Blogs and Stories
A Populist Frankenstein
Getty Images (3)
Mix Lou Dobbs’ brain, Sarah Palin’s sensual warmth, and Glenn Beck’s acting skills, and you’ve got one scary political monster.
“Who is Lou Dobbs?” As the genially malevolent talking head considers a bid for the presidency, a lot of people are asking themselves that question. It recalls another similar query, “Who is John Galt?”—a question that runs through Ayn Rand’s sensationally popular 1957 novel, Atlas Shrugged.
Perhaps it’s President Obama’s increasing incapacity to seem actually engaged with his country’s traumas beyond eloquently declaring his engagement, again and again, but I see failures of the liberal imagination everywhere—most recently in the way two new biographies of Rand were treated by the liberal commentariat who review books. This is too bad, because if you can’t understand the popularity of Ayn Rand, you are never going to understand either the popularity of Lou Dobbs, or what seem to be Dobbs’ outsized political ambitions.
Dobbs and Beck are self-created, hail from humble origins, and seem to have the audacity, not just to hope for change, but to wreak it.
Reviewers belittled Rand as a crackpot philosopher, or as a lousy novelist, or as a highly neurotic egoist desperately in need of some self-criticism. It would be hard to refute any of those judgments. But no one seriously considered her as a powerful mythmaker, whose archetypal tales of individual initiative and self-creation respond to the way a lot of Americans like to think of themselves. Some reviewers never even mentioned the self-made world-beater Galt.
Instead, they dismissed Rand’s fans as examples of arrested development or as simply unhinged, in much the same way as the political historian Richard Hofstadter attributed the fanatical conservatism of the 1950s to a bad case of status anxiety.
But Rand’s novels sell hundreds of thousands of copies a year, while the descendants of Hofstadter’s hordes are a permanent fact of American life. The dysfunction of rage and resentment can only get you so far. There has to be something more to a populism that seems to be only getting stronger. In that sense, Rand’s fiction is a “teachable” oeuvre.
Dobbs and Glenn Beck, who has also been making politically ambitious noises lately, are figures that seem to have walked out of an American nightmare, which for some people is in fact the American Dream. Like Rand’s John Galt, the son of a mechanic who bends the static world to his dynamic will, Dobbs and Beck are also self-created, hail from humble origins, and seem to have the audacity, not just to hope for change, but to wreak it. Like Galt, they spring from the country’s gut and therefore know how to speak to it.
Until now, such figures have stridden the phantasmal plains of American folklore and popular culture. Another similar character is Larry “Lonesome” Rhodes in the 1957 film A Face in the Crowd. Like Galt—a cross between Prometheus and Joe the Plumber— Rhodes is an eerily familiar precursor. A small-time television personality, he first attains popularity and power through the same type of abusive and abrasive behavior flaunted by his successors: He trashes his sponsor to the delight of the audience. Sales soar, and Rhodes is rocketed toward a political career before his hypocrisy and unrestrained appetites derail him.
It’s significant that both A Face in the Crowd and Atlas Shrugged came out in 1957. That was the era of the advent of television, and both Rand and Budd Schulberg—who wrote the film—were inspired by the new medium’s power to shape mass opinion. How much more powerful are our mass media now! Cable, combined with radical advances in permissiveness, and with the exponential amplifications of the Internet, is a demagogue’s dream. With the dawn of our digital age, the demagogues of American folklore have become the real bugbears of American society.
The reviewers denounced Rand the novelist for her one-dimensional characters, but she knew what she was about. One-dimensionality is the key to myth; mythic characters are strangers whom, when we encounter them, we feel we have always known. In other words, mythic characters are celebrities. Rand was aware of this phenomenon, and so was Schulberg, who portrays Rhodes with an electric simplicity that makes him a kind of pre-celebrity before he is discovered. Both writers knew that celebrity—which provokes a feeling of intimacy with someone you don’t and never will know as a person—was the new prerequisite to political success.
