I've heard Rand mentioned a few times here
 

If you're interested, there's a sale going on at the Atlas Shrugged movie site. Being a commercial site, I won't post it. If you can't find it, PM me, I'll send it to you.

The world could use a little more Rand, IMHO :)

A LOT more.

I tried reading The Fountainhead in college, but I kept getting a vibe like, "If you don't think what I think, then you're stupid!" and it turned me off big time.

Also, I think Ayn Rand is a hypocrite.

Feelin' Rand_y
 

The CEO of a small Company I worked for over Decades handed out copies of 'The Fountainhead', and I enjoyed being introduced to that Philosophy. Certain aspects of it aligned with my already-established Thinking. RR has been quite in line with my deeply-held POV that no one but me being responsible for me. I.e., getting hammered over the Decades, or now not getting hammered. Or, Drinking at all for Life. There is no grand, residual Inner Conflict going on for me.

I don't want to inadvertently play into any Debates here. Rand's upbringing during 'the worst' years of a repressive Russian Regime can't help but bleed over into her World POV. Meanwhile, I thought her command of what was to her a second Language [English] was quite impressive.

I won't link it, but her Interview with Mike Wallace Decades ago, available on YouTube, is mighty interesting. The essential 'Rand' is right there on Film. I found that insightful, as well. My Wife also enjoyed her Work. We're not 'over the top' Devotees, and have not co-opted her POV into, say, our Politics.

Meanwhile, my Int'l Biz Travels since 1983 plopped me into places like Germany and Japan where the intertwined views here [U.S.] re: conventional Religion are not automatically subsumed into Politics and Recovery Program Methods. Int'l Relationships provided me alternate insights to how happy and productive Lives are lived every day sans the thinking I grew up with, and bolted from intellectually at about age 12.

My Comments ought not to be misunderstood as not embracing Spirituality. To me, and to others here, that positive Inner Voice is with me 24/7. I sincerely mean that it's of no concern to me how Folks get/stay Sober. Hey, if your AV needs trickin', don't care if it's Wiccan.

'Whatever gets you through the night... It's alright... alright...' ~ John Lennon.

I read Rand when I was 20. That is a good mental age to read her. At close to 50 I just sort of indifferently shake my head and lead the conversation to a different area.

I liked "We, the Living" and "Anthem". The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged just seemed a bit too, I don't know? Smug?

It's not a sustainable philosophy, IMO.

Love from Lenina

Anthem's been my favorite for a while. Her shorter works are better than her epics. There are passages in the big ones that I'll never forget but wading through the whole is that: wading. The Fountainhead, the movie, was really good.

I think her novels are fantastic. Her nonfiction writing has yet to be given their due by the academic intelligentsia, but I do not think they will be ignored forever.

Given my choice in the holodeck I'd rather be Lazarus for the afternoon than John.

We'll ... I'd rather read, and recommend my kids to read, Herman Hesse. Hell Charles Bukowski would be higher on my list than Rand. At least he is entertaining.

Herman Hesse and Bukowski for sure!

Love from Lenina

Gary Cooper was a helluva cowboy, but he weren't no architect, let alone Howard.
The actor who played Toohey nailed it!

Yeah, at the risk of being a buzzkill her stuff is just fluff IMOHO. Not of much interest to anyone older than their 20's. Again, just my opinion, no offense to anyone that digs her stuff.

MythofSisyphus
lol 'fluff 'that was her husband's nickname for her, have you read her nonfiction? Her theory of concept formation a la measurement ommission is pretty convincing, and I doubt many 20 yr old have read ITOE. I see Aristotle as having improved Plato , and Rand as having improved Aristotle. Her insight that 'essence' is epistemologic kinda solves the problem of universals.

NightsWatch
She may well have been, but an ad hominem does not necessarily defeat her ethics to say nothing of metaphysics. Socrates, Plato and Aristotle were more likely than not pederasts doesn't diminish their work, does it?

Good thing we got plenty of authors, eh? :biglaugh:

There are no kids in any of Rand's fiction.

Never have I wanted to kill a fictional character so much as Toohey.

I think there was reference to children in AS when the wrong kind of train was sent through a tunnel.

And I think the the temple in FH was turned into a home for deficient children.

Where there any kids mentioned in Dante's Infero?

I've never been able to get through one of her novels, and I'll read almost anything. This book is a great statement on just how inflated her ego was. In my opinion she was a pompous bitch who thought she knew everything. No thanks.

Two Girls, Fat and Thin by Mary Gaitskill

I was Hesse-crazy for a few years in my youth. I think I'd read just about everything he published, some books more than once. I really identified with his world back then (not so much anymore). I also wrote short stories and some were highly inspired by Hesse (and a few others I binge-read at the time).

Rand usually splits opinions strongly. I myself like some specific, smaller parts and ideas of her writings/philosophy, and largely disagree with other areas and I would say the overall construct of her beliefs. I do also see why many people like her views.