Ayn Rand: The Virtue of Selfishness

Pretty excited for our first weird comment section of 2021.

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[JediHobbit]

This is actually one of the best summaries of her I've ever seen simply because it was fair and even handed. Nearly everything else is either fawning praise or venomous hatred.

[hazulpierdut]

Europeans: This book is 8 cm thick.
Americans: This book is the length of 1/114300 of a football field.
Simon: This book is thick enough to kill.

[jordanneal]

It's nice to see something about Ayn Rand that's not either praising her as the second coming of Jesus, nor shitting all over her. Good, objective portrayal and analysis.

[DejanOfRadic]

Your channel never ceases to make 20 min feel like at least an in a good way. Such concise and essential writing, and a good mix of the personal life and the public.

[ShannonLynn]

I now have a powerful desire to replay Bioshock.

[JohnnyWrongo-bl]

There is some sick humour in how her 'friends' treated her when she went broke. They demonstrated how well they had absorbed her lessons when they utterly ignored her when she was desperate. She worked hard for that result.

[NaviRyan]

Ironic that her individualism philosophy would become the bane of her existence as she couldn’t accept the fact that individuals do not need to agree with her.

[tiernanmcguire]

“Rand had to apply for social security benefits.” I haven’t laughed quite this hard in a while.

[zgSHDOW]

Her philosophy is too ruthless for me, but her exploration of what we owe ourselves(and not others) is hard to ignore

[perfboi]

This is why I love Simon Whistler's videos and channels. Not only well spoken and good looking, but videos are objective, and even handed. So good to finally have a channel that isn't pushing agendas or opinions one way or the other.

[seanbinkley]

Ayn Rand describing childhood as "An intellectual wasteland" is the least surprising aspect of her childhood...

[t.a]

“There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old’s life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs."― John Rogers

[tobasco_jones]

Could we get one of these biographics about H. G. Wells ?

[kayleelockheart]

Anthem was a required reading at my high-school in east Texas in the early 2000's. I fount it quite amusing that a novel about individualism that ends in the quote "I am." would be required reading in an institution that squashed individuality, and self expression around every corner.

[MoarCheeseBirb]

Ayn Rand applying for social security benefits has got to be the funniest thing.

[snufkinhollow]

Another video with top notch writing, whatever you think of the subject. The suggestion that Atlas Shrugged is a "tome with which you could give someone a concussion" is brilliant - and true on so many levels!

[Fancy_Lebowski]

It was a weird coincidence that in Grade 11 just around the time I first discovered Rush my English teacher began handing out Anthem to study. Fell in love with the book as much as I fell in love with the songs Anthem and 2112 by Rush.

[daveF]

I respect her as an intelligent person, it’s just sad to see how bitterness and selfishness can destroy a person. It’s a fine line.

[russellwatkins]

That was one of the most objective/fair takes on Rand. Thanks for the effort

[lib-center]

I don't agree with her on everything, but it's important to care for yourself first, then move on to support and care for others. There's no point taking on more burden when you aren't even self sufficient.