I posted this on a similar thread the other night...it is interesting for me, because two of the most influential books in my life are “Atlas Shrugged” and “Witness” (followed closely by “The Road to Serfdom”) I have been aware of Whittaker Chambers scathing review of “Atlas Shrugged”, and I find the irony fascinating because it is 100% obvious to me that both Whittaker Chambers and Ayn Rand attack the same thing, just from different directions.
I know that sounds like a real contradiction, given that Whitaker Chambers was a devoutly religious man and Ayn Rand was the complete and polar opposite in that respect.
But I think that one can make the argument that in both cases, the enemy is liberalism. In Whittaker Chambers book “Witness” his enemy is, ironically enough, atheism as expressed by communism. (Man substituting himself for God…)
In Ayn Rand’s book “Atlas Shrugged”, her enemy is clearly the overarching and statist government, or, at a more fundamental level, the idea that the fruits of a man’s labor do not accrue to him.
In either case, I think that Ayn Rand would be able to view the situation that Whittaker Chambers writes about and see the very reflection of her issue, and vice versa for Whittaker Chambers.
Fascinating stuff, but now more than ever, it is more than just food for thought. In both of these cases, our very future now depends on us understanding these threats and coming to grips with them.
Good and thoughtful post. Thanks.
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.