How Rich People Smoke Pot
Paul Schrodt is a writer living in New York City. He has contributed to New York magazine, Radar, and Esquire.com.
Justice Clinton?
As vice chairman of Public Strategies and president of Maverick Media, Mark McKinnon has helped meet strategic challenges for candidates, corporations and causes, including George W. Bush, John McCain, Governor Ann Richards, Charlie Wilson, Lance Armstrong, and Bono. McKinnon is co-chair of Arts & Labs, a collaboration between technology and creative communities that have embraced today's rich Internet environment to deliver innovative and creative digital products to consumers.
Obama's Sham Bipartisan Show
Lee Siegel is The Daily Beast's senior columnist. He publishes widely on culture and politics and is the author of three books: Falling Upwards: Essays in Defense of the Imagination; Not Remotely Controlled: Notes on Television; and, most recently, Against the Machine: How the Web Is Reshaping Culture And Commerce—And Why It Matters. In 2002, he received a National Magazine Award for reviews and criticism.
The Betrayed Wives Club
Lee Siegel is The Daily Beast's senior columnist. He publishes widely on culture and politics and is the author of three books: Falling Upwards: Essays in Defense of the Imagination; Not Remotely Controlled: Notes on Television; and, most recently, Against the Machine: How the Web Is Reshaping Culture And Commerce—And Why It Matters. In 2002, he received a National Magazine Award for reviews and criticism.
Obama's Desperate Gay Pander
Lee Siegel is The Daily Beast's senior columnist. He publishes widely on culture and politics and is the author of three books: Falling Upwards: Essays in Defense of the Imagination; Not Remotely Controlled: Notes on Television; and, most recently, Against the Machine: How the Web Is Reshaping Culture And Commerce—And Why It Matters. In 2002, he received a National Magazine Award for reviews and criticism.
whipmawhopma
Why leave out Huckabee? Why not make it the 'Four Horsemen of the Populist Apocalypse'?
YogiBarrister
And how about Ron Paul, make it the Five Fingers of Death Panels?
dailyplanet
Siegel is on mark here. The names: Palin, Dobbs, Beck, (and throw in Huckabee and Paul) in themselves may be too weak to stand on their own for political viability...but taken as a representative group they stand as the template for an as yet undiscovered personality who will become just the "acceptable" demagogue.
Obama's impotence, the disarray of the Republican party, the entrenched "wimpism" of Democrats has left this country in a dangerous void whose emptiness is crying out to be filled.
History has only too well shown what happens when governments fail to face and deal with crisis with courage, intelligence and swiftness of action. "Someone" invariably steps in to fill a gaping need and this is the danger we face.
In the twentieth century Hitler and Stalin were those two personalities. This is America...it can't happen here? Let's pray this is correct.
I also keep in mind Noam Chomsky's estimation of Ayn Rand's potently seductive ideology. "...Chomsky declared Rand to be one of the most evil figures of modern intellectual history."
Ayn-Rand-Fan
"I also keep in mind Noam Chomsky's estimation of Ayn Rand's potently seductive ideology. "...Chomsky declared Rand to be one of the most evil figures of modern intellectual history.""
And why should we care what Chomsky said? Is he a moral authority to you? According to Ayn Rand, morality is not grounded in authority figures--it doesn't come as a commandment from god, or a dictate from the religious or political leader--it comes from reason, and is based on man's nature. Quoting a moral authority and saying that he thought someone else was evil, is tantamount to making an ad hominem argument fallacy--labeling someone as evil doesn't replace making an argument that speaks to anyone else's arguments or ideas. It's just an insult, based on nothing but what someone else said, as though they were a moral authority on the subject of evil.
mindlessmissy
Sarah Palin's sensual warmth ???
===================
Are you high on some thanksgiving chiva ... ?
That B!tch is cold as Ice !
crypto
The pot calls upon the kettle. Saw it, read it, understood it. The bitch is in the eyes of the beholder.
keepakeeper43
I pray to Baby Jesus this crew morphs together to support Sarah's run for President!!
