Atlas Shrugged [Paperback]

 

 

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50 CDs ' I have postponed listening to them for the longest time. It took me three weeks. I am sorry it's over; Scott's voice had become part of my conscience, grave and calm, stamping my brain with Ayn's convictions.
Ayn wrote the book in 1946, exactly 66 years ago! I shudder thinking how little we changed, us humans. I am left with the strong feeling that not only I was allowed to see into the past through this magnificent book, but also to screen the future'
It's true: sometimes the discussions rally along, becoming discourses, circling around the same point, pounding it dry. You can definitely tell that Ayn is stating her beliefs; there is so much substance in the argument to sustain the speeches of the main characters, particularly the positive ones: it would be utterly annoying if you weren't so scared of the reality described, if it didn't pertain to the 'nowadays' to such a high extent.
No matter how you turn it, corporate world, politics, social environment, family, it's all there blatantly staring you in the eye. There is no escape, no relief, no better days coming.
There is a sort of doomsday approaching rapidly and undeniably, and having seen the signs, you know there is no escape. The situations are so similar to such an extent that you cannot help being overwhelmed with futility, who are you to change the course of the world, it's been like this forever, no one will ever change it, let alone you, insignificant bug that can be squashed by any foot'
It's so easy to associate with the increasing incompetence of nowadays' life, the lack of knowledge, will, responsibility, courage of thought and action, the disgusting laissez faire of younger generations, the chase for easily gained pleasures, undeserved rewards, effortless living, the unforgiving attitude against the competent and willing and brave' we do live in a world where altruism is considered cunning overtaking or sheer stupidity, unless it's a must, because you, the one who is able, you have more ability, therefore you are bound to help the less able, the less fortunate. And how infuriating it is when you, the one who works almost all hours of all days are expected to give to the ones who spend their lives complaining about their misfortune and lack of potential, the ones who have the time to string webs, trap you and squeeze you dry, hammer you until you get sick of their conniving plots and are ready to give it all up, because you end up seeing no escape: you want to be left alone to do what you have chosen, to create, to prosper, but you are forced to believe that you owe and you have to pay the fee. You owe to those inept creatures that suck your will by drilling you into believing that it is your fault, you are the one who enjoys working; you have to pay for their suffering, their stifling lack of quality, their laziness. They suffer because they understand as much as your superiority; they use your moral principles, your sense of honour and justice to mount you into their puddle of unending wallowing in self-pity; they gather enthusiasm only to suck up to their bosses, to become indispensable, to be there when every decision is being taken, to be rewarded for your achievement and to throw you under the bus with the first opportunity available' the art of manipulation. And you, who is busy pulling stones from the burning fire, fixing the mishaps of their unskillfulness, avoiding disasters and joggling with tasks as you are carrying two, three individuals by doing their work, you have no time to even say hello to your boss, you are frowning whilst rushing around, for your thoughts are too many and responsibilities are piling up, you are in a limbo of constantly having to choose, in a place where one decision is more important than another only in its manner, but equally damaging in fact.
Ayn takes all this globally. She picks a handful of tycoons and extrapolates the greedy cannibalistic, selfish human nature. Mere office talks and simple family disputes are taken into shaping the back fall of the industrial era, the return to horses and carriages after having invented the combustion engine. The characters are the money makers and the decision makers. They happen not to be the same, as the world's leadership, resulting from the above described undertakings, consists of the weak and stupid, the selfish and hungry, thuds who cannot bear their limited existence and who seek vengeance, trying to eliminate talent, thought, and ability; in fact, the more stupid and incompetent the individual, the more likely for him to climb the ladder and get a management position.
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This edition of the book is not too great. The font is too small and the pages are hard to open, so I would recommend buying another version of the book.

Extroidinary literature but may not be the place to start if you are not acquainted with Ayn Rand.

Anyway, after reading many of the reviews, I have noticed that even the people who loved the book have an erroneous idea of what Ayn Rand was saying.

First of all, ethically selfishness or self-interest means you have a right to your own life, that you own it and can dispose of it as you want, without imposing force on others. It does not mean you have the right TO DO ANYTHING YOU WANT OR TO IMPOSE YOURSELF ON OTHERS. It means you own your life, and are free to live it in the manner you deem right for yourself. In a political context, it means the government is prohibited from imposing itself on your life, by for example drafting you into the military, or prohibiting you from entering a certain career field.

When Ayn Rand attacked altruism and its component part self-sacrifice SHE WAS NOT ATTACKING HELPING OTHERS, OR DOING GOOD THINGS FOR OTHERS, OR BENEVOLENTLY SPREADING GOOD WILL IN THE WORLD. What she was attacking was the fundamental principle of altruism that YOUR LIFE BELONGS TO OTHERS AND CAN BE DISPOSED OF WITHOUT YOUR CONSENT.

We see the consequences of altruism all over the world. People living without the ability to own their lives. Cuba is a prime example. The communist party and Fidel Castro are the owners of everyone's life. They control and direct it with impunity. One has little or no control.

Helping others and spreading good will is as much a part of successful living as living and breathing, but when people are FORCED to sacrifice their lives in the name of helping others, state coercion follows, and this is the evil, Ayn Rand so eloquently refers to in Atlas Shrugged and her other writing.

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5.0 out of 5 stars "The Most Amazing Book I Have Ever Read"
I found this book in my university's library; on the first page, someone had written "The most amazing book I have ever read. Read more

Published 3 months ago by French Quarter

5.0 out of 5 stars I love this book...
Everyone should read this book at least once in their life. "Who is John Galt?" I have that line posted to my desk in my office. Read more

Published 7 months ago by Sbrozzi

5.0 out of 5 stars Philisophical Fiction .... What a "Novel" Idea!
Yes, this is a classic work and valuable primarily as a presentation of Ayn Rand's Philosphophy of Objectivism. Read more

Published 11 months ago by B. Breen

5.0 out of 5 stars The best business and life book ever!!!

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Published 12 months ago by mkettner

1.0 out of 5 stars Should Be Recycled As Toilet Paper
A terrible book full of two dimensional characters spouting one dimensional dialogue. Ayn Rand wrote this tiresome book to appeal to the American myth of the rugged individual who... Read more

Published 13 months ago by Daffy Bibliophile

3.0 out of 5 stars Never recieved order
I ordered a book from here, but then a few weeks later i got an email saying the book was out of stock. Got a full refund, though, no problem.

Published 15 months ago by Mel

3.0 out of 5 stars Atlas gaffed
Trying to deny that Ayn Rand was a talented writer is a foolish and untrue aim. Saying that her stories are complete works of fiction, in every sense of the word, is as true as... Read more

Published on Feb 10 2010 by A. Kydd

2.0 out of 5 stars Literary worthlessness only exceeded by its philosophical vapidness
Where do I begin? I'll skip a detailed literary criticism as many others have already covered that. Too long, one-dimensional characters, and contrived plot that comes off as a... Read more

Published on Jan 25 2010 by Chad English

1.0 out of 5 stars Point way too small for a book way
Book way overrated.
Yes, there is an interesting point, even a convincing one, to question the tenets of socialism and how our moral code allows us to seize and control... Read more

Published on Sep 11 2009 by J. Meyer

2.0 out of 5 stars A nice apocalyptic sci-fi short story...
...that was inflated into a tedious, incredibly long novel.

I don't know much about the author, but she seems to have taken herself and her "philosophy" awful... Read more

Published on Aug 5 2009 by Sears Braithwaite (of Bullard)

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