FReeper Book Club: Atlas Shrugged, The Sanction of the Victim

A Publius Essay | 18 April 2009 | Publius

[Publius]

FReeper Book Club

Atlas Shrugged

Part II: Either-Or; Chapter IV: The Sanction of the Victim

Ping! The thread is up.

Earlier threads:
FReeper Book Club: Introduction to Atlas Shrugged
Part I, Chapter I: The Theme
Part I, Chapter II: The Chain
Part I, Chapter III: The Top and the Bottom
Part I, Chapter IV: The Immovable Movers
Part I, Chapter V: The Climax of the d’Anconias
Part I, Chapter VI: The Non-Commercial
Part I, Chapter VII: The Exploiters and the Exploited
Part I, Chapter VIII: The John Galt Line
Part I, Chapter IX: The Sacred and the Profane
Part I, Chapter X: Wyatt’s Torch
Part II, Chapter I: The Man Who Belonged on Earth
Part II, Chapter II: The Aristocracy of Pull
Part II, Chapter III: White Blackmail

[alfa6]

back later

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[usconservative]

I just wanted to say thanks for the Atlas Shrugged threads. I’m a fan of Ayn Rand, have read Atlas twice now and have really been enjoying these threads and the questions. I’m going to have to pick up the book for a third time and start reading again. (I loved it in paperback so much I bought the hardbound version which has been the centerpiece of my formal room’s coffee table for 17 years now.)

[Sundog]

Thanks much.

[YankeeReb]

Wow excellent thread. I'm reading it for the first time and I'm blown away by the similarities to current events. I started reading it years ago but maybe I wasn't quite ready for it or maybe I was just to lazy to get thru it. Anyway I restarted it again about a month ago and can't put it down. The synopsis you did help me see some of the points I may have missed or just didn't get. In any event kudos to you and I'm sure down the road I'll be rereading it. Its one of those rare books that you want to reread because you know there's always some new insight you'll find.

[Zevonismymuse]

I just wanted to say thanks for the Atlas Shrugged threads

In our Freedom Fighters movement one of our stated goals is to put Atlas Shrugged on the top of The NYT Best Seller list. I have bought 3 copies as gifts so far this year.

[SE Mom]

Thank you for the thread and excellent synopsis.

It’s been about 18 years since I read the book -last week I dusted it off and am about 170 pp into it.

As with many books I go back to after a number of years- it’s been “rewritten” :) So much I don’t remember; it’s like reading it for the first time.

[whodathunkit]

Thanks once again Publius!

I found the Thanksgiving scene illuminating. Everyone avoided thanking Rearden, the only producer at the table!

I would like to add to the discussion the question of Rand's intent in using the phrase " Sanction of the victim." It seems that there are several ways to interpret the word. I found that...

sanction -

1. Authoritative permission or approval that makes a course of action valid.

and...

5. A penalty, specified or in the form of moral pressure, that acts to ensure compliance or conformity.

also...

Word History: Occasionally, a word can have contradictory meanings. Such a case is represented by sanction, which can mean both "to allow, encourage" and "to punish so as to deter."

(all found on the linked page)

As was discussed on an earlier thread, Rand does not always make clear her meaning with a single phrase. Perhaps that is why the monologues make the reader feel as if he had just exposed a gem from the earth and needs to turn it around to observe it from every facet in order to understand the whole. Rand used the trial to observe her meaning of the 'sanction of the victim'.

[Publius]

I found the Thanksgiving scene illuminating. Everyone avoided thanking Rearden, the only producer at the table!

Excellent! You got it!

Go back to the chapter where we first meet Hank, and he gives his brother some money for charity. Instead of thanks, what did Hank get?

[Fast Moving Angel]

Since the legal profession is my career, Hank's trial is my favorite part of the book. I would love to see a modern-day Hank stand up to some of the bonehead judges that are on the bench.

Thank you for your hard work on these threads. I look forward to them every weekend.

[Publius]

Back when Bill Gates and Microsoft went on trial, somoene posted Hank Rearden's trial as a thread to FR. It's gone, unfortunately, due to the inability to bring all the archives over to the latest server as part of the most recent migration.

It's a lot of typing, or I might have tried it myself.

[whodathunkit]

Link to repost / Rearden's trial

[r-q-tek86]

Since the legal profession is my career, Hank's trial is my favorite part of the book. I would love to see a modern-day Hank stand up to some of the bonehead judges that are on the bench.

I always think of the "show-trials" in the Congress - sometimes called "hearings" - at this point in the book. I, too, would love to see someone stand up in one of the hearings and "Hank" them.

[r-q-tek86]

Tahnks for posting that link.

From the trial...

The newspapers had snarled that the cause of the country's troubles, as this case demonstrated, was the selfish greed of rich industrialists; that it was men like Hank Rearden who were to blame for the shrinking diet, the falling temperature and the cracking roofs in the homes of the nation; that if it had not been for men who broke regulations and hampered the government's plans, prosperity would have been achieved long ago; and that a man like Hank Rearden was prompted by nothing but the profit motive. This last was stated without explanation or elaboration, as if the words "profit motive" were the self-evident brand of ultimate evil.

If that isn't directly out of today's headlines, I'm not sure what could be.

[Rob the Ugly Dude]

I just want to say this is an excellent idea for a thread.

[gracie1]

Morning Pub, it is a beautiful spring day here in CA. The trial of Hank Rearden is not conducted under the Constitution of the United States. It’s an administrative law panel presided over by three judges from the Bureau of Economic Planning and National Resources with no jury; however, this tribunal, empowered by the directives of Wesley Mouch issued under a state of emergency, has the power to send people to prison. One judge acts as prosecutor.

We currently have many such "trials", not by a jury and not under any presumption of innocence. All of the various regulatory boards and commissions, whose members are usually political appointees, preside over "hearings". It brings to mind the clause in the Declaration of Independence "He has sent swarms of officers, to eat out our sustaining."

Another such "trial" or "hearing" is in the realm of family law. Your children can be taken from you by cps, with only a subjective suspicion of abuse, place in foster care (ultimately for adoption) and you have no legal recourse. Both you and your child have been deprived of your constitutional rights. There is no court to appeal to, you can't sue the state or county agency that took them, even if it turns out you were innocent.

[Fast Moving Angel]

There's no book-on-line anywhere? ;-)

PS: Did everyone see the large picture of Ayn Rand held up at the Atlanta tea party? Fox News has run that clip with her picture several times.

[Fast Moving Angel]

Yes, and senate “confirmation” hearings, which seem to be more of a stage for facilitating grandstanding and pontificating on the part of the senators than exploring the qualifications of the candidate. Wouldn’t you love to see Hank rip, say, Dianne Feinstein, Teddy Kennedy or Henry Waxman a new one?

[M Kehoe]

Good afternoon (in this time zone). Good work. I, and the First lady have enjoyed your series.

5.56mm