Why Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged is The Greatest Novel in History

#AynRand #AtlasShrugged #Objectivism

[nimrodsangero]

In my opinion, Atlas is much superior to The Fountainhead even as a novel, despite the long speech sections. The plot is a lot more engaging and exciting - the mystery of the disappearance is for me much more captivating than Roark's struggle.
The characters might not be pure representations of ideas like the five main characters from The Fountainhead, but that just makes them more human and relatable to me. Rearden and Francisco's bromance in particular is my favourite fictional relationship ever.
The main reason I prefer Atlas though is the world. I love the fantasy book genre for the creativity and freedom avaliable to writers in creating their own sandboxes. Atlas manages to bring that same excitement to a mostly realistic world. The atmosphere of this decaying America with its treasures of genius and creativity waiting to be rediscovered by the protagonists is just so unique and enjoyable to get lost in. No where else is the contrast of doom and hope starker.

[otisbdriftwood]

I am 66 years young and just bought the book for the first time. Better late than never! Btw, it was the recommendation of an old friend. XOXO Suzan

[pedrozaragoza]

Truly brilliant, profound and of very high consequence.
Thanks for sharing.

[Rvp.]

I read it in my 30s when my kids were young. For me, Atlas Shrugged was truly inspiring. And I tried to use some of the principles to inspire my kids when they were young. I framed a stunning photograph of a mountain landscape for my son's room. I inserted a caption at the bottom, citing Ayn Rand and simply stating, "What mountain have you decided to move?"

[e.b.]

LMFAO. "A new way about thinking about life". Where do I even begin. Yaron, I can't help you. The disconnect is strong here.

[omkardubey]

I am not going to lie i was suicidal and when started following you, u talked about fountainhead, that book taught me humans need more then food, money and sex, they need some goddam reason to justify thrir existence, some meaning or purpose, fountainhead showed me the way to live better life, fight for my happiness and struggle for ideals , morals and principles, bcoz these are the things that give ppl meaning, i am commited to objectivism and one day ppl will know her name and world will be objectivist

[rafaelurquia]

¡Este es un súper video! Compré un aplauso de MXN 20.00 👏

[Commentthat]

I didn't read the book but I watched the YouTube show. It was amazing and telling.

[thursoberwick]

My main problem was that her writing style is awful. For a book that is supposedly about individualism, I found many of the characters were barely distinguishable from one another.

I didn't find it a persuasive. book. I agree with some of the ideas but in spite of the book, not because of it.

I preferred Fountainhead, and even Anthem (even if it a Zamyatin rip-off.)

p.s. First read it at 23 in Israel. My first exposure to Rand was in my early to mid teens.

[jacobmacdonagh]

Weirdly, Bioshock first made me aware of Ayn Rand but I didn’t get into objectivism for a few years later

[jakepearce]

I was reading that 10 minutes ago on the bus. Haha what a coincidence

[jptbaba]

Too much self victimisation going on in this world. Frankly sick of it. Yes, there are unfortunate situations, but make the best of your situation rather than complaining to everyone.

[scottwhittaker]

I was born in 1951. I was always instinctively anti-collectivist. I read "The Worldly Philosophers" in college - don't even know if it was assigned - but enjoyed its straightforwardness. The book that had the most impact for me was "How I found Freedom in an Unfree World, " by Harry Browne. again, not converting me, but confirming things I already vaguely felt. The best thing about that book is the "further reading" appendix.

In high school (Catholic) there was always an Ayn Rand novel lying around, but because no one ever said anything good or bad about Ayn Rand I never felt the need to read her. A teacher (Christian Brother) assigned "One-Dimensional Man." Its total incomprehensibility was kind of fun, but no teacher ever openly avowed communism. I felt totally secure in The American Way. Later, after 1969, and spurred by Harry Browne, I at least read about Ayn Rand, read "The Virtue of Selfishness." I do have a paperback copy of "Atlas Shrugged" that I still haven't read because I know I already agree with everything in it.

