Sales of “Atlas Shrugged” (by Ayn Rand) Soar in the Face of Economic Crisis (interviews as well/

I have also read recently that the vilified CEO's of our times have looked to Atlas Shrugged and drawn many parallels to their own "plight" of being targeted by the "looters" as described in the book. I found it to be rather ironic. I can't quite remember the source of the article unfortunately, but I did have a brief chuckle as I finished.

reply to post by FlyersFan


That picture speaks volumes.

Why would working be worth it if there is nothing to gain? Why work hard if you get the same results of someone who doesn't?

It's the oppression of people. Some are born to strive for things...others are not. Some don't NEED MONEY to be happy. I don't need to be rich...I just want to keep what I earn.

reply to post by FlyersFan


My wife just stopped at the library and called me up. All 3 books are out. Have them on hold.

She also told me this...

Someone was in there the day before and asked for the same 3 books!

I think the word is getting out..... thought it was weird.

Don't know if this is relevant or not, but here goes anyway:

I keep an eye on the School Reading List whenever I pass through that section of the local bookstore, and was actually taken aback that "Atlas Shrugged" was on the High School list this last year.

Could this in any way shape or form be related to the recent surge in sales?

(sorry if this have been covered and I missed it somehow)

Originally posted by FlyersFan

Fantastic writing. Completely selfish.
But then again .. so is overtaxing the wealthy.
It's completely selfish of the have-nots to steal from those that have.

How about taxing the wealthy fairly? Do you think the middle calss should keep propping this country up while the wealthy get to use the loopholes placed for them?

Let them shop the world for the lowest wage? Look where that has us. Wait until your children work in an American sweat shop. We need to have restraint world wide restraint on what the wealthy can do because they have the wealth and power to SCREW you and not get SCREWED back.

The world has turned and everyone needs to be ready because this storm will not stop until we center. The IMF, world bank and multinational corporations will fall in the long run and be replaced by a sustainable fair society. The alternative is more than grim and is proving itself unsustainable.

This is our world and we will take it.

Originally posted by FlyersFan
In Atlas Shrugged it was clear that the dumb didn't realize that they needed the smart. Also - The blue collar workers didn't realize they needed the white collars to keep things running.

I know, and the white collars are very righteous about it. You and I can debate their value I suppose, but I've supported "The Smart" in my profession as an IT worker and I can tell you this: The dumb are smarter than they think.

I can't tell you the depth of non-thinking which I've observed as an IT worker crawling under the desks of the supposed Smart People. They wonder where there email is at. They wonder "where'z my filez?" because they themselves do not have skills to actually do anything much. The supposed smart of today are actually the graft-class which Rand spoke of. This pertains to all "smart people" in power these days, not just Americans of course. The real solutions will come from the blue collars not the white.

Her disaster novel about America is coming true, we can probably agree about that fact and build from there.

Here's what I think: The idea of a class war is just sugar coating the fact that those who don't have as much as others, just want to take away from those that are more successful. Mediocrity hates success.

Foolish in the extreme. I'll go into detail if you wish.

The point of Atlas Shrugged was that those people didn't want to be
useful to society. They just wanted to mooch and loot no matter how
much you try to change them.

Yes and "those people" are in a book, a FANTASY BOOK written by a woman in a fantasy world enabled by her marriage and her great mind (and ability). Now if you want to talk about people in the real world, I'm there. Out here, the actual dumb people are trying to get smarter. Ayn Ran didn't help them though she did mock them quite well.

The point of her book was that the dumb didn't want to improve.
They just wanted to feed off the smart. They looted. They did nothing.

I know you are a fan of charity, aren't you? Have I read your other threads where you profess faith in charitable institutions? If so, then how do you equate such cruel statements above, especially since it's a fake FANTASY world which Rand wrote about?

The "homeless" don't want to be homeless and they aren't lazy. They may be crazy, but they ain't lazy. If we could deal with the crazy, we could easily deal with the lazy.

And by "homeless" do you mean the thousands of American families who now live in their vehicles? It's a kind of home, isn't it?

Let the dumb commit suicide.

Again, cruel, but I understand the spirit displayed here. You are smart and you feel frustration at those who are not as smart. I've read The Bell Curve also, and I do not agree that the stupid should be allowed to just die off or that they be prevented from breeding either.

