ATLAS SHRUGGED by Ayn Rand | Book Review

In this episode, Jordan reviews Ayn Rand's controversial classic, Atlas Shrugged. Nominated for a National Book Award, Atlas Shrugged sells hundreds of thousands of copies every year and recently came in 20th in PBS' 2018 poll "The Great American Read." First published in 1957, Atlas Shrugged remained on The New York Times Bestseller List for 21 weeks. Sales of Atlas Shrugged averaged 74,000 copies per year in the 1980s; 95,300 copies per year in the 1990s; 167,098 copies per year in the 2000s, and 303,523 copies in the 2010s. In 2011 alone Atlas Shrugged sold 415,000 copies. In 1991 the Book of the Month Club and Library of Congress asked readers to name the most influential book in their lives: Atlas Shrugged came in second only to the Bible.

The novel made the New York Public Library’s list of Best Books of the Century in 1996, and Radcliffe Publishing ranked it 92 out of the top 100 novels of the 20th century. In 1999, Atlas Shrugged was number 37 in the list of 100 Favorite Novels of Librarians. A Harris poll placed Atlas Shrugged on America’s Top 10 Favorite Book List in 2008, and The Modern Library ranked it the number one best novel published in the English language in 2009. The novel is listed as number six on Boston Library’s list of 100 Most Influential Books of the Century, and it ranks number five on the list of the 20 Most Inspirational Books ever written.

------------------------------------------------------------

~*TIME STAMPS*~
Intro: 0:00
Synopsis: 1:20
Some Thoughts on Rand & Atlas: 7:00
What I Liked: 11:33
A Forewarning: 17:13
Big Idea 1: 18:08
Big Idea 2: 23:18
Big Idea 3-4: 28:58
Big Idea 5: 37:44
Big Idea 6: 44:47
Big Idea 7: 47:15
Big Idea 8: 50:45
Big Idea 9: 55:18
Big Idea 10: 59:25
What I Didn’t Like: 1:06:12

~*FOLLOW JORDAN & NIKKI*~

~*MUSIC*~
Rescue Mission - Lupus Nocte (via Epidemic Sound)
Awaken the Immortals - Bonnie Grace (via Epidemic Sound)
March Towards the End - Bonnie Grace (via Epidemic Sound)

~************************************************************************~

#iWizard #AynRand #atlasshrugged

[jonathandickson]

I have read this book many times over the years. This is a very good review of an enormous work, and achievement.

[asalboud]

Amazing amazing amazing review. Subscribed right away.

[sharang]

Great review! I was thinking that your points sounded very remnant-y and then I noticed that you had Jonah Goldberg on your channel sometime back! Nice!

[huntersteed]

Excellent deep dive! I started the book last year but didn’t finish. I really need to go back and complete this one!
Your analysis is thorough and thought provoking. Thank you

[agustincaldentey]

Just heard about this book on a show called Ms Davis on Max, so I don't know much but the first flaw must be that is too bloody long right?

[kabiansadi]

Great review.
I live under the banner of a populist country (Brazil) and this book really hits close to home for me. A lot of this book can be called fiction, but I've seen a lot in first hand of what a nation dominated by collectivists ideas can be. It's more realistic than I like to admit.

[DylanCollins]

There are 2 books that introduced me to the love of reading and thinking. The Art of War by Sun Tsu and Atlas Shrugged.

I watched your live stream with Jimmy and Allen and everyone recently so now I'm going through your backlog of context. I'm extremely excited to hear your thoughts in the video!

[jonathandickson]

I will watch your review of The Fountainhead next.

[danielmiryt]

I lived in Argentina, and I am living the whole Atlas shrugged story here nowadays. Milei is John Galt.

[tudoririmia]

A true individualist is not somebody that ignores the comunity. Is one that the comunity is a second or third or fourth priority. Ergo one has a comunity and does not need the state. If you enjoy a certain hobby does not mean you refuse the others ones you had up till now.
And it is true one has to be a great deal of idependent and selfsecure to be an individualist. Is it posibke for everybody? Yes. Is it easy for everybody ? No.
People are different

[petadiana]

This is really interesting, and very helpful for understanding the book better - thank you!