I have a used bookstore find called "The Art of Selfishness, " by David Seabury, which is Randian but endearingly quaint. I thought of him because Yaron brought up the ego. Rand's heroes are massive egos battling the world. Seabury's advice, while Randian, is more geared toward the average person: "1. Basic Law: Never Compromise Yourself... 2. The Magic Formula: NO EGO SATISFACTIONS... Never exalt yourself and vent your emotions to inflate you mind, or magnify your pride against life. To win, you must obey nature. Her will, not yours, is omnipotent."

[robtaylorrolls]

Reading it again right now, 8th time, it is the best in so many ways.

[mathewcalvet]

I read it when i was like 25 after seeing you on Stossel show. From France ...

[benabraham]

Have been a classical conservative since being exposed to Milton Friedman's book "Free to Choose" and his first PBS series, "Free to Choose, " as well as seeing Friedman debate and address critics, so Friedman's reasoning and logic has been the standard for me, so I resisted reading Rand until relatively recently, a couple of years ago, and I was pleasantly surprised to find out how pretty good the book was! Agree with her all of her political economy and alot of her philosophy, but not all of it. Also read her biography and her affair with Nathaniel Branden during her open marriage with Frank OConnor, so certainly aware of her personal flaws, but as an advocate of liberty, capitalism, and individualism, she is definitely a great woman.

[asstone]

In Atlas Shrugged, a novel of eleven hundred pages, Ayn Rand uses the word “wisdom” just eight times, and she uses the word “reason” more than a thousand times. Her obsession with“reason” and disregard of “wisdom” is also clear in the novel's Part Three, Chapter Seven, “This is John Galt Speaking, ” which, her followers insist, is of Biblical significance since it embodies the crux of her philosophy. In this chapter, the novel’s protagonist, John Galt delivers a non-stop sixty-page sermon which is aimed at presenting his (Rand’s) view of the myriad philosophical problems which are destroying the world. But Galt uses the word “wisdom” only once during his sermon and he uses the word “reason” more than ninety times. Why doesn’t Galt talk about the importance of wisdom? Why doesn’t he say even once that good philosophy and science are quite useless in the hands of the unwise and immature? Did Rand view reason as more critical than wisdom? Did she believe that a man lacking in wisdom can use reason effectively? Did she believe that the world could become a better place without the presence of wise people? One of Rand’s eight usages of the word “wisdom” in the novel is for describing Galt’s superlative mind—in Part Three, Chapter Two, “The Utopia of Greed, ” she writes: “I’ve always thought of him as if he had come into the world like Minerva, the goddess of wisdom who sprang forth from jupiter’s head, fully grown and fully armed…” This description of Galt as a man who has appeared in the world fully grown, fully armed with best knowledge and values is important, because it offers an insight into Rand’s flawed view of the ideal man—she regarded Galt as the personification of the ideal man, she used to insist that men like him exist, but she was convinced that an ideal man would develop knowledge instantly, that he would not need years of study and practical experience to sharpen his thinking. The conception of “wisdom” is missing not just in Rand’s novels but also in her essays and lectures. She was probably a fine fiction writer, but she had a naive view of man and society; she had no conception of the crucial role that wisdom plays in helping men to make the right choices. She could not teach her followers to be wise—she could not teach what she herself didn’t know. The school of objectivism that she founded is not some kind of a “promised land” that her followers believe it to be; rather, it is a magnet for the unwise.

[omkardubey]

I want Ayn rand movie universe, starting with fountainhead & we the living kira, continuing with atlas shrugged and anthem .
it would be great to see howard roarke meeting henry rearden, roarke using only rearden metal for his building, i love fountainhead more than atlas is bcoz it is story of every man who wants to do things their way .

[jordanthomas]

I would disagree with this statement somewhat.

[libertybellgaming]

I’ve read the Fountainhead but not this. I’ve got so much writing to do at the moment I couldn’t possibly justify taking the time to read it