Atlas Shrugged

ddavidv wrote: Yes, I'm a Libertarian who hasn't actually read "Atlas Shrugged". Amazing, I know.

Not amazing at all. Rand didn't actually like Libertarians much - she thought Libertarianism left way too much room for people to be lazy jerkoffs, even though a lazy Libertarian jerkoff would be fully prepared to accept the consequences of being one.

Actually, Atlas Shrugged was a good story and did need to be that long. What it didn't need was the 80-page soliloquy - that was where she was deeply into we get it already territory.

And yeah, some of her ideas on love are pretty odd to say the least - particularly in The Fountainhead, and to a lesser degree in AS. But really, why should I be required to love and respect someone who doesn't deserve it, just because they are related to me? I have a sister who is a total deadbeat in many ways. There are many ways she does not "earn" my love - I don't think I'm a bad person for not loving her very much.

Aww and a Jennifer Government movie would have been so much more awesome

Just watched the trailer. Dagney Taggart was a brunette in my head, but equally hot.

I do like that they are releasing in on April 15. :)

Wesley Mouch being played by someone who could be a stand-in for Barney Frank is appropriate.

DILYSI Dave wrote: Just watched the trailer. Dagney Taggart was a brunette in my head, but equally hot.

hot? Funny, I never pictured her that way.

GameboyRMH wrote: Aww and a Jennifer Government movie would have been so much more awesome

Max Barry is funny and awesome. The exact opposite of Ayn "SUCK SO MUCH" Rand. Her books suck so much they rival black holes.

tuna55 wrote:

DILYSI Dave wrote: Just watched the trailer. Dagney Taggart was a brunette in my head, but equally hot.

hot? Funny, I never pictured her that way.

I figured that Rand swung from both sides of the plate after the way she described Dagny's curves and such. :shrug:

Like many college sophomores, I became enamored with Rand's works. There's a reason the term "sophomoric" isn't a positive term. We learn, we develop and we grow from there.

Twenty years later and I have zero interest in seeing the movie adaptation of this overwrought book.

Fountainhead, however, would be a cool movie because the visual appeal of the architecture itself.

Per Schroeder wrote: Fountainhead, however, would be a cool book because the visual appeal of the architecture itself.

I disagree on your analysis of Atlas, but hey.

There is a movie version of Fountainhead, starring Gary Cooper, no less. It's irredeemably horrible.

Oh that's right. Let me edit that.

Fountainhead could make a good movie, but there's certainly no guarantees. See also: any Stephen King movie adaptation.

Ditto what Per said. If you actually slogged your way through John Galt's speech in its entirety, I take my hat off to you – I couldn't do it.

Per Schroeder wrote: Like many college sophomores, I became enamored with Rand's works. There's a reason the term "sophomoric" isn't a positive term. We learn, we develop and we grow from there.

Meh. I think it has value. Is it simplistic, too black and white, etc.? Sure. Does that discount the over-riding themes? I don't think so.

Lesley wrote: If you actually slogged your way through John Galt's speech in its entirety, I take my hat off to you – I couldn't do it.

I did, and I don't share her politics. That "speech" convinced me that you need to speak very slowly and repeat yourself frequently if you want objectivists to understand what you are saying.

Per Schroeder wrote: There's a reason the term "sophomoric" isn't a positive term.

Also, I'm pretty sure you're wrong here. I most often hear the term "sophmoric" when I'm being awesome, so I'm pretty sure it has to be a positive term.

Per Schroeder wrote: Oh that's right. Let me edit that. Fountainhead could make a good movie, but there's certainly no guarantees. See also: any Stephen King movie adaptation.

Or any adaptation of the comic book Heavy Metal. Not enough zero G boobs to make the movie equal to the comic.

JoeyM wrote: Interesting ideas do not make one a decent author. Having one character deliver an 80 page soliloquy is NOT WRITING A STORY. She should have just written a stupid essay and been done with it. The story was unnecessary. [runs away and hides before he's stoned to death by all the libertarians on the board] BTW, I'm not trolling. I think she's a horrible writer.

I'm with you. Got about 100 pages into the book, but got sick of a story populated by entities that didn't appear to be real people so much as political ideologies that she gave mouths to. Even though I have somewhat libertarian political leanings, I am not impressed with Ayn Rand as a novelist.

1988RedT2 wrote: I for one, refuse to believe that there are so many among this motley collection of rubes that have ever even touched a novel by Ayn Rand, or even know who she is, let alone read a tome like "Atlas Shrugged" in its entirety!

If it makes you feel better I have never even looked directly at a copy at the library.

MrJoshua wrote: All in the interpretation Iggy. You see placing work above family ties as saying "My job is all that is important to me, FU family." I interpret it as "To truly be happy you must achieve personal happiness through creative work. Only after you have created personal happiness can you purely enjoy the happiness of human companionship." Basically you get your inner needs for success filled and you don't have to rely on the false praise of others to feel self worth.

I don't know how you can be a parent and put the satisfaction and joy of yourself above that of your children. Just not possible.

Ignorant wrote: I don't know how you can be a *good* parent and put the satisfaction and joy of yourself above that of your children. Just not possible.

Corrected.

Thankfully, the most selfish, workaholic people I know have not bred yet.

Per Schroeder wrote:

Ignorant wrote: I don't know how you can be a *good* parent and put the satisfaction and joy of yourself above that of your children. Just not possible.

Corrected. Thankfully, the most selfish, workaholic people I know have not bred yet.

Agree.

I work a lot, but I do to with one purpose in mind. Make sure that my wife doesn't have to work so she can stay home with the children.

Rand's beliefs are selfish and simplistic at the very core.

You place the state's interest above that of your children; you and Ayn don't seem to differ that much.

"Give in to your overlords; they are better than you"

As one who spent her middle teens reading pretty much everything Rand had ever written, and most of it multiple times, I have to agree with Iggy. Selfish and simplistic... which is why, at 14, I thought she was the greatest thinker ever.

Thankfully, I grew up once I reached adulthood. Sad that she didn't. Her real-life story, by the way, shows the kind of fruit her ideas bear. Sour stuff.

Margie

wcelliot wrote: You place the state's interest above that of your children...

yawn.. Go on please tell me more about myself.

No need to; you've already told us all about yourself.

"Give in to your overlords; they are better than you"

Marjorie Suddard wrote: Selfish and simplistic... which is why, at 14, I thought she was the greatest thinker ever.

It's a much better philosophy for a 20 year old fratboy than a 14yo girl...