ayn was getting at (lowing the bar to make every day people feel better, hurts us socially by making truly wonderous things less special) I don't really agree, or put much importance in superficial social structure anyhow. Who the eff bases beauty or worth on anything save their own perspective anyhow? To me her whole notion was moot.

Did I miss the point of the book somewhere?

I don't think you missed the point Dixie. I read half of Atlas Shrugged and reached the same conclusion as you did.I didn't finish the book because I couldn't stand any of the main characters: egotistical, judgmental and too impress with themselves - not a jot of insight that (like you said) beauty/worth often depends on perspective. I thought Rand was very one-sided in her depictions; characters that were vehicles for her philosophy were all strong, brave, intelligent etc. and everybody else were portrayed as useless cowards. This is probably why I didn't like the book - instead of an enquiry into this idea, Rand is ordering the readers to accept her philosophy as correct.

[witchcurlgirl]

Originally Posted by Dixie Normos

Ok, someone explain to me what was so awesome about The Fountainhead? I read it after a friend of mine told me it was his absolute favourite book (he's an English major, and very intelligent besides) and it was too analytical to move me. While I understood what Ayn was getting at (lowing the bar to make every day people feel better, hurts us socially by making truly wonderous things less special) I don't really agree, or put much importance in superficial social structure anyhow. Who the eff bases beauty or worth on anything save their own perspective anyhow? To me her whole notion was moot.

Did I miss the point of the book somewhere?

Originally Posted by Snarker

I don't think you missed the point Dixie. I read half of Atlas Shrugged and reached the same conclusion as you did.I didn't finish the book because I couldn't stand any of the main characters: egotistical, judgmental and too impress with themselves - not a jot of insight that (like you said) beauty/worth often depends on perspective. I thought Rand was very one-sided in her depictions; characters that were vehicles for her philosophy were all strong, brave, intelligent etc. and everybody else were portrayed as useless cowards. This is probably why I didn't like the book - instead of an enquiry into this idea, Rand is ordering the readers to accept her philosophy as correct.

Between these two posts, you have the best review of Atlas Shrugged as any I have ever read.....