Jezebel: Ayn Rand is Gateway Drug to Ron Paul

[Matthew5]

"Sorry, Jerks: Forever 21 Pulls Ayn Rand Muscle Shirt From Online Store"

hxxp://jezebel.com/sorry-jerks-forever-21-pulls-ayn-rand-muscle-shirt-fr-1443551956


Forever 21 is owned by a family of mental gymnasts who have found away to marry the "our purpose as humans is to give of ourselves to those in need in emulation of Christ" philosophy of Christianity with the "fuck you, pay me" ethos of conservatism. The fast fashion chain most recently advertised its top brass's philosophy with an item it called the "Unstoppable Tee," which contained a quote from Ayn Rand. You know, that bad writer that the worst hookup you ever had couldn't stop talking about.


The $11.80 muscle tee, (http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/10/10/forever-21-cashes-in-on-ayn-rands-objectivist-philisophy/) which was pulled from the online store this afternoon, featured the following quote by Ayn Rand, the mother of objectivism and dour but oddly sexy aunt of modern libertarianism.
The question isn’t who is going to let me, it’s who is going to stop me. - Ayn Rand

Objectivism, the philosophy that the ideal society results from everyone abandoning charity and empathy and just focusing on selfishness and kicking ass, is an asshole factory (although it is to thank for the premise of the first Bioshock, so, uh, thanks, I guess). I read The Fountainhead when I was 16 and I was even more of an asshole than usual for a solid 3 weeks afterward. Do not let anyone get near Ayn Rand. She is a gateway drug to Ron Paul. She's Paul Ryan's college girlfriend. She's dangerous.


I guess cool teen objectivists will have to find a new way to advertise the fact that they're insufferable. Suggestions welcome.

[Feeding the Abscess]

Perhaps they could graduate a few levels of radicalism and get this shirt instead:

https://mises.org/store/Murray-Rothbard-T-Shirt-Black-P217.aspx

[Acala]

Not matter how much anyone disagrees with Ron Paul, NOBODY who has had any contact with him could honestly call him an asshole.

[angelatc]

Those women are weird to begin with. Even other women avoid that site. Seriously, imagine a feminist objecting to the thought of a strong, unstoppable woman. O wait, you don't need to. You can just read the OP.

Wonder why the shirt was pulled?

[Matthew5]

Those women are weird to begin with. Even other women avoid that site. Seriously, imagine a feminist objecting to the thought of a strong, unstoppable woman. O wait, you don't need to. You can just read the OP.

Wonder why the shirt was pulled?

Jezebel is the whiny, millennial brand of feminism that is truly insufferable. It's the hypocritical drivel that berates a small time blogger for having an opinion about beauty and makeup while running articles about New York Fashion week and tabloids.

It's great for a laugh! I thought it interesting that Ron Paul was still getting mentions after being out of the spot light.

[Matthew5]

The Time "article" the Jezebel post is based upon is just as humorous:


Forever 21 Is Now Selling a Shirt With an Ayn Rand Quote On It But do the chain's customers even know what objectivism means?

By Courtney Subramanian @cmsubOct. 10, 201312 Comments

http://timenewsfeed.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/forever21.png?w=260Forever21.com Forever 21 has a penchant for releasing controversial clothing, but a recent muscle tee emblazoned with the words of Ayn Rand seems puzzling for the fashion line targeted towards teens.
The “Unstoppable Muscle Tee (http://www.forever21.com/Product/Product.aspx?BR=f21&Category=whatsnew_all&ProductID=2040495372&VariantID=),” priced at $11.80, bears a quote from the author and philospher, framed as a motivational statement:

“The question isn’t who is going to let me, it’s who is going to stop me.” — Ayn Rand
The quote refers to Rand’s capitalist-based theory of objectivism — that the moral purpose of life is rational self interest — a concept we highly doubt is taught in high school classrooms or discussed among teen lunchroom conversations. And it’s not much of a theory to stand by for an age group that still financially relies on their parents.
The idea of idolizing a contentious figure is reminiscent of the famed Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara t-shirts, made popular by the counterculture of the late 1960s. The t-shirt is now one of the most common shirts found on college campuses, often donned by young people who have no idea what the communist revolutionary symbolized–but check out that heroic-looking dude in the cool hat!

[KingRobbStark]

Reason and common sense is a gateway to Ron Paul.

