Atlas Shrugged - Page 5

JoeZhang · January 6 2013, 06:21 PM

The Mirrorball Man wrote:

Honestly, around here, Ayn Rand is a complete nonentity. No one has heard of her, no one reads her books and her ideas have no political influence whatsoever.

It's rare but occasionally American exchange students bring up objectivism there is either a baffled silence or once it is explained nobody can get their heads around it.

I think there are a few cranks/sociopaths in the UK who follow it but like your country it has no influence.

stj · January 7 2013, 01:26 AM

^^^Paul Ryan, the recent Republican vice-Presidential candidate, was a great admirer of Ayn Rand. Apparently, reading her works was something of an informal test for his employees and friends.

But those of you who imagine that you are fortunate to have escaped her influence are of course wrong. Alan Greenspan, for many years head of the Federal Reserve, is another Ayn Rand fan. But unlike Ryan, his many years have left the men he mentored, such as Ben Bernanke. And they still have an influence on all countries.

Hound of UIster · January 7 2013, 03:38 AM

Bernanke was never a student of Greespan's. I believe his thesis adviser was Stanley Fisher.

iguana_tonante · January 7 2013, 11:13 AM

Mr. Laser Beam wrote:

iguana_tonante wrote:

You know what would solve the problem of traffic? More cars.

Explain.

Same as the solution for the problem of gun violence is more guns.

Klaus wrote:

sarcasm

Pretty much.

Jeyl · January 7 2013, 03:46 PM

I watched this movie and I couldn't help but laugh at how the government is portrayed as this evil, greedy and overly oppressive lot who make all these ridiculous laws. I've seen business companies make rules more stupid than this. Does this government free world of Atlantis still sell full priced games with DRM so far embedded into the product that it also requires an always online connection?

Zaku · January 7 2013, 11:45 PM

Admiral2 wrote:

xortex wrote:

Was this a good movie?

If you're a conservative, yes, both installments so far have been very good.

If you voted for Obama and think Occupy Wall Street had a point, no, it sucked.

I'm not a conservative. Obviously I couldn't vote for any of your candidates and I don't have any particular opinion about "Occupy Wall Street". I know almost nothing about Ayn Rand and objectivism (like a lot of people outside U.S.).

So...

Was this a good movie?

Mr. Laser Beam · January 8 2013, 12:22 AM

iguana_tonante wrote:

Mr. Laser Beam wrote:

iguana_tonante wrote:

You know what would solve the problem of traffic? More cars.

Explain.

Same as the solution for the problem of gun violence is more guns.

Klaus wrote:

sarcasm

Pretty much.

I can never tell if you're on my side or not...

IndyJones · January 8 2013, 02:44 AM

That one wasn't exactly a toughie.

iguana_tonante · January 8 2013, 04:46 AM

Mr. Laser Beam wrote:

iguana_tonante wrote:

Mr. Laser Beam wrote:

Explain.

Same as the solution for the problem of gun violence is more guns.

Klaus wrote:

sarcasm

Pretty much.

I can never tell if you're on my side or not...

Good. Good...

Gaith · January 8 2013, 03:50 PM

Klaus wrote:

I always thought the idea that a specially-shaped antenna could extract free energy from static electicity in the atmosphere to be one of the most amusing technobabbles of all time.

Maybe she gets chutzpah points for even trying that one.

Well, she wrote her novels with a little help from benzadrine - prescription meth. Perpetual motion was probably on her mind...

Hound of UIster · January 8 2013, 04:47 PM

Actually I think it was based on Tesla's mythical static electricity generator. She was never that creative.

arch101 · January 9 2013, 02:36 AM

Nerys Myk wrote:

arch101 wrote:

Forget the film. But, you should read the book before it's banned.

Banned by who? Its been out for 55 years. Don't see it going away any time soon.

It could be banned, perhaps, by a government that absolutely DESPISES individual achievement and is completely convinced that nothing good can ever be accomplished without government's "help". Now, where oh where would we find such a government...

