Go back and revisit any discussion on libertarianism or candidates with libertarian leanings.
Ayn’s Atheism doesn’t win her any friends amongst the God Squad no matter how sound the rest of her philosophy is.
Her philosophy was sound for business and government, if a tiny bit extreme. It’s when people started applying it to personal relationships that it went astray. She, or her followers, just went too far with it.
The only thing she’s got right is that the left sucks the big one. The Atheism is an issue, but she even got that wrong. Does anyone seriously believe that G-d is a heavenly bureaucrat you’re petitioning for special favors(her words)? That deity really does NOT exist. Any chance that He’s an industrialist, who would like the beneficiaries of His bounty to pay the requested consideration for it; i.e., prayer, charitable works, a little humility, etc.? She believes that mankind is the ultimate creation, capable of approaching godhood (her words again), but doesn’t know much about human nature or theology. Her description of Dagny Taggert and John Galt getting it on in a railroad tunnel makes me wonder if she’s even female. Definitely not godlike.
Egotism is not a virtue. It’s unavoidable. But it does get in the way of genuine accomplishments of the sort that fictional Rearden or Taggert supposedly have. Nothing is more egotistical than “from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs”. It’s a license to be a leech. Wanting to improve on the world as you find it is not egotism. It’s why Jews and Moslems both circumcise their sons as a covenant with G-d, a commitment to make the world into a home for G-dliness, to bring it closer to what it could be and should be. You can’t do that unless you get over yourself.
I agree with you I don’t like Rand’s atheism but her philosophy is right on the mark.You don’t need to read the book. Just read Natemans passage from Atlas and you will see that she is right.
Don't have the time. Maybe you can direct some of them to me........Thanks though