from Kung Fu Monkey:
There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old’s life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs.
Har. (This is in reference to the recent spate of rightwing chickengalts, of course.)
I didn’t know there was a recent spate.
Memories of Reading Rand: trying to walk the halls of high school looking…resolute. In my case it passed pretty quickly.
The only thing I took away from the book, honestly, did anyone read the money speech?, is how neat it would be to have an enclave. Only of course mine was full of Lacunians and Lichtenbergians, not those not-very-nice people in the book.
As for the new John Galtism, see here for an amusing take.
Fie on you all. I liked the book. I like to think I am able to spit out the seeds, and for you carnivores, gristle. And yes, I did skip over a portion of the money speech. Even my OCD has its limits. I read Mr. Marx’s/Engel’s Manifesto as well, and found value in it, too. I suspect only its brevity kept the seeds/gristle less in quantity.
I have come across enough people who have said it to know that if someone tells you Atlas Shrugged is his favorite book, don’t trust that person.
(I realize you were not saying that, Turff.)
Sweet.
This is an interesting link wherein sociologists examine the myth of meritocracy:
http://www.ncsociology.org/sociationtoday/v21/merit.htm
In my own life, I certainly see it. My wealthiest relatives all inherited their wealth. My wife’s grandmother sailed the world on the QE2 numerous times. Wonderful lady. Filthy rich. Never worked a day in her life. My aunt and uncle … great folks. Love ’em to death. Die-hard Republicans. Their daughter even worked prominently for the McCain campaign. He inherited everything he has (third generation family business) and she (my aunt) has never held a job. They love to trash-talk the poor “lazy, do nothings.” And I’m sure they believe they “deserve” their numerous lake houses, extravagant vacations, etc. And let’s not forget my two major lifetime employers. Love ’em to death. Really, really love them. (Well … my current ones, anyway). But without inheritance, where would they be?
My dad worked for the Ford plant and my mom was a school teacher. My grandfather was illiterate. His dad was a sharecropper who never owned a bit of land. So you can guess what I started out with.
But maybe if I weren’t so lazy.
I have given up longing for an enclave. I’m content with my autoclave.
I agree with Mike. Atlas Shrugged= hurl. In fact, I think the girl who gave it to me told me it was her favorite book. I was dating her at the time. Clearly she didn’t possess the best judgment.
Ha! Awesome, Jobie.
So, as long as we are reviewing the works of Ayn Rand, do any of this community have remarks on The Fountainhead?
It’s cute.
I dreamt often that Howard Roark would grab me roughly by the shoulders and…be absolute…
You guys are incorrigible.