Too good to be true!!
A motley mess!
Frankenstein? More like a carnival barker's dream!
Silly, Fringe, Pandering Fox Freaks full of predictable ga ga and la la!!
McCain's gift to Dems! Thank You for Sarah!! Thank You!!
A dissembling, lazy, paranoid, bitter pill!
A LOCK for Obama in '12!!
RUN!SARAH!RUN!
mmanion
Siegel's a dreamer. There's no way people with egos the size of these three could co-exist on the same plane. They pay lip-service support to each other now, but the camaraderie is already crumbling with Beck taking umbrage at being listed as number two instead of number one, on a yet to be announced presidential ticket. If they can't even negotiate ego terms on a purely hypothetical issue, how will they ever handle having to share studios and stages?
idicula1979
Wow, you are so right there is just no way that these magomaniacs could exist, I mean sure the exchange plesentaries now but right now they are just fighting for who could be the nuttiest nut out there. I encourage EVERYONE to read the article (link provide) http://rawstory.com/2009/11/beck-yapping-palin-kitchen/) and come back and tell me that is not just a huge parting shot fired at Palin.
floridabob
This would be too good to be true!
crypto
One thing for certain. Bowing Obamason won't be back for a second term. If we can just dump some of those crooked congressmen and women.
mindlessmissy
Don't bet your life on it ...!
ImNoPUNK
Hey mindlessmissy.... great name for you
How bout if I bet your life on it..... November 2, 2010..... the day the Left gets its ass handed to it on a plate..
Hotfrostins
Dont you mean 2010 the year the Republican Party split in two and handed over everything to the Democrats. Kinda like Scuzzafova squared.
allykat7825
I think Dobbs has gone a bit far but why label him a bigot because he is against illegal immigration? He has stated he is in favor of legal immigration and his wife is an hispanic immigrant, which gives some credibility to his statements. Also, while you line up your rogues gallery of fascists, how can you leave Rush and Anne Coulter off the list. Limbaugh does not seem to have slowed up in spite of his drug use and dealing and Coulter is as nasty a piece of work as I have ever heard.
Also, I think Dobbs is closer to the thinking and style of Perot and the Libertarians than the far right. Sort of the 2/3rds right. It may not sound like much but it would garner more votes than you might think. The republicans are greedy, the democrats are fools and the country is ripe for almost any crackpot with a good front.
hkjonus
I agree allykat, unfortunately everything in America gets painted with racism. Immigration should not be, but it unfortunately has been. We need a responsible and honest way of dealing with illegals. To just say "one more amnesty" is not honest, fair, or prudent.
I too was married to a Mexican immigrant. She came to America at age 9 illegally and went to public schools, and even graduated from University, all while using another persons social security number. To some thats a heart warming American success story. I don't disagree, but that was the old system It was fallible and inviting to those suffering poverty in Latin America. But its NOT a sustainable solution. The long term answer to 3rd World strife is not and cannot be an open door for anyone that wants to hop a fence or crawl through a tunnel.
Dobbs was right on this issue, and I was a big supporter of him. To classify him as a racist is completely inaccurate. Listen to what he says about working class families and their struggle to make ends meet. While companies hire illegals to work at suppressed wages, they undermine the financial well being of the lower class poor in America. No one stops to completely analyze the full cost of these people coming here. Social infrastructure costs etc..
