FReeper Book Club: Atlas Shrugged, Miracle Metal

A Publius Essay | 2 May 2009 | Publius

[Publius]

FReeper Book Club

Atlas Shrugged

Part II: Either-Or

Chapter VI: Miracle Metal

Ping! The thread is up.

Earlier threads:
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

[austingirl]

Thanks once again.

[Sundog]

Well done summary. Thanks for posting.

[Boiler Plate]

Thanks

[prismsinc]

PLEASE POST SPOILER WARNINGS! I'm not finished yet!

[mick]

"Kinnan points out that intellectuals are cowards; they were the first to sell out European nations to committees of goons like those in this room. A longshoreman may someday remember he is a man and take action. But intellectuals? Ferris agrees; just put a few intellectuals on the government payroll and buy them off."

Kinnan is my favorite bastard. And today he would certainly add our corporate executives to his list of cowards. As I make my rounds of my compatriots and small businessmen and shop workers I can tell you all that these men remember they are men and Americans. All they need is a national voice.

Like I said on another AS thread, Going Galt is already starting. But it is beginning at the bottom. I had a man tell me yesterday about what is going on in Washington, "I don't want those pricks running my life". It ain't "Give me Liberty or give me Death", but it makes the same point.

[Publius]

"I don't want those pricks running my life".

I admire a man with eloquence.

[Monitor]

This chapter was the first one to seem too far fetched for my taste, but perhaps it’s because I hadn’t known that so many real presidents had instituted wage and price controls.

[whodathunkit]

Kinnan is my favorite bastard.

I have to agree, and you stated it so eloquently! :)

Kinnan is a capitalist, he has investments in the form of productive workers that he uses to produce wealth for himself.
He understands that his capital is about to be looted and is trying to make the best deal. Truly an example of 'capitalism without conscience'. A computer would have derived the same strategy if the only goal to be calculated was short term personal profit.

[definitelynotaliberal]

“Stroke of the pen, law of the land, kinda cool.”

Chilling. And this is the first time ever that I have used the word.

Thanks for the education on the Merriam election.

[mick]

Good assessment of Kinnan.

You know, 'thunkit, I'm still thinking about your great line a few AS threads ago about doing the "limbo with Fico".....ie: "How low can you go" !!

It appeals to the anarchist in me....but the conservative keeps saying "don't go so far".....but then who knows how far these bums in DC and NY will go before that strategy will appear mainstream!

[definitelynotaliberal]

As I make my rounds of my compatriots and small businessmen and shop workers I can tell you all that these men remember they are men and Americans. All they need is a national voice.

Thank you for that. It's good to have that assurance. Who, as you judge it, is the national voice right now?

[Still Thinking]

It sounded to me like he was making the point that there isn’t an adequate one.

[Publius]

Think of Obama's proposed Brown Shirt youth force in line with having the Unification Board assign you a job at age 21.

It becomes clearer that way.

[Publius]

Kinnan is a capitalist, he has investments in the form of productive workers that he uses to produce wealth for himself.

But it's also about power. All these men have power and seek more of it. For Kinnan, it's the power of the whip, with the willing acquiesence of his people.

[r-q-tek86]

This chapter always makes me think of “Anthem”. When you read “Anthem”, it is easy to say “this is too far... we could never get to this point.”

The “Miracle Metal” chapter shows how it could start.

With the way things are going in DC, I wonder if there is an Atlas Shrugged bookclub on the liberal side... except they are using it as a “how to”.

[Publius]

Who, as you judge it, is the national voice right now?

Glenn Beck.

[whodathunkit]

Thanks for the recollection mick.

It appeals to the anarchist in me...

Anarchy is absolutely not the destination, as totalitarianism is not the destination of _most_ liberals. From my study of history I know that neither is a system that one is likely to survive. (an interesting observation- a cerebral person is at an advantage in the former system and at a disadvantage in the latter)

The FICO is based on averages and as "a rising tide lifts all boats" also implied is that the lowering of the FICO tide will not sink all ships. I intend the 'FICO Limbo' to be more of a release from the school of fish reaction that many people exhibit when threatened with the possibility of incurring a 'bad credit rating'.

[Publius]

In the discussion points, I’m trying to get people to compare what is going on now with the book, and find the parallels. Once hyperinflation breaks out in two years, this chapter will seem prophetic.