and even after 50 years, A is STILL A...
Posted on 03/06/2007 2:42:33 PM PST by RWR8189
When Ayn Rand finished writing "Atlas Shrugged" 50 years ago this month, she set off an intellectual shock wave that is still felt today. It's credited for helping to halt the communist tide and ushering in the currents of capitalism. Many readers say it transformed their lives. A 1991 poll rated it the second-most influential book (after the Bible) for Americans.
At one level, "Atlas Shrugged" is a steamy soap opera fused into a page- turning political thriller. At nearly 1,200 pages, it has to be. But the epic account of capitalist heroes versus collectivist villains is merely the vehicle for Ms. Rand's philosophical ideal: "man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute."
In addition to founding her own philosophical system, objectivism, Rand is honored as the modern fountainhead of laissez-faire capitalism, and as an impassioned, uncompromising, and unapologetic proponent of reason, liberty, individualism, and rational self-interest.
There is much to commend, and much to condemn, in "Atlas Shrugged." Its object – to restore man to his rightful place in a free society – is wholesome. But its ethical basis – an inversion of the Christian values that predicate authentic capitalism – poisons its teachings.
Mixed lessons from Rand's heroes
Rand articulates like no other writer the evils of totalitarianism, interventionism, corporate welfarism, and the socialist mindset. "Atlas Shrugged" describes in wretched detail how collective "we" thinking and middle-of-the-road interventionism leads a nation down a road to serfdom. No one has written more persuasively about property rights, honest money (a gold-backed dollar), and the right of an individual to safeguard his wealth and property from the agents of coercion ("taxation is theft"). And long before Gordon Gekko, icon
(Excerpt) Read more at csmonitor.com ...
She is the biggest reason why I became a laissez-faire capitalist. I laid a further foundation in college with Ludwig von Mises, Clarence Carson and Friedrick Hayek and the good folks at FEE.
and even after 50 years, A is STILL A...
Who is John Gault?
Just kidding-
"Atlas Shrugged"
So did I!
Put me in the "play fair" capitalist niche - almost no regulation other than that which ensures some level of fair competition.
Apparently, Brad Pitt. He and Angelina just bought rights to the pic.
(I DID get your question, LOL!!!)
Bump for later
...and who decides what is "fair?"
HAHAHA, me too, thats the only part that I skimmed, otherwise I found it to be a resounding confirmation of my political belief system.
I just cannot identify with those self-obsessed characters. Even I, as an uber-Capitalist, cannot deny that other people exist and should be considered worthy of my attention.
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Ditto that. Capitalism requires meaningful competition to work properly. Overt or effectual cartels destroy most of the benefits of the system. "Barriers to entry" is a very important subject in workable Capitalism.
She turned me into a right winger and I am proud of it.
From The Atlas Society (an Ayn Rand-based org - link at bottom)
Angelina Jolie set to star in Atlas Shrugged
Thursday, September 21, 2006
It's official: Angelina Jolie is set to star in the film adaptation of Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged. David Kelley, Founder and Senior Fellow of The Atlas Society (TAS) confirmed with producer Howard Baldwin that Jolie is "signed, sealed and delivered." Kelley is serving as a producer and consultant for the film, and TAS trustee John Aglialoro is serving as an executive producer.
The Baldwins acquired the film rights to the novel from Aglialoro in 2003, after launching Crusader Entertainment with Philip Anschutz.
When Anschutz decided not to make the movie, the Baldwins took the project with them when they left Crusader to form Baldwin Entertainment Group.
As TNI previously reported in our celebrity Rand fan issue of The New Individualist, Jolie is a longtime fan of Rand -America's most controversial individualist - so her enthusiasm for playing the female lead of Dagny Taggart, the intelligent and powerful executive of a railroad empire, is not surprising.
Producers Karen and Howard Baldwin spoke at The Atlas Society's recent Summer Seminar about plans for their film adaptation of Atlas Shrugged. At that time we passed on the news Jolie had expressed a “keen interest” in playing Dagny Taggart and that the Baldwins had already had extensive discussions with her.
Producer Karen Baldwin also told Robert Bidinotto, editor-in-chief of The New Individualist, that Jolie showed up to one of their meetings with a copy of TNI under her arm -specifically, our January/February "celebrity Rand fan" issue, which featured Angelina and Brad Pitt on the cover that spoofed People magazine. "She really liked it," said Baldwin.
Jolie has the stellar box-office appeal that would allow the film to be a huge success, not only in the U.S. market but also abroad. The challenging and unique role would also no doubt, add an intriguing new dimension to Jolie's body of work.
The news comes at a time when America stands at a historic crossroads; much of Atlas Shrugged reveals the design of decline in America. The film could therefore be a pivot point for significant change in America.
http://ios.org/cth-13-1777-Jolie_bags_the_game.aspx
Whose definition should we use for "fair" ?
You have let the elephant into the room. Who and how will you "make" it fair ? It becomes socialism - legislating the outcome.
What I find alarmingly appropriate for today are the parallels to the many layers of governmental degeneration Ayn Rand painted in her masterpiece. Lots of Cuffy Meigs and Kip Chalmers everywhere.
what does "meaningful" entail ? who and what will "make" something meaningful ?
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