[Mr.Atos]

Could the character of Mr. Toohey be applied to current personalities in contemporary mainstream media? Albeit this is a rhetorical question, a few names come to mind... Cronkite, Rather, Maher, Scheer, Couric and on and on.

[kesg]

Could the character of Mr. Toohey be applied to current personalities in contemporary mainstream media? Albeit this is a rhetorical question, a few names come to mind... Cronkite, Rather, Maher, Scheer, Couric and on and on.

No. Toohey was a diabolical genius. These people, for the most part, are dumber than a box of rocks.

[evolved_rage]

What about Klintoon??? In addition to sharing a thirst for power Toohey's preference was for empty headed women. (Now you have to ask, which Klintton am I talking about...)

[Madame Dufarge]

Powerful observations.

"Success, achievement, and independence are consistently attacked. It is the expression, en masse, of a neurotic facing a meaningless existence, and lashing out at anything of passion, beauty, and meaning. It is a fundamental attack on the values of human life — and it is destroying the world."

[Hank Kerchief]

The survival of civilization requires not just a political revolution, but a spiritual renaissance. ... it will take nothing less to defeat the would-be totalitarians once and for all.

The article is exactly right in its analysis of the cultural decay and contempt for values and meaning that pervades society. To those who love truth and freedom, all of this is painfully obvious. But the suggested solution is not possible.

The problem is people. Most people do not wish to be free. Most people want security, and they will surrender anything, including their souls to have it. To cure the problem you would have to change people, and that is not possible.

This is the one mistake that the Objectivists continue to make. There seems to be an almost mystical belief that they can make people want freedom by means of education, or the right propaganda program. What they do not understand is the moment you make people understand what freedom really is, and that being free means being responsible for one's own life, never seeking to have or enjoy what one has not earned or produced by one's own effort, most people will not be interested.

Those who truly want freedom must seek and acquire it themselves. It is not necessary to free the world to be free personally. This is the one truth the Randians never understood or explained. In some ways, the Randians are still collectivists.

One thing is certain, if you think the way to be free (and you wait for it to happen) is to make the entire world free, or your country, or your state, or your neighborhood, or even one other individual free, you will never be free. If you think any government can make you free, you will never be free. Freedom is no different than any other value worth pursuing in this world. If you do not acquire it by your own effort, you neither deserve it, or will be able to enjoy it, if you should accidentally have it. This is the reason most of the people in this country despise the limited freedom they still enjoy here in the USA.

A QUESTION FOR THE PING LIST:

In light of the obvious cultural and moral decay as well as the continuing erosion of freedom in our country, do you think the general decline will continue, and if so, will the result be revolution or a totalitarian government?

Do you think there is a political solution to the accelerating loss of freedom and values in this country?

(If you want on or off this list please freepmail me.)

Hank

[ought-six]

I read "The Fountainhead" many years ago. However, in the late 1990s it struck me one day, as I was discussing the disgraceful and pathological Clinton presidency with a friend, that the person Clinton most reminded me of was Ellsworth Toohey. My friedn didn't know who I was talking about, and when I described Toohey and explained to theme of the book to her, she readily agreed that Mr. Toohey and the Toon were soul mates.