I also struggle against people who might be labelled "dumb" and yet I do love them and want them to live and to thrive. Why am I so "dumb" in relation to Objectivism which I have analyzed at length and thereafter rejected as a belief system? Because it doesn't allow me to be kind and to take righteous good feeling for that, as my Creator would have me do. As Jesus said:

Matthew 7

11 “What father among you, if his son asks for bread, would give him a stone, or if he asks for a fish, would give him a snake instead of the fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, would he give him a scorpion? 13 So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who keep asking him!”

I feel that there is a flip side to this scripture: If you know how to do good, and you do not do that, then neither will good be done in return. What I mean is this: To Jesus (who is superior to Ayn Rand), everyone could have been called "dumb", "stupid" and "evil" (as is the case here), but even when he caled someone evil, he said al they had to do was to be good to their kids, if that was all they could do. ...Ayn Rand didn't seem to believe in kids or that they even existed. Why is her book devoid of children yet the man she ignores (Jesus) said "Let the little children come to me and do not prevent them."?

I am not with Ayn Rand and Paul Erlich who says that useless eaters and crappers are the problem with society. I am instead with Julian Simon and those "Cornucopians" if you will, who say that each human life has value and that the potentiality of one single human to good, outweighs the negative aspects. We humans need ALL of each other, not just some of each other. Again, Ayn Rand would say I am an idiot.

[EDITED: Jesus called people evil as did Rand, but he presented a simple solution: BE NICE.]


[edit on 4-3-2009 by smallpeeps]

In a slow economy things like board games, video games, books, table top roleplaying games, computer games... anything you can do from home basically. These types of items usually gain in popularity in a recession.

Why? well because going out to the movies costs alot of money. So it's only natural that at home entertainment activities are on the rise.

Originally posted by David9176
reply to post by FlyersFan

 

That picture speaks volumes.

Why would working be worth it if there is nothing to gain? Why work hard if you get the same results of someone who doesn't?

It's the oppression of people. Some are born to strive for things...others are not. Some don't NEED MONEY to be happy. I don't need to be rich...I just want to keep what I earn.

This the cheesiest argument ever - your like a lot of spoilt whining childrens.

There is a man worth $450,000,000,000.00 here in the US -

He pays less % in taxes then his secretary....

SOOOOOOO

WTF are you guys on about???

reply to post by LoneGunMan

We need to have restraint world wide restraint on what the wealthy can do because they have the wealth and power to SCREW you and not get SCREWED back.

Ok...so let's have the government take the power from the wealthy who screw us....so they can SCREW US EVEN MORE THAN THEY ALREADY ARE.

Let's give the federal government MORE POWER. They start to do this...then it will keep getting worse and worse. Is that what people want? Give government control over everything? This is the road we are on. Why don't people see it?

Sometimes i just can't believe what i read anymore.

Take power from 'SOME' of the corrupted and give it to the other "corrupted" entity and give them TOTAL POWER.

Hell, why not let it be a dictatorship...that's the road this country is on.

cripes.

Originally posted by FlyersFan

FANTASTIC discussion smallpeeps! FUN!

unless the smart propose to liquidate the dumb, they are faced with little choice but to enslave or even IMPROVE the dumb.

The point of her book was that the dumb didn't want to improve.
They just wanted to feed off the smart. They looted. They did nothing.
They were incapable of change no matter how hard the smart tried.
Therefore - the smart left the dumb to run things as the dumb wished.
The smart walked away and let the dumb have their way.
The dumb died as a result.
You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.
It was a matter of self survival for the smart.
Let the dumb commit suicide.



You missed the point entirely because of being brainwashed by the greedy rich. Having wealth has nothing to do with being smart. It has EVERYTHING to do with being ruthless. Some people become rich because of quick thinking and intelligence. Most become rich though through mediocre brainpower and a ruthless heartless able to do what it takes to get there.

I am extremely intelligent...I also have a huge amount of empathy and soul and would never be able to do what it takes to be of the super rich.

Oh and speaking of stupid the term dumb refers to being unable to communicate because of a physical handicap. Wake up the winds of crap are blowing.

Originally posted by LoneGunMan

Originally posted by FlyersFan

Fantastic writing. Completely selfish.
But then again .. so is overtaxing the wealthy.
It's completely selfish of the have-nots to steal from those that have.

