I am a 40+ year admirer of Ayn Rand, advocate of her philosophy of Objectivism, and long-time supporter of the Ayn Rand Institute (www.aynrand.org).
I know many Objectivists who are grateful for any media mention of Ayn Rand (even when someone mispronounces her name), but I think we could do without such publicity as this strip.
A better way of reaching the public is the recent tripling of sales of “Atlas Shrugged” as people begin to realize how prophetic she was over fifty years ago. If you haven’t read “Atlas”, you should, even if only to learn why the leftists are so afraid of her that they resort to this kind of cheap shot.
The poisonous corollary of the “you can be anything you want if you work hard enough” is “your station in life, and your material wealth, are the primary indicators of your fitness and virtue”. It’s particularly offensive when a subset of religious conservatives tries to tell us that your wealth and power show how extra-special God thinks you are.
I simply have no idea what to say to people who can read Ayn Rand and not get it. I can only ascribe it to the combined influences of all the irrational forces in our culture and the fact that not thinking is easier than thinking. And it’s far easier to insult Ayn Rand than to answer her arguments.
But I do want to say to King: “nothing sadder in the world”? Funny that you reject a black and white view of the world but can make a claim like that. What a pseudo-superior sort of being you must be.
I think I “get it”, but I just don’t agree with a lot of it. In my opinion, Rand’s basic assumptions include unjustifiably simplified conceptions of human nature, rationality, and perception. And in my opinion, Objectivism touches on human reality but contains only isolated pieces of it.
vlechtja about 15 years ago
Atlas sucked
pschearer Premium Member about 15 years ago
I am a 40+ year admirer of Ayn Rand, advocate of her philosophy of Objectivism, and long-time supporter of the Ayn Rand Institute (www.aynrand.org).
I know many Objectivists who are grateful for any media mention of Ayn Rand (even when someone mispronounces her name), but I think we could do without such publicity as this strip.
A better way of reaching the public is the recent tripling of sales of “Atlas Shrugged” as people begin to realize how prophetic she was over fifty years ago. If you haven’t read “Atlas”, you should, even if only to learn why the leftists are so afraid of her that they resort to this kind of cheap shot.
Randy B Premium Member about 15 years ago
To add to Kingof1’s comments–
The poisonous corollary of the “you can be anything you want if you work hard enough” is “your station in life, and your material wealth, are the primary indicators of your fitness and virtue”. It’s particularly offensive when a subset of religious conservatives tries to tell us that your wealth and power show how extra-special God thinks you are.
jimgee9 about 15 years ago
Right arm! Randy_B
Geekologist about 15 years ago
Does he need a sidekick?
pschearer Premium Member about 15 years ago
I simply have no idea what to say to people who can read Ayn Rand and not get it. I can only ascribe it to the combined influences of all the irrational forces in our culture and the fact that not thinking is easier than thinking. And it’s far easier to insult Ayn Rand than to answer her arguments.
But I do want to say to King: “nothing sadder in the world”? Funny that you reject a black and white view of the world but can make a claim like that. What a pseudo-superior sort of being you must be.
Randy B Premium Member about 15 years ago
I think I “get it”, but I just don’t agree with a lot of it. In my opinion, Rand’s basic assumptions include unjustifiably simplified conceptions of human nature, rationality, and perception. And in my opinion, Objectivism touches on human reality but contains only isolated pieces of it.