All that said, Dobbs has proven himself to be no better than the likes of Limbaugh, Beck and O'Reily. Willing to stir up and simmer any wacko conspiracy theory or urban legend, for purely ratings gains. These people are selfish manipulators, liars and opportunists. The networks that carry them are just as responsible. CNN can take a sigh of relief.
mmanion
Too little, too late for Dobbs to be claiming enlightenment. He doesn't get a pass on some truly stupid and deceitful things he's said about immigration just because he's married to an Hispanic woman. Years ago he was much more moderate in his approach and it was possible to take him seriously when he fumed, legitimately, about our open borders. When he started fudging data and/or outright making stuff up in order to have something to be outraged about on his daily broadcast, he lost all credibility. The country was falling apart around him and every day his focus was on illegal immigration. Being a one-trick, obsessive pony made him ridiculous. His promotion of the 'birther' nonsense made him a tool. He definitely belongs in the rogues' gallery.
crypto
"it was much easier to take him seriously when YOU agreed with him He's the only thing CNN had and they're scrambling.
crypto
Coulter aggrevates the system just because she does her homework and presents information that can't be denied. You're 100% right about the country being ripe. Gonna be interesting.
judgeinmillvalley
She does her homework? If homework consists of name calling rather than facts, you're right on the money, and money is what it's all about--entertainment in the guise of talking politics. During the Clarence Thomas hearings, the New York Times did not print the racist statements she said it did, but oh, she was just "exaggerating" for poetic license. Trouble is, who looks up her "facts?" Slinking around in a black cocktail does not a glamorous person make.
Americain
Can't be denied? http://www.spinsanity.org/columns/20020713.html Her distortions and misattributed quotes are well known. You can't be serious.
Wayfarin
SPREZZATURA! believe me, i have no interest in defending any of these republican celebrities. but i have to ask myself, why do people consistently avoid criticizing them on matters of substance? criticizing their grandeur only serves to reinforce it. and, to be completely honest, they are only about as one dimensional as arianna huffington or (GASP!) john stewart!
and how is populist sentiment becoming 'indecent' now that the warm obama haze has lifted? this is the normal state of affairs. american's will inevitably start to turn their back on overexposed celebrities - presidents included.
SensiStar
They have no substance to attack like they have no shame.
So they can not be shamed.
If you think Arianna and Stewart is on the same level there lies your problem.
I don't see Ariana or Jon Stewart mobilizing people around stupidity and made up facts.
Speaking of celebs you just endorsed three of them .
I have no doubt you r a republican because your projection gene is showing it self again.
The same excuse you used to defend your guys you used to attack Obama.
That's the irony of stupidity. Sucks to be you.
ImNoPUNK
Hey SensiStar...
Lets see how you react to this ..."You're an ugly big butt dog"...and I'm being nice calling you a dog.
One thing is for damn sure, you were either in a comma for the last 8 years or you memory sucks almost as bad as your political rhetoric.
crypto
Somebody on target, finally.
Kevlar
Sarah Palin is as one-dimensional as any of Rand's characters. A country bumpkin with no policy and no ideas beyond her own self-perpetuation.
Atlas Shrugged is porn, a guilty pleasure to read, and nothing more, but it has become something more to the masses of trolls who think that they can keep up with Hank Rearden. The Fountainhead is just more porn, with an actual rape added for good measure. These are taken as scripture by the Frankenstein Members-only jacket hordes who attend tea party rallies and moan about the state of our currency while people starve and die under their eyes.
Welcome to the end of America...
hkjonus
Thanks you just made me realize that PalBeckBaugh are indeed political porn stars. Lots of screeching moans, back scratching, gratuitous hair pulling and ass slapping. With some spitting and debasing slander thrown in.....
mmanion
Love it when people, like the author, idolize Ayn Rand. Tells you everything you need to know about them. Rand was a nasty piece of work and her philosophies were as juvenile and self-centered as they are unrealistic. She appeals to the fraction of the population who were born on third base, but think they hit a home run. Often they brag about 'pulling themselves up by the bootstraps,' even though they have never had to experience what it's like to not having any boots. Angry because the rest of the world, the 'little people' who have supported their superior productivity, refuse to accept that-- based on their innate superiority--they should not have to live by the standards of human decency required of everyone else. Stuck in the toddler phase of complete self-absorption, they simply demand that the world to see them as they see themselves. Wish they'd all go Galt. I doubt anyone would even notice.
baptox
Great comment. It is also interesting to note that Rand could not tolerate anyone in her circle who disagreed with her. People who pretend to be great thinkers but are intolerant of any other viewpoints dispel any notion of the greatness.
