quietlife.net

cwage shrugged

31 May 2012

So, for some stupid reason I agreed to read Atlas Shrugged as part of a book club. I am trying to go into it without letting my biases affect things, but I admit I’m already having trouble working up the motivation to keep reading it. I’m only 2 chapters in. My favorite so far is the ever-so-subtle way in which she characterizes anyone with any socialistic/communalistic tendencies (i.e. the antagonist of the novel) as physically repulsive, sniveling, weak, petulant cretins. Clever!

Take this passage for example:

“Why don’t we give someone else a chance?”, James Taggart said, crying big fat tears from his big, fat, ugly stupid face on his balding head, while slumping over and being repulsive and weak. “It’s not fair,” he whined, like a big fucking sissy.

Did you catch that? See what she’s hinting at, there? I understand if you’re lost – she is truly a master of subtle character development.

Comments

RachelW — May 31, 2012 at 02:34 · reply

Ugh. This is a book that’s almost impossible to enjoy if you’re not a teenager, or at least still stuck in the teenage attitude of, “It’s not fair! Everything would be so awesome if I could just do what I want at all times! Other people suck! Poor me!”

Tom — May 31, 2012 at 02:47 · reply

It’s worth the effort to slog through it for the same reason it’s worth knowing the Bible, Koran etc. There are powerful people who play at living according to her precepts. It’s a bit like Dianetics to those who see it as a life-changing read. If you’re going to make the effort, also read The Fountainhead, a companion piece of sorts and actually a better (not to say good) novel.

cwage — May 31, 2012 at 02:49 · in reply to 20120531024722-532eb9dc · reply

That’s actually why I agreed to read it. I’ve always thought it’s important to read certain seminal works to understand how certain people think – Marx and Socialists, the bible and Christians, etc. But when I read Marx and the bible, I find lots of worthwhile stuff that has otherwise been twisted, misinterpreted, or repurposed.. I enjoyed it and got a lot out of it. This, though.. eesh.

Colin — May 31, 2012 at 02:48 · reply

I have always thought of Ayn Rand as Zarathustra’s Ape, “because he had gathered something of his phrases and his cadences and also liked to borrow from the treasures of his wisdom.”  Zarathustra’s response: “Stop at last!” cried Zarathustra; “your speech and your manner have long nauseated me. Why did you live near the swamps so long that you yourself have become a frog and a toad? Does not putrid swamp-blood flow through your veins now that you have learned to croak and revile thus? Why have you not gone into the woods or to plow the soil? Does not the sea abound in green islands? I despise your despising; and if you warned me, why did you not warn yourself?”

But that’s probably just me.

Coble — May 31, 2012 at 03:15 · reply

It’s such a bad book. Baaaaad. But it DOES provide a very transparent window on a certain mindset.

Andrew Duthie — May 31, 2012 at 04:07 · reply

You’re not just making up that quote, are you? Because it actually sounds so bad as to be made up. I’m reminded there’s a site that makes fun of the terrible writing (and copyediting) of the Twilight series. Perhaps some bored Internet person has already made a similar site for Rand?

Kelliente — May 31, 2012 at 19:52 · reply

I’ve never read it. You made that quote up right? … right? How can anyone take that book seriously? What a joke.

Thanks! Your comment has been submitted and will appear shortly.

Leave a comment