I’ve been meaning to write about Ayn Rand for quite sometime now…well, since the moment I finished ‘Atlas Shrugged’ with great relief, i.e. I’ve high respect for the author for having crystallized her thoughts with such crispness of dialogue and narrative; she also makes certain points that may well challenge the thinking of many but unfortunately, she’s an unforgivable drone. She repeats the same ‘crisp’ dialogues over and over again. I feel horrible about criticizing someone for something that’s obviously their lifetime’s achievement but I’m sorry Mrs Ayn Rand, I would have told you something similar but well cushioned if I’d have ever had the chance to meet you after having read your book and being the person I am now.
Rand’s philosophy is not a winner, ladies and gentlemen, if you care to know. Her philosophy is the well-woven package of universal truths that have been recognized and embraced for all of time by conscientious souls, discerning minds but there is the brutal approach that she adopts that makes you feel like you’ve just been force-fed, all with good intentions.
She preaches the philosophy of ‘Objectivism’, of ‘The Virtue of Selfishness’. Even if I don’t agree with her completely, there are times when I feel that she has spoken my mind. The characters in her book are strong and imposing (makes quite an aspirant out of one) but really, what she hasn’t considered is the alienation of those people who might have been drawn towards the truth, if it weren’t for the brutally dogmatic stand, of people who might’ve been saved only with a little more kindness, understanding and patience. A quick-fix in the manner of a coup, to rout all evil by isolating the worthy ones in hopes of awakening this ‘other’ faction’s sense of wrong-doing is heartless. The glory (even if real or imagined) of such a revolution would be short-lived.
Her use of language is quite another thing. Use of words that have always been associated with negative imagery only builds the degree of wariness, the warmth is missing to befriend the…the… cupboard revolutionaries (still hiding, still discovering, still unsure of themselves), the ‘diamonds-in-the-rough’. Words are the stuff of a working wand that may be flourished in a swish of a delightful surprise, not shock especially in matters as delicate as coaxing someone to think better, live better. As a psychologist, I hold the power of words in immense awe. You make or break. Period.
I have reasons to find many other contentions with her work, especially, her easy dismissal of the role of faith, of spirituality in ones’ lives. It’s presumptuous and it’s dangerous. The importance of faith is unquestionable. A ‘moral code’ based on this should be a wonderful possibility, a revered lodestone. And on the ‘The Virtue of Selfishness’, the sheer misapplication that I see of this strain of philosophy is appalling and this provision that there’s room for colossal misunderstanding, itself, writes the story of inevitable fallibility of this circuitous logic. If selfishness were a creature, it would be a shape changer, easily switching from the guise of virtue to vice and vice versa, at will, never letting on one about its true identity.
In tentative summary, I feel that a little more heart, a little less judgement, a lot less sentencing, a great deal of patience, understanding and oodles of that famed courage can go a long way in making this world a better place. You just ride the storm baby- minus a twenty page speech about its ups and downs! 
Knowing what you probably knew about Atlas Shrugged and about Ayn Rand’s atheism, and being a Christian, why would you force yourself to read the book? Your report of your experience is dishonest.
Favela, thanks for stopping by. I assure you that I was entirely clueless about Ayn Rand until someone gave me a stunned look mixed with utter distaste that I’d managed to survive without Rand’s guiding hand and that itself would be a questionable existence- the situation was hilarious. If you read one of my previous posts titled ‘Cramming the Shelves’ you’ll see I even mistook Rand for a ‘he’. This must give you a fair idea about my degree of ignorance, I haven’t been able to live it down,yet.
Even if I’m a christian which I’m not or even if I was from any other religious background, it would not automatically disqualify my interest in Rand’s works. I’ve always been open to learn about different streams of thinking, only in the name of curiosity and understanding. I did not ‘force’ myself to read the book, I remember being mildly amused through the course of the book and more than curious to learn the ending. To live life without understanding is a crime, one would be unable to engage in a human exchange with justice or respect.
I always try my very best to be honest about my experiences Favela
I just googled for Ayn Rand and blogs- the excerpt from my post that the search engine pops up is not the edited version of the post I put up here two minutes after I put up the original, no wonder you think I’m being dishonest.
I felt the same way (about being dishonest with myself) and had to remove that line, >>>’It’s the hardest I’ve ever tried to finish a book by sheer force of will.’<<< coz I knew it was not the truth, I was just being mean.
*Shaking fist at google/wordpress/whoever’s incharge
The goal of an author and the goal of a psychologist are quite different. Perhaps you were expecting that Atlas Shrugged is some sort of self-help book hidden under the guise of a fiction novel; it is not. Ayn Rand’s objective with Atlas Shrugged was to dramatize her philosophy. Not to just reflect the world around her, but to show the world as it ought to be. The novel is intended to shock and challenge.
Everyone who reads the novel finds something in a character that reflects what they see in themselves – some things good, some things bad. Ms. Rand wants to show how the good are those things that promote life while the bad usually are hidden under a cloak.
I can see how others (especially those wishing to help or counsel) might choose a different approach when talking to people about actions or thoughts that are harmful. You might choose kid gloves when talking to a friend about a problem that has caused him stress. But Ms. Rand is not writing as though she is having a polite conversation with a friend. Ms. Rand is writing to a audience of healthy passionate adults who want to be challenged.
Perhaps you prefer a novel that is written with all the openness and compassion of a warm glass of milk with a friend. Ms. Rand has chosen to pull no punches and has written a novel that challenges us directly. If you find that Ms. Rand has shocked you by attacking some value you hold dearly, consider that _that_ may have been one of her goals.
M
Hello, hello, salaams then.
Aha. Now to come to the point. I am a HUGE reader. Meaning I myself am of average build but I read quite a bit. Read ‘Fountainhead’ when I was around 13 and, a foolish victim of peer pressure, assured self that I absolutely loved it. But,o, I actually didn’t LOVE it. It was a good read is all. Cut to a few years later when I read ‘We, the Living’. Now this book I truly liked much. But, but, but, a few more years hence and I find myself picking up ‘Atlas Shrugged’. I start reading it. I certainly don’t enjoy the beginning. (Who is John Galt? is amusing only so many times). I almost hated the way it was written, the patronization I find in Rand’s tone, the unbelievable characters and the extremely grandiose, long-winded, boring soliloquies. YAWN.
In a few days, I STOP READING A BOOK FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE. For any self-respecting reader, this is a shocker. I mean, to put things in perspective, another book I have not completed is Tasleema Nasreen’s something. Eeyuk. I stopped reading for very different reasons in either case and of course Atlas… is a far, far better book. But… still.
Rand fans, don’t start throwing things at me now. I just didn’t like this book and for those imaginary interviews where people ask me which id the most overrated piece of fiction, I have my answer ready. There.
Salaams Sabby cat!
((((Hugs))))
I’m sure there won’t be many to fault your abandoning of that book. I’m keeping mum until the nipping stops, does nothing to encourage a hopeless argument
And thank you for your ‘vaavs’, I’m ill derserving of such high praise