Konchster
After spending Thanksgiving in a group that contained 2 or 3 rightwing nuts and everyone was warned to just go along with them if they started a rant. I began to see how their irrational anger is an insulator from reality for them
Ayn-Rand-Fan
You say that Rand couldn't tolerate any other viewpoints. Is that true? Is that why she spent a thousand plus pages in her novel, refuting other viewpoints? SOmeone who isn't 'tolerant' of other viewpoints doesn't do an excellent job of first representing those viewpoints in the form of a character, and then writing a 100 page speech where she articulates those viewpoints in terms of philosophical concretes and then refutes them. An intolerant person doesn't even comment on their opponents' ideas, let alone make their arguments for them and then refute them.
Ayn-Rand-Fan
"Rand was a nasty piece of work and her philosophies were as juvenile and self-centered as they are unrealistic."
Once again, another ad-hominem argument fallacy. mmanion is not speaking to any of Rand's ideas or arguments, but is instead interested in insuting her. Let's see him state some of Rand' ideas that he thought were 'juvenile and self-centered'. Why are Rand ideas unrealistic? mmanion doesn't say. Thus, we have to reject his comment as completely arbitrary and meaningless
gsandra614
This feeling of "intimacy with someone you don't know and never will know" applies to people's "relationship" with Jesus Christ. Most Americans, if they introduced to Christ, would not want anything to do with a Middle Eastern person who didn't speak English and would likely consider him an extremist. He's been "packaged" like all mythical figures.
Oenolicious
There were more than a few things wrong with this article:
1) He makes Hofstadter as one-dimensional as he accuses Ayn Rand of being. This is the original article that came out before the book of the same name. Hofstadter felt this was a running theme in American politics, not a one off of McCarthyism.
http://karws.gso.uri.edu/jfk/conspiracy_theory/the_paranoid_mentality/th e_paranoid_style.html
2) We always assume Ayn Rand's popularity by the number of books that she has sold and somehow this is a measure of influence. One does wonder about the influence of J.K. Rowlings, John Grisham, etc. One could suppose that this was the popular kids attempting to emulate having Pynchon on their shelves. Who actually reads Rand anymore? Such a poor example of so many things.
3) "Pump up the Volume" Christian Slater. NUFF SAID.
Mauiboy
On a PBS program on the financial meltdown, it begins with a note that Alan Greenspan was influenced by Ayn Rand's books and philosophy and is responsible for the ultimate deregulation that led to the meltdown. If Obama cannot bring back confidence in govt, then we can expect the public to look at these folks in the future.
Ayn-Rand-Fan
Alan Greenspan used to be affiliated with Ayn Rand, but he betrayed Ayn Rand's ideas after being appointed the Fed chair. If anyone would like to find out exactly how, Harry Binswanger, an Objectivist philosopher, has written a detailed account of every way in which Greenspan has betrayed Ayn Rand's ideas here:
http://www.capmag.com/article.asp?ID=5353
Ayn-Rand-Fan
Oenolicious asks "who actually reads Rand anymore", shortly after noting how many books she sells every year. Isn't this a self-defeating question, given your preface? Ayn Rand sells 100,000 copies of Atlas Shrugged every year. So, apparently, 100,000 people are reading them, every year. Some are re-reading them. Some are reading them for the first time.
It is absurd to compare a philosophical novel that continues to sell 100,000 copies a year, over 50 years after its initial publication, to a fantasy fiction novel such as Harry Potter, or to anything John Grisham wrote. Neither of those two authors were presenting a new philosophy in a story the likes of which had never been told before. To compare them would be an absurdity
nortonclybourn
What do you care about the masses? Why don't you just use your spectacular personal gifts and create an empire for yourself? Surely you are one of the special elite who is carrying the rest of us? Well, feel free to stop working on my behalf.
rjcrawford33
This columnist simply does not speak to me in any way that seems insightful. Is he suggesting that Dobbs, Palin, and Beck would have fun as a 3some?
diamondgrl
Sorry, Lee Siegal (or should I use the name you'll be given when Obama lets China invade, Si Gal Li?) but REAL AMERICANS know that Palin and Beck are going to take back this country, one tea-party at a time. That's why the rallies in Washington are attended by millions of people every time!
