[Publius]

FReeper Book Club

Atlas Shrugged

Part I: Non-Contradiction

Chapter I: The Theme

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Earlier threads:
Our First Freeper Book Club: Atlas Shrugged

[rlmorel]

Ping for later...

I work in a hospital, and I saw a beat up copy of Atlas Shugged on a countertop, in a tech area. When I asked who was reading it, a young hispanic guy said he was. Couldn’t have been more than twenty.

I asked if he was reading it for a class or something, and he said no, just reading it because someone suggested it to him.

When I asked him what he thought of it, he said: “Kind of sounds like what is going on today...”

From the mouth of babes.

[rlmorel]

Eddie Willers remembers a tree at the Taggart estate that had been struck by lightning, revealing a hollow core destroyed by dry rot. He connects this with the unrepaired spire, the brake failure in the New York subway, Doc’s typewriter and the shortages of goods. But what about moral rot? What behavior in this chapter, and by whom, exemplifies moral failure?
The tree with the hollow core is our Government and the value system of our populace. The moral rot is exemplified by Jim Taggert and his scorn for the concept of profit.

Jim Taggart obsesses about stability, planning and maintaining an atmosphere of stasis. Change is to be avoided, even if it improves conditions. What parallels can be drawn to current events?
The parallel is the obverse of Jim Taggert's position, that change for the simple sake of change can be even more harmful. Many people vilify conservatism with the slander that conservatives don't like change. The truth is conservatives don't believe in change just because it is different, we ask for evidence that change will be beneficial. (At this point, liberals usually get huffy)

Jim believes that priority of corporate effort should be determined by need, putting emphasis on helping the disadvantaged people of Mexico who never had a chance. Is there an echo of this in American foreign policy today, particularly with respect to delegating blame?
I don't see this in Foreign Policy as much as I do immigration and domestic policy.

FReeper Billthedrill made this interesting observation about the book: “...her villains are drawn so perfectly it's almost painful to read them and a newspaper too close together.” The first villain the reader meets is Jim Taggart. Does he resemble anyone today and, if so, whom?
He resembles Barney Frank, Chuck Schumer or nearly any liberal you can think of.

Is there anything disturbing about the Mayor of New York wanting the current date displayed on a large calendar mounted on a skyscraper? What are the implications of this?
Liberals think that people are too stupid to think for themselves and take responsibility for knowing what the date is.

[tarawa]

Please add me to the book club list. It has been years since I read Atlas Shrugged, and I have been wanting to refresh my memory.

[upchuck]

I’m a little late to this party.

Are y’all accepting suggestions for the FReeper Book Club? If so, I’d suggest Animal Farm followed by 1984.

He’s not even been crowned yet and I’m seeing all kinds of parallels between nObama and Animal Farm.

[RWB Patriot]

I started reading the book about a week ago (on page 510). Honestly, I can see a real world example for just about everything I’ve read so far, and it’s amazing to me how much I agree with a lot of what the heroes in the book say and advocate. Heck, if it wasn’t for my Lutheran faith, I’d probably be an Objectivist right now (that’s one of the things I disagree with Rand about).

One thing I’m pleased to find out about Rand is that she had respect for workers as well as entrepreneurs. For a while, I had the feeling that entreprenuership was required of Objectivists, as the only three I know (Jay Naylor, Robert Ringer and Ayn Rand herself) are all self-employed. It’s comforting to know that a woman I have respect for would probably have respect for me as well.

I look forward to reading more of the book, and I do hope that when and if the day comes where the Atlas’es of the world shrug, they remember their loyal workers when they head for Galt’s Gulch.

[Taxman]

Taxman Bravo Zulu!

Thanks for hosting this thread — I may not post on it very FRequently, but I’ll Lurk ‘N Learn, if you don’t mind.

AS is my all time favorite book, and my I am saddened beyond words to see so many of the prognostications Ms. Rand made 50 years ago becoming factual.

Perhaps with increased awareness of the dangers of Socialism, we can begin to right the ship of state. If not for us, then for our children and grandchildren.

We’ll need a lot of help, and this may be a starting place.

[Floratina]

Please add me to your Book Club!

[NonValueAdded]

Might we have an anniversary here?

A white rectangle hung over the city, imparting the date to the men in the streets below. In the rusty light of this evening's sunset, the rectangle said: September 2.