Those who are against Ayn Rand, care to shed some light on the reasoning?

Discussion in 'Political Opinions & Beliefs' started by FixingLosers, Jul 24, 2012.

  1. FixingLosers

    FixingLosers New Member

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    Please keep it in mind that make sure you know the argument that you are against was actually what she had proclaimed.
     
  2. leftysergeant

    leftysergeant New Member

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    I admit that I never read Atlas Shrugged. Having read Anthem, I was kind of fed up with her lack of talent or common sense.

    Most dreaful piece of crap ever to get sold as a LITERARY CLASSIC.
     
  3. stjames1_53

    stjames1_53 Banned

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    Rand espoused several social and economic philosophies. Personally, I like her notions and approach to writing. Atlas Shrugged and the Fountainhead are my two all time favorites. This thread may turn out to be very interesting......
     
  4. montra

    montra New Member

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    I have to say that I never read any of her work, however, I did see Atlas Shrugged as a movie. Having seen the movie, it is apparent that she was as visionary, a prophet of sorts in identifying the every increasing toxic influence of government and politics into everyday life. In a government that passes thousands of regulations and laws per year, it still amazes me that I am still able to walk outside and take a deep breath of fresh air without being arrested or fined in some way.
     
  5. stjames1_53

    stjames1_53 Banned

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    I would suggest that Atlas Shrugged should be best read for the full impact. As most book-based movies go, there was a lot that didn't make it to the screen (kinda like Battlefield Earth) because it was to lengthy to make into a really good movie. However, The Fountainhead starring Gary Cooper was an excellent translation of the book, probably because it was a shorter book. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041386/
     
  6. Libhater

    Libhater Well-Known Member

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    What's not to love about Rand the genius? The message from Atlas Shrugged is ever more important today seeing how it relates beautifully with the government takeover of obama's socialist plan to remake America into a dependent European style nation to the trepidation being felt by small businesses of the stifling regulations and taxes, and their shutting down or taking what's left to their businesses overseas to avoid the marxist obama. The only irony I see with Ms Rand is that she was an atheist--the very thing that all of these leftists/marxists/economy wreckers pride themselves with.
     
  7. Dr. Righteous

    Dr. Righteous Well-Known Member

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    My guess is that you know nothing about Objectivism or Individualism
     
  8. darckriver

    darckriver New Member Past Donor

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    I used to like Ayn Rand and her Atals Shrugged thingy. I read it with enthusiasm a few years ago. I especially liked her use of the label "looters" for leftists, 'cause they are looters, fer sure.

    But she's wrong in her Laissez-faire idealistic approach to some markets - just ask her pals, Alan Greenspan and Robert Rubin. At least Greenspan saw the light - after the 2008 and he was now sitting in front of investigative hearings. A little late - the 2008 carnage was complete. It can be easily shown how Rand's personal, ideological influence encouraged Greenspan and his pals to ridicule and trash every attempt of CFTC chairwoman Brixley Born to warn of the need for regulatory oversight of the OTC derivatives market. The alarm she was sounding was due to her awareness of the systemic risk that the mega-trillion dollar market presented, along with the speculative risk and risk hiding that she was seeing. In typical Ayn Rand fashion, Greenspan was blind to such a need. To him, that was leftist regulatory crap. No need for that in the booming economy. But, Ayn Rand was wrong. Hence, so were her very economically influential friends. She and them with their resistive abhorrence to any oversight or market restraint played yet another key part in the 2008 meltdown.
     
  9. montra

    montra New Member

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    Indeed. It seems to me that the ideology that "selfishness is good" is one that she embraced. One can embrace liberty for the wrong reasons ya know. Personally, I would like nothing better than to give her that freedom even though I think she is in error.
     
  10. The Real American Thinker

    The Real American Thinker New Member

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    ...because he doesn't think one of Rand's books is of good enough quality to be a literary classic?
     
  11. The Real American Thinker

    The Real American Thinker New Member

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    ...nearly half of Democrats are Christians. As for me, I'm no atheist, I'm a polytheist.

    So...you're wrong.
     
  12. The Real American Thinker

    The Real American Thinker New Member

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    I don't have anything against Ayn Rand. We disagree on quite a few things, but she said good things too.
     
