Monday, August 29, 2011

Ayn Rand

Someone suggested I read Ayn Rand to tide over my present grief.
There are a few things though which would upset that person:
  • I downloaded an illegal copy. He (ok...its a he) is a fervent believer in protecting intellectual property
  • I dislike Ayn Rand. To me she was permanently scarred from her childhood experiences in USSR and that affect her entire world-view. I dislike the choices she made in her personal life. I dislike the fact that her philosophy does not leave room for kindness and gentleness in dealings with other people. Its all me and mine.
I am going to go read "The Fountainhead" anyway. It is strangely comforting.
I get comfort in how Howard Roark approaches each episode in life with intellect and with emotions in control.

I tried to do the same and (sort of) succeeded.

Time for breakfast at 1:00 pm

3 comments:

Wandering Gaijin said...

I love Ayn Rand writings! Its so inspiring and relieving!
Roark is The Man!

I am reading Atlas Shrugged these days.
:-)

Cane-an said...

Read some P.G. Wodehouse. And don't you agree with my reasons for dislike?

Anonymous said...

I think the main problem people get into about Ayn Rand is what freedom means. If you can accept a simple definition of freedom, then Ayn Rand's Objectivism may seem right to you. Just understand that what freedom means to you may not be what freedom means to Ayn Rand. Freedom is different for everyone because it's tied with morals, and that's a complicated thing. As for me, I'm progressive with a bend towards Left of center Libertarianism. As such, I don't believe in the extreme, short sighted 'first come, first serve' exploitation of our worlds natural resources which includes each of us and our talents. Likewise, as a progressive I am open to whatever works, such as forms of totalitarianism and even anarchy. It all depends on what WE want, and in the end, what works. Yes, a very complicated thing it is. All that being said, I think the world is a better place with the work of Ayn Rand in it. As it's better to know what other people think than to not.