Atlas Shrugged Ayn
What’s the book “Atlas Shrugged” by Ayn Rand is about?
Atlas Shrugged is a book set in early to mid 20th century America. In it, a largely capitalist society is departing from the meritocracy that Ayn Rand believes made America great and is progressing towards a communistic model like the one Rand fled as a young lady.
Essentially, the best and brightest of Americans at the time of this change object to it. Rand writes about these characters’ complaints of the fundamental unfairness of allocating resources based on need, rather than merit. In the end, society does not heed these complaints. Instead, the best and brightest are called greedy, and the need of society’s poor are placed as a concern over-riding the complaints of those who already are quite well-off.
In the end, the best and brightest start leaving society mysteriously, and it turns out they form their own micro-society, a society based on merit and the principle that “I swear by my life, and my love of it, that I will not live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine” (paraprase).
The world falling under the communist motto of “From each according to his abilities; to each according to his needs” falls apart. In the end, military force is employed to try and force those who are capable to free society from the mess communist principles created. However, though the solution was always present (return to meritocracy), the politics of the day could not accept the burden of demanding personal responsibility for one’s own survival.
Atlas Shrugged revolves around numerous characters, but featured among them is Dagny Taggart, a highly-motivated railroad executive. Also featured are Francisco D’Anconia, Henry (“Hank”) Reardon and many other achievers of the day. They are opposed by many supporters of the corrupt political establishment, including Dagny’s brother James and a corrupt Washington insider (Wesley Mouch, if memory serves).
The plot is lengthy, too lengthy for adequate description here, but in the end the text is an argument in favor of the brand of egoism Rand labeled objectivism. Objectivism is based on the triumph of reason and egoism over altruism. Objectivism advocates a laissez-faire capitalist society that avoided the unprovoked use of physical force. In the book, John Galt issues a speech that espouses the principles of Rand’s philosophies in a way that is simply unmistakeable.
Rand’s book is essential reading for those who want to understand how she saw her philosophy working in society at large. Other works, such as The Fountainhead, focus on individual examples of Objectivism in action, but Atlas Shrugged looks at the world at large and demonstrates the dangers of departing from meritocracy.
Oh, and you may wonder where the title comes from. In the text, the achievers of the world are seeing as supporting it, just as Atlas held up the world in Greek mythology. The book explores the prospects of what would occur if, due to the failure of society to appreciate their contributions and make their efforts worth their while, the achievers of society decided to shrug and let someone else support the world for a time.
I love the book, and I hope you will too.
Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged, Ed Snider Speech
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Atlas Shrugged By Rand, Ayn $30.78 The decisions of a few industrial leaders shake the roots of capitalism and reawaken mans awareness of himself as an heroic being Author: Rand, Ayn Publication Date: 2001/10/01 Binding Type: Prebind Language: English Depth: 1.75 Width: 4.25 Height: 6.75 |
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Atlas Shrugged $79.66 Atlas Shrugged. Objectivism (Ayn Rand), List of characters in Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand, Dystopia, Libertarianism, Libertarianism and Objectivism, John Galt, Atlas (mythology) Author: Miller, Frederic P./ Vandome, Agnes F./ McBrewster, John Binding Type: Paperback Number of Pages: 102 Publication Date: 2009/11/03 Language: English Dimensions: 5.98 x 9.01 x 0.24 inches |
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My Years with Ayn Rand $39.98 Previous Praise for Nathaniel Branden Relentlessly revealing. . . the myth of Ayn Rand gives way to a fullsized portrait in contrasting colors, appealing and appalling, potent and paradoxical. . . . it takes a special kind of nerve to write such a book. Norman Cousins, author of Head First and The Healing Heart Ayn Rands Atlas Shrugged is one of the most influential books of the twentieth centuryits popular impact ranked second only to the Bible in a major poll. Millions know Rand as one of this centurys great thinkers, writers, and philosophers, yet much about the private Ayn Rand remains shrouded in mystery. Who was Ayn Rand? My Years with Ayn Rand charts the course of the clandestine, tempestuous relationship between the enigmatic author of Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead and Nathaniel Brandenher young disciple and future pioneer of the selfesteem movement. In this book, discover the real Ayn Rand through the eyes of the man who became her soul mate and shared her passions and philosophical ideals. Their tragic and tumultuous love story began with a letter written by Branden as an admiring teenage fan and Anded, more than twenty years later, with accusations of betrayal and bitter recriminations. My Years with Ayn Rand paints an unforgettable portrait of Ayn Randwhose ideas, even today, can generate a maelstrom of controversy. Author: Branden, Nathaniel/ Rand, Ayn Binding Type: Paperback Number of Pages: 432 Publication Date: 1999/02/26 Language: English Dimensions: 9.05 x 6.09 x 1.14 inches |
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The Fountainhead By Rand, Ayn $41.04 Originally published in 1943, this classic and controversial story of gifted architect Harold Roark, his struggle against conventional standards, and his violent love affair brilliantly addresses a number of universal themes, in a special edition commemorating the centennial of the authors birth. By the author of Atlas Shrugged. Author: Rand, Ayn Publication Date: 2005/04/26 Number of Pages: 734 Binding Type: Hardcover Language: English Depth: 1.75 Width: 6.25 Height: 9.25 |