A post by Maynard
Are all you boys and girls familiar with Ayn Rand? She’s best known for her amazing novels, first The Fountainhead and then Atlas Shrugged. I read them during my formative years, and they put subversive ideas into my head. Rand’s philosophy is worthy of contemplation, whether or not you ultimately agree with it. Her books are important because her voice is unique.
People feel strongly about Ayn Rand. Mention her name and you’ll often get a knee-jerk reaction, either very positive or very negative. Personally I’m in the positive camp, but with a caveat that will offend True Believers. Rand was a genius, but her vision was warped by personal limitations. She brilliantly illuminated the sadistic and suicidal inclinations inherent to leftist ideology. Her books contain savagely accurate depictions of the social and legal coercions through which we forfeit our joys and bind each other in pacts of mutual misery. However, her concept of a better world was flawed. The heroes of her drama work together in ways that such driven, prickly people would not do in real life. Indeed, this is the core political problem that we who favor individual liberty face: The collectivists have a natural tendency to organize and act in unison, whereas we are inclined to go our own ways. Their job is to herd sheep; we try to herd cats. Ours is an uphill battle.
It’s also worth mentioning that Rand was strongly atheistic. She believed — and I would argue with this philosophical premise — that all knowledge could be objectively obtained. It’s clear to me that objectivity is inadequate; we must seek a transcendental philosophy in order to pursue meaning. And we are not, nor can we ever be, objective creatures. We are fundamentally subjective in some essential ways. Herein lies an argument that we can pursue endlessly, so I’d better put it aside.
Not surprisingly, it turns out that Ayn Rand’s personal life was clouded by turmoil. She was doomed either to dominate people close to her (as she did with her husband) or drive them away (as she did with Nathaniel Branden).
(My comments about Rand’s personal life may be considered controversial by some. For further reading, check out Barbara Branden’s fascinating biography, The Passion of Ayn Rand.)
There are reports of an Atlas Shrugged movie under development. Of course, since Hollywood is a rumor-plagued and rumor-driven community, rumors don’t necessarily mean anything. But the linked article gives some interesting background and discussion on the circumstances surrounding this project.
Personally I’m generally unenthusiastic about having my favorite books turned into movies. The translation from one medium to another is so severe as to render the two almost unrelated. But you never know.
As an aside, didn’t Tammy just say something about appearing in a movie? For the record, there’s absolutely no truth to the rumor that Tammy will be playing Dagney Taggart. It seems this part is slated for Angelina Jolie.
For further background on Rand, check out this recent article in the Jerusalem Post.
By the way, Rand was born in Russia under the name Alice Rosenbaum. It turns out this was the surname of one of my grandfathers. Does this mean I might be related to Rand? That would explain a few things…
“Atlas Shrugged” was a good read until the end. Then it got weird.
Present day Hollywood make a movie of Atlas Shrugged??????? Hah!!!!!
I tried to read Atlas Shrugged when I was in high school in the early 1960s. What stopped me from finishing it was my inability to believe that such collectivism could ever exist in my country. Silly me! Forty years later, I read it again, and found myself picking out the current politicians who resembled those characters in the novel. Most though not all were Democrats.
In the Fall of 64 I watched THE SPEECH on TV; which started my conversion from D to R. The man giving the speech was a true Ayn believer. In 66 he ran for Gov of my great state and spoke of how he would run it as Ayn would.. I was a Pendleton getting ready to go fight the real JFK;s war. Because Ronnie spoke so highly of Ayn I read both her big books at the base library (yes Jarheads can read and many used the library besides me!) I think/thought both were great. I was so impressed that on my workpapers (In the real world I’m a bean counter) I have used the capital U with a superimposed capital S as the dollar sign.
I today’s Hollywood makes a movie of her book they will scr*w it up. Just like they did with the most thoughtful book on Moral Philosophy I have ever read – STARSHIP TROOPERS. Anyone interested in how a well run Republic would operate should read STARSHIP TROOPERS. Not recommended for the squeamish. It was this book ,BTW, that convinced me to go fight JFK’s war. How else could I live with myself?
For those readers that would like a quick and painless exposure to Ayn Rand, check out the speech she gave to a West Point class in 1974.
http://gos.sbc.edu/r/rand.html
Her books are great reads this will give you 5 minute overview of Ayn Rand.
It would be hard to imagine Hollywood doing justice to the masterpiece that is, “Atlas Shrugged”. And Angelina Jolie as Dagny??? I see someone more like Cate Blanchett. I wonder how they will twist the story to fit their collectivist agenda. Perhaps this is a way for Hollywood to try discredit Ayn Rand’s philosophy by portraying the heros (the individualists) as the villians. Should be interesting to see how it comes out.
I can’t believe Hollywood is going to make a movie out of Atlas Shrugged! Trust me, it will be ruined. The establishment media and academia have tried to destroy her while she was alive and after her death.
But, I have some issues with Maynard’s views about her in general. If you are going to get your views on Rand’s character from individuals like the Brandens’, I’d suggest you study her work further. Her philosophy encompasses an entire range of thought from education to esthetics. It goes beyond just novels.
Also, keep in mind the Brandens’ published that book 4 years after her death, when she wasn’t able to defend herself. Can you honestly take what they say as fact? Surely someone as intelligent as you Maynard would look to other sources before making a final judgment as she doomed people she met. Or drove she people away from her. Considering you don’t believe in objective reality, maybe that explains your view.
As I stated earlier I suggest you read further on the philosophy of Objectivism. There’s a website called The Ayn Rand Institute where you can get books and lectures of Rand. You will also find a book called The Passions of Ayn Rand’s Critics. The author uses achival evidence(i.e. Rand’s personal journals and documents) to refute everything written in the Brandens’ book. Check it out, never rely on one source.
[I acknowledge that this turf can’t be covered in a few short paragraphs. I hope I encourage people to jump in and judge for themselves, and not just take my word for anything. Oh, and for the record, I do believe in objective reality; I just note that we are subjective creatures, and thus we can move only so far towards objectivity. —Maynard]