Greg Cox · January 9 2013, 02:43 AM

arch101 wrote:

Nerys Myk wrote:

arch101 wrote:

Forget the film. But, you should read the book before it's banned.

Banned by who? Its been out for 55 years. Don't see it going away any time soon.

It could be banned, perhaps, by a government that absolutely DESPISES individual achievement and is completely convinced that nothing good can ever be accomplished without government's "help". Now, where oh where would we find such a government...

Honestly, that sounds like sheer paranoia to me. I don't recall liberal books being banned during the Reagan and Bush years because they were "un-American" or whatever. Heck, even during the height of the McCarthy era, I don't remember Marx or Mao being banned by the government.

And the last time I checked, the shelves at Wal-Mart and my local grocery store were fully stocked with the latest books by Glenn Beck or Ann Coulter or whomever. And I'm sure you can still find Ayn Rand in any sizable bookstore or library.

There is that pesky little First Amendment, you know, and if you really think that the evil Democrats or liberals or whomever are out to destroy the Bill of Rights . . . well, that's a pretty farfetched scenario. You might as well worry about the gorillas or computers taking over.

Mr. Laser Beam · January 9 2013, 02:43 AM

arch101 wrote:

Nerys Myk wrote:

arch101 wrote:

Forget the film. But, you should read the book before it's banned.

Banned by who? Its been out for 55 years. Don't see it going away any time soon.

It could be banned, perhaps, by a government that absolutely DESPISES individual achievement and is completely convinced that nothing good can ever be accomplished without government's "help". Now, where oh where would we find such a government...

Not here.

Nerys Myk · January 9 2013, 03:23 AM

arch101 wrote:

Nerys Myk wrote:

arch101 wrote:

Forget the film. But, you should read the book before it's banned.

Banned by who? Its been out for 55 years. Don't see it going away any time soon.

It could be banned, perhaps, by a government that absolutely DESPISES individual achievement and is completely convinced that nothing good can ever be accomplished without government's "help". Now, where oh where would we find such a government...

Where's that Futurama "Oh wait you're serious" threadbomb when you need it?

January 7 2013, 01:26 AM	#62
stj Rear Admiral Location: the real world	Re: Atlas Shrugged ^^^Paul Ryan, the recent Republican vice-Presidential candidate, was a great admirer of Ayn Rand. Apparently, reading her works was something of an informal test for his employees and friends. But those of you who imagine that you are fortunate to have escaped her influence are of course wrong. Alan Greenspan, for many years head of the Federal Reserve, is another Ayn Rand fan. But unlike Ryan, his many years have left the men he mentored, such as Ben Bernanke. And they still have an influence on all countries. __________________ Morals are what you do to other people. Other people, what we call society, are essential to human happiness. Therefore, morals are the path to happiness. My morals, your happiness; your morals, my happiness: It's a fair trade.

January 7 2013, 03:38 AM	#63
Hound of UIster Rear Admiral	Re: Atlas Shrugged Bernanke was never a student of Greespan's. I believe his thesis adviser was Stanley Fisher.

January 7 2013, 03:46 PM	#65
Jeyl Commodore Location: Asheville, NC	Re: Atlas Shrugged I watched this movie and I couldn't help but laugh at how the government is portrayed as this evil, greedy and overly oppressive lot who make all these ridiculous laws. I've seen business companies make rules more stupid than this. Does this government free world of Atlantis still sell full priced games with DRM so far embedded into the product that it also requires an always online connection?

January 8 2013, 02:44 AM	#68
IndyJones Vice Admiral Location: Chicago	Re: Atlas Shrugged That one wasn't exactly a toughie. __________________ Travel's fatal to prejudice, bigotry, narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things can't be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's life.

January 8 2013, 04:47 PM	#71
Hound of UIster Rear Admiral	Re: Atlas Shrugged Actually I think it was based on Tesla's mythical static electricity generator. She was never that creative.

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