“Individual
rights are not subject to a public vote; a majority has no right to
vote away the rights of a minority; the political function of rights
is precisely to protect minorities from oppression by majorities (and
the smallest minority on earth is the individual).”
“Civilization
is the progress toward a society of privacy. The savage's whole
existence is public, ruled by the laws of his tribe. Civilization is
the process of setting man free from men.”
“We
are fast approaching the stage of the ultimate inversion: the stage
where the government is free to do anything it pleases, while the
citizens may act only by permission; which is the stage of the
darkest periods of human history, the stage of rule by brute force.”
People hate Ayn Rand with the heat of 1000 suns and I have never been able to figure that one out. I read Atlas Shrugged, and was amazed at how it depicted what I was seeing all around me as a young adult that was becoming politically aware. An outhouse study of Objectivism followed and about the only thing I disagreed with was her stance on altruism. As an old fart I have effectively gone John Galt; and I find myself starting to see the folly altruism gone mad. The welfare state is killing those that support it AND those it supposedly protects.
ReplyDeleteAnyone who hasn't read "Atlas Shrugged" should do so. I'll scare you into action, one way or another.
ReplyDeleteMy opinions diverge from those of Rand on a number of issues, but her take on the direction our society is going was spot on!
Glen, people seem to either love or hate Ayn Rand: there is no third option.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I think her back history - coming of age and living in first modern Communist society - gave her an insight that many others lack and is woefully unappreciated in the understanding of her philosophy.
I quibble with her opinions on the nature of the sexual relationship and on religion (she was an atheist) - but in terms of her economic philosophy and her understanding of how welfare societies eventually destroy everything, she was spot on.
Her book on writing on writing is one of the best I have read as well.
Pete, I think most people are put off by Rand because of the length of her book - especially now, in an age that does not read. It does not help (nowadays) that any attempt to put her work into movie format was done poorly (I think it would make an engaging story if properly done).
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, I diverge with her in some areas - noted above, her understanding of sex and religion. But the fact that we are living out what she wrote (as a work of fiction, mind you) should give anyone pause.