So what's the deal with "Atlas Shrugged"?

[Daliman]

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How's Renn doing these days?

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Renna, and she's awesome. Follows me around constantly, whi9ch makes it a bit hard to get things done.

Ty for asking.

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I just noticed that this was NOT in reference to my lovely daughter Renna, and actually in reference to my typo regarding Penn Jillette's name.

Management regrets the error.

[Man of Means]

As others have said, "The Fountainhead" is a better work, with well-developed characters and more streamlined prose. "Atlas Shrugged" is kinda fun, but it is like a Batman and Robin comic book. The "good guys" are smart and sexual; the bad guys are blundering, ugly, and limp.

[Aloysius]

Is Ayn Rand part of the accepted "philosophy canon" in course curriculae? Is it considered "pop philosophy"?

-Al

[FoxVR6]

I'm an objectivist and enjoyed "The Fountainhead." I never read "Atlas Shrugged" mostly because Rand's ideals are so close to mine that I don't really think I'd get as much out of it as reading books with differing philosophies.

My main problem with "The Fountainhead" is the way she tries to convey her philosophy. The characters are so one-dimensional that it comes off like a cartoon. Its as if she underestimated her audience and feels like she needs to make things so simple that a retarded 3rd grader could understand them. I still feel the book is worth a read.

Maybe fsuplayer will chime in, his old Party screenname was Howard Roark, so I'm sure he has an opinion.

[durkahdurkah]

The Fountainhead is a superior book in many ways, regardless of whether or not you buy into the objectivist philosophy.

[gisb0rne]

Back when I read these things and was into Objectivism I thought Atlas Shrugged was much better and more entertaining than The Fountainhead. As stupid as it may sound, one of the things I loved most about AS was the character of Eddie Willers as the non-uber objectivist. One of the most ridiculous things about AS in particular is how all the super-geniuses never argue with each other. Thus they never need to compromise, and there is no true conflict.

[Dids]

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this is a gross oversimplification of her philosophy (which is retarded).

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the philosophy is retarded of the simplification of said philosophy is retarded?

rj

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pretty obviously the former

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Her philosophy is retarded.

The oversimplification was just that, and not that retarded.

<font color="white">ok it was pretty retarded but I don't want a DDalifight to [censored] up this thread </font>

[Daliman]

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this is a gross oversimplification of her philosophy (which is retarded).

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the philosophy is retarded of the simplification of said philosophy is retarded?

rj

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pretty obviously the former

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Her philosophy is retarded.

The oversimplification was just that, and not that retarded.

<font color="white">ok it was pretty retarded but I don't want a DDalifight to [censored] up this thread </font>

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Just can't help yourself, can you?

[Dids]

Dali,

Only really because your reaction is always so consistantly defensive.

Anyway,

Here's what I just posted on my blog.

The Fountainhead x .5 Review

Unable to find a good book involving a dragon, and knowing that I’d be getting the cooking books I wanted for xmas, I found myself reading The Fountainhead in the name of cultural literacy (which means that my friends had read it before me).

Based on what I knew coming in, I wasn’t going to be feeling Rand’s philosophy. I tried to shove that aside and dig in.

First off, it really is a well written book, at least in terms of craft. The language is beautiful, the descriptions are vivid, in that sense, it’s a fantastic read. You really want to digest every sentence and the book pulls you in quick. This is in some ways a bad thing, because it makes for a slow read of a really, really long book. Also in some sense it can slow the plot to a bit of a crawl. It’s a challenge, because I am not the most patient reader.

What’s starting to hit me, as I’m halfway there is that the universe that’s constructed is just tilted a little more than is tolerable. Rand’s contempt for the average human is all too evidence in the world she’s created. The slavish following of the words of the press, the total slavish devotion of the best architects to the Renaissance style, the treatment that Roark receives… all of these things are just exaggerated enough as to seem implausible and serves to weaken Roark’s character. Rather than being a man who sticks to his guns because Dammit! that’s what you do in the name of truth, he is reduced to the only sane man in a world gone mad. Roark’s enemies are all just a touch too simple, too easy to ignore and to discount.

Given all of that, and knowing Rand’s objectivist views, the book has started to feel more and more like a sermon where each character only exists as a bad example relative to the pillar of glory that is Howard Roark. A shame too, because at the start, Peter was a perhaps the most human character in the book, but through the 2nd part he was reduced to something not very human at all.

The end result is that despite the excellent writing, and a reasonable interesting story, it’s becoming hard for me to take the book seriously. The plot feels like a means to and end, and it’s hard sledding tolerating that as you progress forward. I’m pretty sure I’m going to finish, ‘cause that’s how I am, but it may not be the most entertaining experience.

[Daliman]

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Dali,

Only really because your reaction is always so consistantly defensive.

Anyway,

Here's what I just posted on my blog.

The Fountainhead x .5 Review

Unable to find a good book involving a dragon, and knowing that I’d be getting the cooking books I wanted for xmas, I found myself reading The Fountainhead in the name of cultural literacy (which means that my friends had read it before me).

Based on what I knew coming in, I wasn’t going to be feeling Rand’s philosophy. I tried to shove that aside and dig in.

First off, it really is a well written book, at least in terms of craft. The language is beautiful, the descriptions are vivid, in that sense, it’s a fantastic read. You really want to digest every sentence and the book pulls you in quick. This is in some ways a bad thing, because it makes for a slow read of a really, really long book. Also in some sense it can slow the plot to a bit of a crawl. It’s a challenge, because I am not the most patient reader.

What’s starting to hit me, as I’m halfway there is that the universe that’s constructed is just tilted a little more than is tolerable. Rand’s contempt for the average human is all too evidence in the world she’s created. The slavish following of the words of the press, the total slavish devotion of the best architects to the Renaissance style, the treatment that Roark receives… all of these things are just exaggerated enough as to seem implausible and serves to weaken Roark’s character. Rather than being a man who sticks to his guns because Dammit! that’s what you do in the name of truth, he is reduced to the only sane man in a world gone mad. Roark’s enemies are all just a touch too simple, too easy to ignore and to discount.

Given all of that, and knowing Rand’s objectivist views, the book has started to feel more and more like a sermon where each character only exists as a bad example relative to the pillar of glory that is Howard Roark. A shame too, because at the start, Peter was a perhaps the most human character in the book, but through the 2nd part he was reduced to something not very human at all.

The end result is that despite the excellent writing, and a reasonable interesting story, it’s becoming hard for me to take the book seriously. The plot feels like a means to and end, and it’s hard sledding tolerating that as you progress forward. I’m pretty sure I’m going to finish, ‘cause that’s how I am, but it may not be the most entertaining experience.

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I am NOT constantly defensive!

Anyways, fix the first bolded word and remove the second, and you got yerself a mighty fine blog entry.


FATTY!