Ever read Atlas shrugged?

[Magyars]

And Atlas continues to shrug

For most of my adult life, I've been told about Ayn Rand's famous novel — but had no idea what it was about. It was particularly popular among my Libertarian buddies. So I finally ordered a copy...and when it came,...

www.americanthinker.com

 

[Magyars]

From Atlas Shrugged
“There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws.”

 

[ibwaltb]

Read it about a decade ago. Well worth the time reading it. When I see our administrations propaganda it makes me wonder who would be John Galt in our present debacle.

 

[Mikey1911]

And in SlowJoe, we already have the equivalent of the character Cuffy Meigs:
"The Man Impervious to Thought"

 

[tbhausen]

Yes, absolutely I have. And if you haven’t, you should, too.

 

[jake blue]

One of my favorite reads and almost as prescient as Orwell's 1984.

 

[BigRed]

I am long overdue for a revisit of this book.

Thanks for posting

 

[OurDee]

Just ordered a copy. I'll work on it after I finish Moby Dick.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Its like Atlas is a warning and they are using 1984 as an instruction manual.

 

[x10]

It should be rewritten, they could clean it up and not make it so ponderous in parts but it should be mandatory reading in high school

 

[ancjr]

No, but I have read Thomas Sowell's "A Conflict Of Visions"

 

[Flingarrows]

I did the audio book about 5 years ago. I’m due for another read of it


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[wcd]

Yes among others it is time well spent

 

[cobber]

About 45 years ago. I wasn't as aware back then, I'm sure I would get a lot more out of it now.

That and 1984 depict where we are today, sadly. In a few years the trains and especially planes will probably stop running and then we'll be there.

I did find some of the romantic parts a bit silly, not Rand's forte, but doesn't detract from the book overall.

I bought a copy for my daughter, who has never actually opened it. Maybe some day for her...

And who IS John Galt in our day and age?

 

[jamil]

It should be rewritten, they could clean it up and not make it so ponderous in parts but it should be mandatory reading in high school

Well I can see this won’t be a popular opinion. Atlas Shrugged is probably one of the worst novels ever written. Rand, as a writer, is WAY overrated. Atlas Shrugged was her attempt to explain Objectivism, and a defense of Capitalism through storytelling. She just really sucks at storytelling. And it’s too bad. There are some redeeming points. Just poorly executed.

I’ll look through my notes that point to some of the worst turns of phrases ever penned, and post them later.

 

[jamil]

No, but I have read Thomas Sowell's "A Conflict Of Visions"

Now that’s an excellent book. A bit dry as most academic books tend to be. But at least he didn’t fancy himself as a novelist. He knows his lane. I’ve incorporated a lot of Conflict of Visions into my own thinking.

 

[ancjr]

Now that’s an excellent book. A bit dry as most academic books tend to be. But at least he didn’t fancy himself as a novelist. He knows his lane. I’ve incorporated a lot of Conflict of Visions into my own thinking.

Yes, it wasn't the easiest book I ever read. Took me a while as I remember reading every line 2-3 times.

 

[jamil]

About 45 years ago. I wasn't as aware back then, I'm sure I would get a lot more out of it now.

That and 1984 depict where we are today, sadly. In a few years the trains and especially planes will probably stop running and then we'll be there.

I did find some of the romantic parts a bit silly, not Rand's forte, but doesn't detract from the book overall.

I bought a copy for my daughter, who has never actually opened it. Maybe some day for her...

And who IS John Galt in our day and age?

Honestly I think Rand would have done better—though not a lot better—if she’d kept to academic writing.

 

[jamil]

Here’s a gem:

A gray cotton, which was neither quite fog nor clouds, hung in sloppy wads between sky and mountains, making the sky look like an old mattress spilling its stuffing down the sides of the peaks. A crusted snow covered the ground, belonging neither to winter nor to spring. A net of moisture hung in the air, and she felt an icy pinprick on her face once in a while, which was neither a raindrop nor a snowflake. The weather seemed afraid to take a stand and clung noncommittally to some sort of—

JUST GET TO THE ***DAMN POINT!

 

[ancjr]

Honestly I think Rand would have done better—though not a lot better—if she’d kept to academic writing.

And certainly not script writing.

My opinion, the cult status of Ayn Rand has actually been a distraction from the best of her ideas.

Mises, Hayek, Friedman, Rothbard, Higgs, Sowell, Williams are all good reading. Second only to the Bible.