[nl]

Great review, you’ve expressed many of the thoughts I’ve had, and gave a spin to things I hadn’t considered. Rereading Atlas Shrugged (I read it 13 years ago when I was around 14), I have more of a mixed opinion now. I’m glad you brought up the scene between Dagny and Hugh Akston - one of my favorites; though mostly for the gorgeous scenery description more than anything. Rand’s character and often dialogue writing were admittedly bad (I like the book, but the people who knock the character work in the novel tend to be right - the villains are super one-dimensional strawmen, and the perfect glowing heroes are mouthpieces for the author to use as a vehicle), but she doesn’t get anywhere near enough credit for her descriptive prose. The plot, when it gets a chance to shine through, is arresting (even when some of the logistics don’t pan out) - but unfortunately broken up by too many badly written, boring scenes that feel ripped out of bad romance novels. And as for that last part where you’re pointing out the negatives of her ideas - Bioshock literally did that. That whole game was designed as a counterargument to Rand - but I’m sure you already know that, as does everyone. I just couldn’t help but think of that game during the last ten minutes of the video.
What I got out of Atlas, this second time - the core, most simple question the novel asks is, If we’re all declared equal, then what’s the point of trying? What is the point of effort, and of being better, if they’re gonna treat you as disposable as the lowest common denominator? I like the concept of the best and brightest going, “Oh, you take us for granted? You think you don’t need us? A’ght, we out - take care of it all yourselves.”

[dronedruid]

I read this in my early twenties as well. I know I re-read the speech at least, maybe the whole book.

While I've moved quite a long way from Rand idealistically in terms of her focus on material innovation and hyper-individualism(for want of a better word) there is definitely something to this book morally and ecconomically, if only in what it can tell us about our decaying western culture.

Might be time for a re-read.

[thegustavobox]

As a Brazilian I must say that the description of America in Atlas shrugged sounds just like Lula's Brasil

[ameador]

You hit many of the best points of Atlas Shrugged - including defending against many of the erroneous claims made by many - like it's only about the elites and she hates/doesn't care about the little guys and leaves them out, etc... However - your primary issues with it fall flat on their face in many ways - especially your lack of understanding about her practical application of her philosophy where you think everyone is working 80 hour weeks, drinking cocktails, and have sex fests every night. She promotes benevolence over altruism. People with the means and interest who want to donate time and money are encouraged. Family is a part of the philosophical value structure - not to be warded away. Being a staunch individualist does not mean you are on your own island and ignore everyone else. Working together in life at home, work, community, etc are all fine and valuable to people (philosophical value structure here again) - and are/would be done - just not on altruistic, duty based approaches - but as individuals dealing with others because you value each other. In terms of the sex every night - have you paid attention to the time span in Atlas Shrugged? The number of sex scenes in the novel are spread over many years - if anything I would say its only mentioned on rare occasion in the timeline. Many have made Dagny out to be a slut because they make the same mistake and don't consider the timelines, making it seem like she's just having sex nonstop and trading guys on whim when it is much more detailed than that and also spread out over decades in the story. It's a shame for your review to have ended with the facts being smeared around such as this. Have your opinion - but be more objective and factual in the formation of that opinion.

[elrondsmith]

Problem with such extreme individualism and ego centrism, that it is hurting humanity as a whole. As we can see currently, unlimited development of industrialism causes harm to the planet and makes it unlivable. When you are not considering future generations or other people, only yourself, it's easy to do whatever, since you don't have to live with consequences. Her anarcho-capitalism results in monopolies which will lead to enshittification of products, because they can cut costs and bully/buyout competition instead of providing good product. Characters of industrialist are pretty shallow and look like chivalry, never saw such capitalists anywhere.