Ayn Rand is the greatest political philosopher of all time! If we all just did what Atlas Shrugged told us to do, we'd be living in a utopia and not the communist kind! This Siegal just bashes her because he could never formulate a world view that's as nuanced as hers!
The only thing the Democratic party needs to do now is start planning what they'll wear to the unveiling party of the Palin likeness on Mount Rushmore. JOKING, the unemployed don't get invited to fancy parties like that!
Konchster
Sorry but China invaded a long time ago and you missed while shopping at Walmart
liberaljesus
You're a hoot diamondgirl. But just in case you missed your science classes early on you cant turn water into wine, zircon into diamonds and lead into gold. And you cant take 3 morons and turn them into scholars. Let me know when you uncover any policies they would initiate if they had been in charge after the mess Bush left behind. Funny thing is I haven't heard any of them utter a single solitary solution to the problems Obama faced when he came into office. We hear lots of chatter from these clowns and the gop in general about how Obama cant do anything right but nary an idea of what he should have done. Wouldn't a 'real American' who truly loved their country be offering their help or solutions to fix this country's ills instead of constant nipping at the pantlegs like a pack of hungry chihuahuas? What kind of 'real American' hopes the country fails under Obama? Is that the new populist patriotism program? You're very funny though diamond, funny in a monkey riding a bike kinda way or a guy getting hit in the groin with a football kinda way. Funny but lacking any common sense.
diamondgirl
Thats not me!
The Real Diamondgirl
hkjonus
Diamondgrl, what dimension are you living in? There must be an alter-universe existing in parallel to ours because your interpretation of reality is perplexing to the rest of us. The REAL AMERICANS are living in the REAL UNIVERSE. PalBeckBaugh followers are just a very small part of that reality. The only thing they will be taking over is your spot in the unemployment line. Their run in the pop-politics of conservative misery will only last so long......
diamondgrl
More like hkjudas!
The reason you're interpreting reality differently is that our minds aren't clouded by psychodelic drugs and psychotic worship of Dear Great Wonderful Leader Most Holy ObaMao The Annointed One Blessed be His Name Forever and Ever, Amen!
We real Americans, like the Glenn Beck audience know never to just listen to what someone tells us and blindly accept it at face value, no matter how charismatic they are! We critically evaluate everything we hear, even if we know it's true because it's from the fair and balanced network!
You're right about one thing though, Future President Palin and Future Vice President Beck aren't going to be media personalities for long...
SensiStar
Your dream has been ruined.
Glenn Beck rules out Palin/Beck 2012: "What, I'm gonna take a backseat to a chick?"
http://crooksandliars.com/bluegal/glenn-beck-rules-out-palinbeck-2012-wh at-i
keepakeeper43
glittergrl!
"REAL AMERICANS know that Palin and Beck are going to take back this country, one tea-party at a time...............Ayn Rand is the greatest political philosopher of all time!"
!!!!!!
I am sorry that they won't let you out of the hospital.
And yes honey, the moon is made of green cheese and
Ann Coulter is Secretary of State.
I do hope you they let you keep using the computer.
You funny.
socialworklady
grrrrl,
You're racking 'em
up today --
zing!
zing!
zing!
zing!
newswoman
Diamondgirl, your sarcasm is so funny. But I am sure some readers will believe you meant what you wrote.
Hail, hail, Obama. We love you.
Marv12
diamondgrl must be SColbert in disguise - trolling for idiots
diamondgirl
Thats not me!
