Lessons from John Galt

BigGovernment.com ^ | Dan Freeman

[reaganrevolutionin2010]

Recent headlines seem lifted directly out of an Ayn Rand novel. President Obama decries the “fat cat bankers on Wall Street”. Harry Reid attacks insurance companies for making too much profit. House Democrat leaders call Tea Partiers “Racist, Nazi, Gun Nuts”. How about this nauseating statement made by Army General George Casey after the Muslim terrorist attack on Ft. Hood?

"As great a tragedy as this was, it would be a shame if our diversity became a casualty as well"

Each of these headlines might well have been uttered by an Ayn Rand character.

(snip)

An epic demonstration of the inverted morality that Rand described was on display in Copenhagen last week as the world’s worst most evil dictators—Mugabe and Chavez—partnered with the world’s most visible and misguided progressives—Al Gore , Gordon Brown, Barack Obama—in an orgy of depravity.

[reaganrevolutionin2010]

This sentence sums up America today, FTA:

"Virtue is to be apologized for. Depravity commands respect. Success is cast as evil and punished while failure is blamed on others and rewarded."

[Ronbo1948]

Yes, the world has been turned upside down by the scum of the earth - the American Left.

[Le Chien Rouge]

Collectivism is to be embraced.

Individuality is to be scorned.

[ctdonath2]

Thank you for my new tagline.

[HangnJudge]

[reaganrevolutionin2010]

That’s great!

[Walrus]

A prophet is simply one who clearly sees and then warns about the INEVITABLE result of certain conditions.

Ayn Rand was a prophet.

“Atlas Shrugged” describes current American society almost perfectly and prospects for our future are chilling.

WHERE is John Galt, indeed.

[reaganrevolutionin2010]

[henry_reardon]

AS was meant to be a warning, not an instruction manual

[ThePatriotsFlag]

I wonder how many people here on FR have actually read Atlas Shrugs? I know we all "talk" about it ... but how many have lifted it to their lap then opened the book and turned all the pages? (I'll bet not many). This is a great read to put into your iPod reader, Kindle, whatever. If you haven't read A.S. you only "think" you know what's going on. Read it and you'll see it happening. Like Alynski's book, it is a classic ...only its a classic for Tea Bag-type people (like me). Once you read it, you'll see the characters from "years ago" come to life on your tv screens. You'll be able to "categorize" the lunatics around you and predict their next move with ease. Pretty amazing book. I read it once a year. It is a great gift, I still vividly remember the person who handed the book to me as a gift 25 years ago. I've got the big "bound" volume and have written the date into the fly each time I've read it. If you have not read it, get it on your "book bucket list."

---

The Patriot's Flag

[Dubh_Ghlase]

Count me as one, cover to cover. I would rank it as one of the most influential books in my life. I strongly recommend it to any Freeper who can muster the stamina for the length and depth to which AR plumbs. There is wisdom and future warnings in these pages...

[RoadGumby]

I did read it. Overall, I enjoyed it. I thought the writing was at times overwrought. But long speech that was, for me, the core and essence of the book, excited me to no end. Would that a politician would espoused those ideas of free market. I do need to read it again.

[Publius]

FReeper Book Club: Introduction to Atlas Shrugged
Part I, Chapter I: The Theme
Part I, Chapter II: The Chain
Part I, Chapter III: The Top and the Bottom
Part I, Chapter IV: The Immovable Movers
Part I, Chapter V: The Climax of the d’Anconias
Part I, Chapter VI: The Non-Commercial
Part I, Chapter VII: The Exploiters and the Exploited
Part I, Chapter VIII: The John Galt Line
Part I, Chapter IX: The Sacred and the Profane
Part I, Chapter X: Wyatt’s Torch
Part II, Chapter I: The Man Who Belonged on Earth
Part II, Chapter II: The Aristocracy of Pull
Part II, Chapter III: White Blackmail
Part II, Chapter IV: The Sanction of the Victim
Part II, Chapter V: Account Overdrawn
Part II, Chapter VI: Miracle Metal
Part II, Chapter VII: The Moratorium on Brains
Part II, Chapter VIII: By Our Love
Part II, Chapter IX: The Face Without Pain or Fear or Guilt
Part II, Chapter X: The Sign of the Dollar
Part III, Chapter I: Atlantis
Part III, Chapter II: The Utopia of Greed
Part III, Chapter III: Anti-Greed
Part III, Chapter IV: Anti-Life
Part III, Chapter V: Their Brothers’ Keepers
Part III, Chapter VI: The Concerto of Deliverance
Part III, Chapter VII: “This is John Galt Speaking”
Part III, Chapter VIII: The Egoist
Part III, Chapter IX: The Generator
Part III, Chapter X: In the Name of the Best Within Us
Coda: Ten Years After
Afterword and Suggested Reading

[Publius]

This is out of Andrew Breitbart’s shop, and it’s pretty good.

[GeronL]

bump

[goodnesswins]

I read it...in my late 20’s.....It did open my eyes....but, reading it once was enough....

[GeronL]

This article looks familiar. heh

[Hoffer Rand]

I don’t reread it every year, but like you, I think it needs to be reread every few years, just to remind. So, I do. I’ve been saying we’re living in “Atlas Shrugged” for more than a year. In the interim, I read other of Rand’s books. May I suggest “The Return of the Primitive”? It’s not fiction, but if you want prescient, she nailed multiculturalism and its impact dead to rights.

[MarkL]

I wonder how many people here on FR have actually read Atlas Shrugs?

Quite a few, right here on FR! In fact, not that long ago, there was quite a discussion thread going on, "The Atlas Shrugged Book Club," by Publius. It was a wonderful "cliffs-notes" version with great discussions on every chapter. Wow, I can't believe that it dates back to January, 2009! Publius, thanks again for a wonderful thread!

Mark

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Thanks for the ping! A.S. is AGAIN on my winter reading list. (I’ve read it three times since High School when my Dad recommended I read it.

If anything can keep me agitated, worked up and warm in a Wisconsin Winter, it’s Rand. ;)