"The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few...or of the one"

Our duty is to the human collective, not to the individual.

Just like a cancer cell, those that do what THEY want, and not what the collective NEEDS, are a dangerous malignancy to the world.

I've never read Rand, but by the reviews here on DU, she sounds like she writes at about the 2nd grade reading level.

One of Ayn Rand's books often makes the reading lists for Texas high school literature classes.

Her books are what stupid people think smart authors sound like.

not always in step with your style, but I like the way you put this one.

Funny it's close to what I have always said about Family Guy, "it's 'smart' television for stupid people." Of course, a kid I grew up with is a writer for the show, and the episodes of his I've seen are pretty hilarious. And he was always very funny.

Limit responses to basic cable, please.

My son has never read Rand and he's now in the seventh grade.

We're in Tennessee.

One of my kids had to read Ayn Rand in high school and the other didn't. The one that did had an obvious wingnut for a teacher.

You. Quite clearly.

You must type fast.

"Her books are what stupid people think smart authors sound like."

Simply perfect...that's a keeper!

You have Rand confused with Karl Marx if you think that her books are what stupid people think smart authors sound like.

"He sounds like a stupid person's idea of what a smart person sounds like."

So it's not the South, it's nationwide. For a secondary English teacher who doesn't have books or supplies, a free class set is often tempting. In fact, my wife taught Anthem last year because it was the only book available.

Otherwise you'd have developed a social philosophy that recognizes that 'survival of the fittest' is antithetical to a civilized society.

I know you are no longer her, but I'm sure you can still read these messages.

nice fail.

This kid has got your number, Annie!


rocktivity

How delish.

I'll 'ignore,' for the moment.

Her books are no different than Lord of the Rings. Total fantasy. But Alan Greenspan loved her and he destroyed us. Asshole.

"There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs."-----John Rogers

Thank you.

Countries with the freest markets have the highest levels of freedom.

and they put this speech in the mouth of a retarded state thug. Look things up before making absurd statements.

are libertarians?

"Me fail English? That's unpossible. Ayn Rand sounds like a bully."

so what do you watch? is it either south park or the simpsons?

or should I "look it up"?

you are a clown.

because a 2nd grader telling Ayn Rand to cram her books sideways is great, great stuff.

I overheard two college kids trying to make sense of what the fuss was about Ayn Rand. I excused myself, explained that her crap has always bugged me, and told them that people proselytizing Atlas Shrugged are just assholes looking for justification for their selfishness. And that if you encounter anyone geeked about Ayn Rand, the best thing to do is just "run." They dug it.

The original message said is was from a friend's son.
Of course a friend of a friend of a friend's son isn't very reliable but it sure looks and sounds real.
The fact it's a photo helps.

sorry, I couldn't pass up the Seinfeld joke.

I was kind of imagining someone painstakingly imitating the hand of a second-grader, knowing the finished product would knock it out of the park.

But going on what you say there, well, I choose to believe. It's too great to not prefer that option.

That should be child abuse. I find it very ironic, I bet if it was Marx quote parents would be up in arms over communist and atheist propaganda, despite the fact that Rand likely hated religion more than Marx did. He just seemed to think it was rather foolish and sometimes useful for rulers, Rand seems to hate it with every fiber of being. Or maybe hate is just her default setting.

on the cover

i never noticed it back then, and would have had no idea what it meant

good album though

at the time i listened to it, i didnt think of it as indulging in philosophy, i thought i was just smoking hash and blowing off home room in the north parking lot at high school

but, rand is in the lyrics in 2112 and 'tree's in particular, it screams Ayn Rand

There is unrest in the forest
There is trouble with the trees
For the Maples want more sunlight
And the Oaks ignore their pleas

The trouble with the maples
(And they're quite convinced they're right)
They say the oaks are just too lofty
And they grab up all the light
But the oaks can't help their feelings
If they like the way they're made
And they wonder why the maples
Can't be happy in their shade?

There is trouble in the forest
And the creatures all have fled
As the maples scream 'Oppression!'
And the oaks, just shake their heads

So the maples formed a union
And demanded equal rights
'The oaks are just too greedy
We will make them give us light'
Now there's no more oak oppression
For they passed a noble law
And the trees are all kept equal
By hatchet,
Axe,
And saw...

"We've taken care of everything
The words you hear, the songs you sing
The pictures that give pleasure to your eyes
It's one for all and all for one
We work together, common sons
Never need to wonder how or why

We are the Priests of the Temples of Syrinx
Our great computers fill the hallowed halls
We are the Priests, of the Temples of Syrinx
All the gifts of life are held within our walls

Look around at this world we've made
Equality our stock in trade
Come and join the Brotherhood of Man
Oh, what a nice, contented world
Let the banners be unfurled
Hold the Red Star proudly high in hand

We are the Priests of the Temples of Syrinx
Our great computers fill the hallowed halls
We are the Priests, of the Temples of Syrinx
All the gifts of life are held within our walls

"

both sets of lyrics scream the Ayn Rand creed of "I am an exceptional individual, and I could make life a utopia for all, if i just didnt have to listen to you lessor average beings"

I hear he's gotten better.

with gary cooper, 1948 movie

architech doesnt like modifications made to his 'exceptional' building, so he blows it up

(overlooking the minor detail that the materials he destroyed were not his)

realy found it repulsive, and odd for the 1940s, and was greatly surprised that it was a movement that lived into today (and actually dominated the time, via allan greenspan, a statist who destroyed anyone who didnt dance to the asset class he favored at the moment

as I was saying, not much of a Rush fan (just don't care for the music), but it seems like they've been pretty philanthropic in the recent past.

seemed like once they made it to commercial radio, they lost their edge

That's evolution.