How about taxing the wealthy fairly? Do you think the middle calss should keep propping this country up while the wealthy get to use the loopholes placed for them?

Let them shop the world for the lowest wage? Look where that has us. Wait until your children work in an American sweat shop. We need to have restraint world wide restraint on what the wealthy can do because they have the wealth and power to SCREW you and not get SCREWED back.

The world has turned and everyone needs to be ready because this storm will not stop until we center. The IMF, world bank and multinational corporations will fall in the long run and be replaced by a sustainable fair society. The alternative is more than grim and is proving itself unsustainable.

This is our world and we will take it.

FF - are you rich??? If not what are you whining on about?

Not to mention that the tax rate is now 40% less for the 1% then it was in the 50's ( a good economic time)...

In many cases the top 1% have doubled their coffers in the past decade - so -

What is the problem???

Someone please define “dumb” and “smart” in the context your using here because as I see it without either you have neither (without “dumb” people how do you know whose “smart”?) Some of the most ignorant people in the world hold true wisdom.

Less honest version of Nietzsche.

Not a one liner.

reply to post by David9176


Did I say that?

We are in this mess because we let the big corporations shop the world for slve labor in the name of Globalism. Like a thousand point of light...my god.

How are you doing right now? How are your kids going to fair in the future?

You miss the point and will not budge with a nuclear weapon under you butt. This is you and I the hard working people that play fair against those that are ruthless and made every fascist and communist government in the first place.

Smell the air. The crashing of the world economy was on purpose. If we do not unite as people it will be complete in a few years and you will work for next to nothing so you can barely survive.

Originally posted by David9176
reply to post by LoneGunMan

 

We need to have restraint world wide restraint on what the wealthy can do because they have the wealth and power to SCREW you and not get SCREWED back.

Ok...so let's have the government take the power from the wealthy who screw us....so they can SCREW US EVEN MORE THAN THEY ALREADY ARE.

Let's give the federal government MORE POWER. They start to do this...then it will keep getting worse and worse. Is that what people want? Give government control over everything? This is the road we are on. Why don't people see it?

Sometimes i just can't believe what i read anymore.

Take power from 'SOME' of the corrupted and give it to the other "corrupted" entity and give them TOTAL POWER.

Hell, why not let it be a dictatorship...that's the road this country is on.

cripes.

WHO gave out the bad loans????

WHO -???


poor people?

The government?

You want to let the entities that just swindled and debased their own companies more power?

Not to mention they help destroy our countries economy and robbed their share holders
and killed retirements....

reply to post by LoneGunMan

Smell the air. The crashing of the world economy was on purpose.

I know it. I see it every single day with the ridiculous policies that are being shoved down the public's throat.

Companies bought POLITICIANS....so why in the hell does anyone put any TRUST IN THEM.

WHY? The very thing you hate WAS SUPPORTED by our government. I don't give a rats ass what party did what they have both led us into mess. This was not all big business. Big business became TOO BIG.

Do you think the result will be different if government becomes TOO BIG?

You know, th e very government that enforces laws and dictates how you should run your life?????

reply to post by David9176


I will again reply to your post.

I am not a Democrat and believe they are working the other side of the coin. We need a third side to the coin...the one that has the hard working intelligent middle class on it.

My coin, YOUR coin not the one THEY choose to flip. This last election was them pulling the pressure release valve to bide them enough time to pull down the curtain. You are not thinking far enough outside the box they have placed you in.

Flip your own coin please.

reply to post by David9176


Nice post, star and a flag for you my friend.

reply to post by David9176


We both agree on this. I too am as frustrated as you are.

The deck has been stacked and we are in the middle of being squeezed. Both sides are working for the same goal, to loot us dry and given big business all the power they need.

reply to post by LoneGunMan


That's the thing..both business and government have become to large...and we are all suffering for it.

They did it hand in hand...and now the blood is out for big business. If they are overtaken....that leaves us just one HUGE gigantic government that controls it all.

Everything. The same people who we trusted to keep the people of this country safe and secure have LIED to us....cheated us...and flat out stolen from us for the BENEFIT of BUSINESS.

As you stated, I share your frustration. I just want this country back to how it was meant to be....instead we are on a collision course to poverty.