[acptulsa]

Ayn Rand may be a gateway to the movement, but 'gateway drug' is not the right term.

You don't have to smoke something to realize that we can't micromismanage everyone's life and remain free. You don't have to inject something to realize we can't maintain a seventeen trillion dollar debt. Drugs are for people trying to find a way to deny these things, not for people ready, willing and able to realize them.

I think I've discovered the real motivation behind Obamacare. It can't be easy to figure out how to pump enough pharmaceuticals into the entire population so that nobody ever figures out that half the 'facts' they 'learn' in government school are obviously not 'facts' as they are impossible.

[fisharmor]

I was compelled to read Anthem as a senior in public school.
I've not felt compelled to read more.
And I'm both a bigger asshole and more radical than either Ayn Rand or Ron Paul.

I prefer not to let fiction novelists sway my political opinions.

[Sonny Tufts]

The gateway comment reminds me of Jerome Tuccille's It Usually Begins With Ayn Rand, a very funny book I read many years ago.

http://www.amazon.com/Usually-Begins-With-Ayn-Rand/dp/0930073258

[acptulsa]

I was compelled to read Anthem as a senior in public school.
I've not felt compelled to read more.
And I'm both a bigger asshole and more radical than either Ayn Rand or Ron Paul.

I prefer not to let fiction novelists sway my political opinions.

Read Atlas Shrugged of my own volition. The quality of the prose didn't lead me to seek out more.

I try not to be an asshole, but I'm asshole enough to burst someone's bubble if I think it necessary. This whole country needs to quit these delusions cold turkey. If we can find a way to put them in that corner without being assholes, it would be nice. But I don't see how.

[69360]

Why'd they pull it?

I would have bought my kid one.

[acptulsa]

Why'd they pull it?

I would have bought my kid one.

The question isn't who voluntarily stopped selling it, but who banned it.

[Matthew5]

Why'd they pull it?

I would have bought my kid one.

Forever 21 hasn't replied to requests yet, but dangit, they're going to make a story out of it regardless!

The Rand meme is a little over played by the left because it's an easy jab at libertarianism (not that Ayn Rand was a libertarian). I doubt most on this forum came to Ron Paul through Ayn Rand. I'd be willing to bet it's a very small percentage.

[69360]

Forever 21 hasn't replied to requests yet, but dangit, they're going to make a story out of it regardless!

The Rand meme is a little over played by the left because it's an easy jab at libertarianism (not that Ayn Rand was a libertarian). I doubt most on this forum came to Ron Paul through Ayn Rand. I'd be willing to bet it's a very small percentage.

I agree with Ron Paul on almost everything. Eh, I agree with Ayn Rand a lot, but I'm not an atheist. She makes a lot of good points about laissez-faire capitalism and rational self interest that I agree with. I like her books too.

[ronpaulfollower999]

I didn't even know who Ayn Rand was until I joined this site.

[Matthew5]

I agree with Ron Paul on almost everything. Eh, I agree with Ayn Rand a lot, but I'm not an atheist. She makes a lot of good points about laissez-faire capitalism and rational self interest that I agree with. I like her books too.

Well, I disagree with her and am not a huge fan anyway...but it is interesting to see how the liberal media perceives Ron Paul and libertarianism. Almost as if Ayn Rand is some sort of right of passage into the libertarian realm.

[Smart3]

Ayn Rand was a huge influence on me. She is, in my view the most important woman who ever lived and possibly the second most intelligent woman who ever lived. (Curie has 1st place in my book)

[ravedown]

well the good news is "whats the fastest way to get teens to interested in something deemed dangerous? censor, ban or burn it." you can smell fear in this article...what happens if girls suddenly look to someone other than a government approved cultural icon? wouldn't want them questioning the establishment. ha. now these will be collectors items and only the 'bad' girls will wear them.

[Matt Collins]

http://www.thoseshirts.com/images/shirtsquare-lousy.jpg2035 (http://www.thoseshirts.com/lousy.html)
http://www.thoseshirts.com/lousy.html

[Acala]

Ayn Rand was a one trick pony. It was a good trick, but there is much more to see in the circus.

[specsaregood]

The Rand meme is a little over played by the left because it's an easy jab at libertarianism (not that Ayn Rand was a libertarian). I doubt most on this forum came to Ron Paul through Ayn Rand. I'd be willing to bet it's a very small percentage.

