Posted on 04/12/2011 4:56:36 PM PDT by Kaslin
Individualists and money grubbers of the world, unite; you have nothing to lose but your servility and confiscatory tax rates.
After all these increasingly collectivized decades, "Atlas Shrugged, Part I" the movie, is finally coming to town. It opens nationwide, appropriately, this Friday — Tax Day. Check your local listings for the time and place.
"Atlas Shrugged," Ayn Rand's legendary novel, was published in 1957. Instead of focusing on the old tale of victimized workers and greedy owners, the story turns the tables and shows what happens to the world when the innovators and producers go on strike, when the capitalists and owners turn out the lights and disappear.
The question has been asked on billboards, T-shirts and bumper stickers for half a century: "Who is John Galt?" In "Atlas Shrugged," he's the man who initiates and leads the strike of the producers.
"There is only one kind of men who have never been on strike in human history," states Galt in the novel. "Every other kind and class have stopped, when they so wished, and have presented demands to the world, claiming to be indispensable — except the men who have carried the world on their shoulders, have kept it alive, have endured torture as sole payment, but have never walked out on the human race.
"Well, their turn has come. Let the world discover who they are, what they do and what happens when they refuse to function. This is the strike of the men of the mind."
The shrugging comes when men of achievement refuse to accept their unearned guilt, refuse to have their strengths and accomplishments turned into weaknesses and sins.
(Excerpt) Read more at investors.com ...
I began reading Atlas Shrugged in 1997. I only have 500 pages to go.
You're gonna need to get crackin' to finish it before the 15th.
I always make myself read the book (where applicable) before seeing the film. In this case, I've read the book and oddly have very little desire to see the film. Not sure why.
Good and thoughtful post. Thanks.
Actually, I find Rand’s writing toxic. It has medicinal uses, admittedly, particularly in curing youthful tendencies toward statism and collectivism, but like most medicines, in most contexts, it’s toxic.
Whittaker Chambers' says in his review:
Since a great many of us dislike much that Miss Rand dislikes, quite as heartily as she does, many incline to take her at her word.
Whittaker Chambers described it thus:
But it should be its own antidote, warning us that anything it shouts is best taken with the usual reservations with which we might sip a patent medicine. Some may like the flavor. In any case, the brew is probably without lasting ill effects. But it is not a cure for anything. Nor would we, ordinarily, place much confidence in the diagnosis of a doctor who supposes that the Hippocratic Oath is a kind of curse.
“Rand always had a Hollywood view of America. It’s the Hank Hill types, not the Hank Reardens, who made this country great.”
Which only makes sense since her first job in America was as a Hollywood screen writer. Moreover, she met her husband Frank O’Connor (to whom Atlas Shrugged is dedicated) on the movie set of King of Kings, where she was cast by Cecil B. DeMille as an extra.
The author appears to be unaware that the movie is only the first of 3 parts since the quotation he provides from Galt’s speech presumably won’t show up until Part III. All the quotes cited appear to be straight from the book as opposed to anything said on screen etc. My guess is that unlike P.J. O’Rourke—who I presume was given a copy of the DVD for the express purpose of writing a review—this writer has not yet seen the film, so is just as much in the dark as the rest of us as to its true scope and quality.
“In this case, I’ve read the book and oddly have very little desire to see the film. Not sure why. “
Me neither. I think its going to be too long to sit through.
“My morality, the morality of reason, is contained in a single axiom: existence exists – and in a single choice: to live. The rest proceeds from these. To live, man must hold three things as the supreme and ruling values of his life: Reason – Purpose – Self-Esteem. Reason, as his only tool of knowledge – Purpose, as his choice of the happiness which that tool must proceed to achieve – Self-Esteem, as his inviolate certainty that his mind is competent to think and his person is worthy of happiness, which means: is worthy of living.” (3.7.1.171)
Reminds me of a gag on the old Addams Family TV show: Morticia was mad at Gomez for some reason, and as she stalked off to bed, announcing that she was planning to finish reading War and Peace.
So Gomez asked her, "What page are you on?"
Morticia answered, "Twelve!"
I didn't get it, then. A bit too young, yet.
LOL...now THAT I like!
I’ve thought some more about it.
I think part of my reticence is because I have the book in my head, and have a feeling that it plays best up there, vs on the big screen. The other books on my “favorites” list which have been made into movies have usually suffered the same fate.
Whether I like it or not, I hope and pray that it is a success. The message is one that people who can’t or won’t read the book need to see and hear.
Inside your head must be an interesting place to be.
Do you serve popcorn?
It echoes nicely in there. Watch out for the cobwebs, though.
Do you serve popcorn?
::laughing:: I am a connoisseur of all things popcorn.
Black Jewell popcorn with melted butter, sprinkled with finely ground sea salt. Popped in a Catamount borosilicate popper.
We have a friend from Illinois whose family grows corn for a living. She once showed me how to make the best popcorn. The only change I made was in the popper. Everything else is from her directions.
“::laughing:: I am a connoisseur of all things popcorn.”
I’m impressed. I buy bags of dried seeds and pop in a microwave
Good replies from Ayn Rand...
I figured ole Mike Wallace has been a dick his whole life...
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