Ayn Rand
 

Last year, I had to write an essay about Ayn Rand's Anthem. The essay would be submitted to some competition. I hated the book, and my essay was terrible. Sometime in the Summer I got a letter informing me that I lost. Was I suprised? Not at all, my essay hinted that I didn't like the book (although I am sure that the people that read them in 45-60 seconds didn't catch that).

Today I was walking home from the bus stop, and when I walked through the door to my house I found a package from the Ayn Rand Institute addressed to me. It had The Fountainhead in it and some papers talking about another competition.

So, what I want to know is if I should even bother reading it. I hated Anthem. But maybe this book is worth reading.

And to make the thread a wee bit better: talk about Ayn Rand, if you feel the need.

Read it. If you happen to hate it as much as Anthem, then take the time to write why you didn't enjoy it in your essay.

Anthem is an easy, short read. It's also some of the most appalling drivel that passes for deep thinking that one can imagine. Your reaction is an intelligent one, Alex's Trip. Ayn Rand is quite the villain and I pretty much despise her proponents. I personally would shun any connection to the Ayn Rand Institute. If they were mailing me anything, I would contact the organization and request to be removed from their list.

Although, The Fountainhead is really a pretty good novel. It's probably the only thing by Ayn Rand that is worth reading.

Years ago, I tried to read Atlas Shrugged, but instead shirked away from the prospect.

I like the aboriginal art avatar, nomadicfollower!

take a shit on the wrapper and mail it back.

fucking missionaries!

exactly my reaction

That's an insult to toilet paper.

Read the intro to FOUNTAINHEAD. She goes on about how she did all this research into architecture and really knows her shit. Then, she says she used the wrong word in the book! Some egoism vs. egotism thing. She blames her dictionary. Whadda fucking idiot.

Ugh...

Ayn Rand ruined a perfectly good friendship of mine. True story.

i really liked the fountainhead.

http://www.theatlasphere.com/

The above link is to The Atlas Sphere, a dating/networking site for admirers of The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged. Currently 5,710 dating profiles.

But if you don't smoke, you probably won't be too popular there. From Atlas Shrugged:

"I like to think of fire held in a man's hand. Fire, a dangerous force, tamed at his fingertips. I often wonder about the hours when a man sits alone, watching the smoke of a cigarette, thinking. I wonder what great things have come from such hours. When a man thinks, there is a spot of fire alive in his mind--and it is proper that he should have the burning point of a cigarette as his one expression."