But the song does do quite a job at vindicating Peart's past lyrical-philosophical sins. It's a huge leap.

Incidentally, for the others in this thread, I beleive the dedication on 2112 was "to the genus of Ayn Rand" not genius. Still a unattractive tip of the hat to her but not as bad had it been "genius". The lady was batshit crazy.

never been a fan of Rush, but that's weird.

Apparently, Neil Peart was reading Anthem, and he says he realized after the album was over that a lot of it had come from the book. And that he didn't want to plagiarize, so he credited Ayn Rand (I just looked this up, I wouldn't know anything about any of this - it's from an online Rush FAQ: http://www.nimitz.net/rush/faq2ans.html#62).

Now Anthem is the shittiest of the shitty. I took a speed reading course because I read slow as molasses, and Anthem was the book they gave us at the end of the day. Sure I could read it in like 25 minutes and understand it. Why? Because it was about one single, solitary, not at all complicated thought. And because it was so shitty. Btw? I still read slow as molasses, but apparently, I can skim/scan Ayn Rand's crap like nobody's business. True story.

I don't know if it's reason to dislike Rush, though. It seems like they are pretty damn philanthropic, which, I would think means they're not Ayn Randists, no?

I call it a youthful indiscretion. We all have them.

It came from "Hemispheres."

Neil has really changed his tone since then, probably spurred by the personal tragedies he has suffered.

i was just picking 2 sets of lyrics that i thought had the strongest ayn rand flavor to them

and when i wrote genius of ayn rand, i was (wrongly) correcting what i thought was a typo in wikipedia (should have had more faith in wiki)

Josie is in first grade and I would never let her turn that in.

the teachers would have a visit from Josie's dad.

Wow, I remember when your daughter was born - I can't believe she's in first grade now!

Columbus?
the Pilgrims?
The pledge?

Sorry but I read Howard Zinn and have educated myself.....but this is how they get it started. Drill it in until doubting it seems strange.

Those are the words of a wannabe tyrant.

and that's why it took off the way it did - it helped people feel good and right for feeling the way they already did

and it's why most ayn rand adhearents today are often described by one word - 'asshole'

"quit feeling guilty about being superior to everyone else - quit letting the feeling of responsibilty hold you back!"

Seems a little cooked.

Seeing as how I don't read garbage like this I have no clue what it is since it's totally out of context. Said by the villain or the hero?

Her villains are all weak willed, altruistic humanitarians.

Her view is that to care for others negates your own self and thereby destroys your own worth as a human being.

LOL!

What teacher, even a Randhead teacher, gives second graders Atlas Shrug quotes to comment on? And having graded hundreds of elementary school paragraphs in my time, I gotta say that this "kid"'s response seems a little too well crafted. If a child wrote the letters, I suspect that she or he was coached by a parent--like that kid whose mom got him to confront Bachmann over her nonsensical opposition to gay parenting.

I loath Ayn Rand, but I dislike people who use their kids to make a political point more.

It was almost certainly devised by a teacher who is not a fan of Rand. The quote is rather off-putting and goes against what children are taught in school (obey the rules, respect your parents/teacher/each other etc.). If it's real, this probably was exactly the response the teacher was trying to elicit.

It's hard to conceive a more openly amoral philosophy--indeed, Randism is a perfectly amoral philosophy and makes no apologies. What I don't get is how it suckers in so many self described Christians. It is directly anti-Christian, anti-Gold Rule.

But it's right wing and individualist. So that trumps everything else. Russian Jewish atheism be damned, they say (if they even know that about her).

Even if it is real (doubtful), I've never bought the "Oh, children are just so wise!" line of thinking.

This kid has a good head on his or her shoulder. It a sad day when a 2nd grader has a better grasp of reality than the whole Republican party!!!!

I did read Atlas Shrugged when I was a college freshman 45 years ago. I was already a liberal and was appalled about her cult of selfishness.

Actually, the State is worse than a bully. A bully merely steals your lunch money. The State steals your lunch money, and continues to whittle down your hard-earned paycheck.

isn't someone who can claim to 'Think for himself'.

Enjoy your stay.

That's what I take from this, not that an actual second grader wrote this. Spot on though.... the Me, Myself and I sociopath, claiming greed is a virtue of some sort.

I love this but can't find it anywhere else, and before I post it to FB (where my conservative and Rand-loving friends will tear it to shreds) I'd like to know more about where this came from. I always try to know about the sources before I post things, to head it off at the pass, if you know what I mean...

that even a 2nd grader knows Ayn Rand's perception is that of a bully.