The Real diamondgirl
diamondgirl
Thats not me
The Real Diamondgirl
AlexHamilton
The left can't forever rely on painting anyone with vague libertarian or anti-immigration leanings as being extremist nut jobs; it's simply not true. Guys like the three above didn't become popular by telling Americans what to think, but rather by telling them what they already know - and until now they didn't give a damn as they thought that their government broadly felt the same way too. Beck & co represent a comfort blanket offering hope that the ideals that made the country mighty will one day return - and if Obama continues to display such weakness and incompetence, they won't have to wait very long.
When your government frightens you, you look for support in the people around you. These guys are merely the lynchpins in that network. They don't create opinion out of thin air. And neither did Rand.
SensiStar
Facts just don''t matter hun.
brownjackson
Glenn Beck is a GENIUS compared to Obama. He PREDICTED obama would fail in copenhagen because he connected the copenhagen chewing tobacco with Obama, acorn and Michelle (hint: they all give you cancer).
Dobbs is also a genius: he saw Palin getting all this attention for going rogue and people did not appreciate his cutting edge expose on Obama's birth so he was forced to leave CNN early (like Palin in Alaska) to start his run for presidency. The Book "God Dobb America" is coming out before 2010 elections.
Finally, enough people realize the media ambush and snuff job done on Palin to present her as stupid. E.g. SHE lives closer to Putin than Obama, OF COURSE she knows what he is going to do before Obama, duuhh you liberal idiots. Another example, she ALREADY stated she reads ALL the newspapers in the world. All 240 of them so CLEARLY she's informed.
PALIN/DOBBS/BECK 2012 The first successful TEA PARTY TICKET WHOO- HOO!!!!!!!!!
progressiveaggressive
What do Ayn Rand, Thomas Paine and Milton Friedman have in common?
They have become false idols for people who have just enough intelligence to read, and not enough intelligence to comprehend.
In the case of Rand and Friedman-the philosophy looks good on paper, but is an absolute horror when applied to real life.
As for Paine, my guess is he would be mortified knowing his rails against tyranny were being co-opted by paranoid drama queens.
(Here's a hint- the fact that people can call our President a tyrant, in a very loud and public way, PROVES he isn't a tyrant.)
Konchster
progressiveaggressive
It's official I am stealing this line: (Here's a hint- the fact that people can call our President a tyrant, in a very loud and public way, PROVES he isn't a tyrant.) I will only use it for good
Ayn-Rand-Fan
More ad-hominem argument fallacies. The author of this comment doesn't speak to any of Ayn Rand's arguments--he just calls them a 'horror'. What does that mean? Absolutely nothing. This comment must be rejected as irrational
GinaRN
I read Ayn Rand, everything she wrote, including the first years of the Objectivist magazine. I believed in her philosophy, until I was 18 years old.
She wrote attractive, romantic fantasies. Her heroes are unrealistic, one-note people. I've never met anyone like her characters in real life.
Her value of selfishness (aka greed) is callous, uncaring and she has no social conscience.
Her philosophy is sociopathic in it's lack of human empathy. She would have a world with no taxes or human services, where people were allowed to die in the street of hunger or disease.
She doesn't believe in any kind of social contract.
GinaRN
Excellent, post !! "False idols to those who cannot comprehend", really sharp comment!
BTW Ayn-randfan, it's not an ad hominem argument when Progressiveaggresive says her philosophy looks good on paper but is a horror in reality. Ad Hominem would be if he said SHE is a horror.
He made a very cogent remark about a society without any social net, where everyone was completely selfish, and any kind of altruism was scorned.
I find that most randians sling the term "irrational" without really understanding it well. My experience only.
mburgh
The candidate Siegel describes all ready came and went, leaving choas in his wake and a destroyed political landscape and economy we will deal with for years: Ronald Reagan.
eat5vegetables
That's pretty sharp. You're completely right.
Thank you.
As a first time user, your comment has been submitted for review. It can take anywhere from a few hours to a day or two for your comment to be reviewed, depending on the time of week and the volume of comments we receive.