  13. thediplomat2.0

    thediplomat2.0 Banned

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    I would never read any of Rand's work. Currently, I am caught up reading a book for my introductory literature class. There are also five other books on my short term reading list. They are:

    1. The Federalist
    2. The Essays and Poems of Ralph Waldo Emerson
    3. Walden and Civil Disobedience
    4. The Prince and Other Works of Niccolo Machiavelli
    5. Two Treatises of Government
     
  14. Object227

    Object227 Well-Known Member

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    For those who want to read it for free: ANTHEM
     
  15. stjames1_53

    stjames1_53 Banned

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    ...Civil Disobedience.......probably one of the defining writings about how citizens and government should consider taxing.
    Personally, we been driven to this point by things such as, for example, school taxes, when I have no children in school. I do not use the school system and have no benefit from this, directly or indirectly. I am not responsible for someone else's child's education, unless I get paid for it. I have no say in the matter, it is automatically added to my property tax bill. That may sound a bit harsh, but it still a fact.
    In Indiana, corporate school boards have control over the increases and spending, and the citizens have very little say in the matter. If you challenge them in public meetings, they have you arrested. I know, because I've been there. When opposition is stiff against increases, they have their meetings behind closed doors, barring the public while determining the fate of the taxpayer monies. So much for democracy at work.
    Emerson raged against such a system where taxes could be used as a tool against the citizens, rather than a means to control government. The ability to tax is the ability to rule.
     
  16. septimine

    septimine New Member

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    I think her biggest weakness is that she tends to discount charity and altruism as positive social forces. I think it stems from the notion that anything that does not literally help you personally is "collective". But to me, there's a sharp difference between a collection at a church or social club and a tax. No one holds a gun when the church passes the plate, nor when a charity asks for money to do a good cause. The other thing that she seems to miss is that some charity is necessary. A catholic or christian school helps poor kids meet their potential, a charitable hospital cares for those who cannot pay for medical care. It's not the main part of her message, but it's something that she tends to miss.
     
  17. Libhater

    Libhater Well-Known Member

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    To me and to the basic tenets of Christianity, a Christian Democrat is an oxymoron. Most Dems are in favor of abortion and euthanasia--two ideals that smack in the face of true Christian dogma.
     
  18. Dr. Righteous

    Dr. Righteous Well-Known Member

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    No, because he thinks she didn't have any common sense. Absolute nonsense.
     
  19. Questerr

    Questerr Banned

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    What don't I like about Ayn Rand?

    What is there to like about a speed freak/meth head sociopath who's philosophy boils down to "I've got mine, (*)(*)(*)(*) you!" and who believes that altruism and charity are evil?
     
  20. stjames1_53

    stjames1_53 Banned

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    It is easier to deny and support lies than accept the responsibility and burden of truth...... Personally she helped define the way I do business. Selfishness, for me is defined by keeping something for myself in order to maintain myself. I give what I can, when I feel like it, to those I determine who are truly in need. If I give it all away, how can I be expected to care for someone else if I am unable to take care of myself.
    But, in the bottom line, my "charity" is up to me and not some da*&ed beaucratic snivelling chump who's is not willing to give what they demand. For example, if a person feels like the illegals be allowed to stay, move them into your house and pay for all their expenses yourself. do not come to me and demand that I support them just because that is the way you feel. (which is probably contrary to what I think)
     
  21. Questerr

    Questerr Banned

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    I doubt you can find any Dems that "favor" abortion or euthanasia. However, they don't believe that their personnal beliefs should be forced on others who may need to use either of those two procedures.

    Why do you oppose legalizing euthanasia? Do you enjoy watching people suffer from terminal illnesses? Are you a sadist?
     
  22. The Real American Thinker

    The Real American Thinker New Member

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    That's called society. You live in society, you can help run society.

    Thoreau wrote Civil Disobedience, not Emerson.
     
  23. The Real American Thinker

    The Real American Thinker New Member

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    Well, luckily for them, the Bible only gives one qualification (well, two depending on your interpretation) for salvation, and perfect politics is not one of them.

    Not necessarily. All the Dems/liberals I know are not in favor of abortion, they are just capable of recognizing that making it illegal will only make the problem worse, and would rather keep it legal and work on reducing the demand for it.

    As for euthanasia...that's not a black and white issue.
     
  24. bradm98

    bradm98 Member

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    I think you'd have a hard time supporting the claim that you receive NO indirect benefits from the school system. However, I agree that "value of property owned" is a very poor proxy for taxes to support schools. But I suppose that's another discussion for another thread...
     
  25. stjames1_53

    stjames1_53 Banned

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    sorry, I stand corrected Thoreau it is...I was interrupted and tracked wrong.
     

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