ATLAS SHRUGGED By Ayn Rand

>>[driving ithrough the countryside]
>>"It's a good road," said Rearden, "It was built to last. The
>>man who built it [was really good i swear]."
>>"Yes..."
>>"I don't like the looks of this."
>>"I don't either." Then she smiled. "But think of how often
>>we've heard people complain that billboards ruin the
>>appearance of the countryside. Well, there's the unruined
>>countryside for them to admire." She added, "They're the >>people I hate."

I've just finished Atlas Shrugged, and I am left somewhat conflicted. Part of me understands how this could have been voted the best book of the 20th century. Part of me understands how she, a person whom had experienced the Bolshevik's rise to power and was greatly affected by the negatives of communism, could have honestly and fully believed what she was writing. But for the most part, I can't help but to regard this book as a thick pile of shit. Opinions?

>>11
"To whom were you referring with your pro tip?"

About 90% of all introductory philosophy students that sight Rands inability to overcome Humes law as her flaw. The real problems with objectivism lie in how objectivist ethics exist in time.

"In any case, I disagree with your statement on philosophy nerds vs. most people. If anything, that's why so many people hate her: they disagree with what she's writing from the very bottom of their being, but they don't have the means--or more likely, simply don't care enough--to understand exactly why she's wrong."

At least in most western traditions, this type of disagreement from the bottom of ones soul holds no merit in argument. It’s in my opinion that if you don’t care to understand an issue at more then face value, and not put any thought or effort into its understanding that you should have no logical reason to have such a strong opinion on said issue. When reading Ayn I encourage people that face strong conflictions and new ideas to dig further and investigate, not put the book down reject outright on the basis of hate.

>>13

“Oh, and I decided I was a Marxist when I was at school, and the people I really disliked were the ones who agreed but didn't know what the hell they were talking about. "Yeah, Communism is cool. Stick it to the man!" I mean, that (the whole teenage rebellion thing) was why I got into it, but at least I bothered to do my reading and get a decent understanding of it. I grew out of it by the time I was 16, and I've actually become an inredibly self centred bastard. Go figure.”

Haha ya those are the types I was referring to, the same applies for any such books, like the bible and AS. And can exist on both sides of the argument, MOST/MANY atheists (I hope im not included) make assumptions that are just as stupid as the ones made in the bible belt. Any decent and intelligent theologian would tear up most atheists without effort

>>14
“Hmm... Striving for success, happiness, equality, self-sufficiency, freedom, independent thought ... I can certainly see how 4channers, and liberals (i.e. marxists) in general, would dislike her ideas.”

All people strive for such outcomes; it’s how we reach them that’s the issue. Do you think it was Marx’s intention to kill millions (if not billions) of people? Do you really think he had long term goals that where different then Ayns? All of us strive for happiness, equality freedom and the like, how we get them is the subject of philosophical inquiry, and Ayns arguments fail.