I read the fountainhead in high school, I thought all her characters were assholes and I was the opposite of inspired by her writing. She certainly wasn't the gateway to Ron Paul for me.

[amy31416]

Ayn Rand was a one trick pony. It was a good trick, but there is much more to see in the circus.

No doubt. A one-trick pony that would make all the children cry at a birthday party.

[Antischism]

Really don't like Ayn Rand at all. Emma Goldman was better, to be honest.

[69360]

I thought all her characters were assholes

that was the point ;)

[Natural Citizen]

Junior was assigned to read the Ayn Rand Anthem book and do a report on it in school. I haven't yet read it but have been meaning to do that. I hate when they assign books I haven't yet read myself.

[Czolgosz]

I can understand that sometimes you just gotta disregard the messenger. But, did I miss something, did Ayn Rand murder a bunch of people, or what?

[specsaregood]

that was the point ;)

right, but it didn't make me want to be one and it didn't make me want to care about what happened to the characters either. Ron Paul certainly doesn't lead one down the path of being an asshole.

[Bastiat's The Law]

I think people coming to Ron Paul through Ayn Rand is really overblown. Maybe for the >40 crowd it has some merit. For everyone else Youtube led people to Ron Paul.

[dannno]

Wow, what a prude.

http://jezebel.com/bro-sends-awful-luring-your-rapebait-guide-to-entire-1442094485

[otherone]

Objectivism, the philosophy that the ideal society results from everyone abandoning charity and empathy and just focusing on selfishness and kicking ass,

Not even close.
There is a huge difference between "society" and "government". A society that promotes selflessness is the catalyst for a government that expects Collectivism. Conversely, a society that values Individualism creates government that respects individual Rights. I hate when folks misunderstand Ayn Rand.

[RM918]

Yeah, you mention anything libertarian friendly on the Gawker network and the Ayn Rand thing is one of the first ones thrown. They obviously have no idea about the differences between objectivism and libertarianism. Dissenting opinions on Jezebel are relegated to a seperate section of the comments, which goes to show how they handle criticism.

[BuddyRey]

Really don't like Ayn Rand at all. Emma Goldman was better, to be honest.

Wasn't Emma Goldman a hardcore socialist?

[Henry Rogue]

I never read any of Ayn Rand's work, I watched the first movie of "Atlas Shrugged" though. It left a lot to be desired. Ayn Rand was not a factor in me finding/supporting Ron Paul. However, Ron Paul was a factor in me finding/becoming Austrian. Someday I might read Atlas Shrugged from an Austrian perspective, just to see how it holds up.

[Antischism]

Wasn't Emma Goldman a hardcore socialist?

A Libertarian Socialist, aka; Anarchist.

She co-founded the No Conscription League in 1917 which was against enforced government conscription. She and other members were fined and jailed for standing against tyranny during the WWI era.

"We believe that the militarization of America is an evil that far outweighs, in its anti-social and anti-libertarian effects, any good that may come from America's participation in the war. We will resist conscription by every means in our power, and we will sustain those who, for similar reasons, refuse to be conscripted."


If you think the suppression of dissent and the idea of anarchism is highly shunned and attacked by government/the media today, you should read what it was like for Goldman and other anarchists at the time. The woman was a legend. Quite frankly, she deserves to be talked about much more than someone like Ayn Rand, who mostly just sat around rambling and being wretched, while spouting views on foreign policy that run contrary to Libertarianism.

[Bastiat's The Law]

Wasn't Emma Goldman a hardcore socialist?

She was until she lived in Russia.

[NIU Students for Liberty]

Jezebel, the site who gives this hipster/douche blogger attention:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtUb_E1qUHA

[VoluntaryAmerican]

I think people coming to Ron Paul through Ayn Rand is really overblown. Maybe for the >40 crowd it has some merit. For everyone else Youtube led people to Ron Paul.

yep.

[Feeding the Abscess]

She was until she lived in Russia.

She remained a hardcore socialist until her death. She just turned against communism (and all forms of the state) for good while living in Russia.

[twomp]

Reason and common sense is a gateway to Ron Paul.

Amen to that! And I will add a little quote from Thomas Paine to that!

"Time makes more converts than reason."

-- Thomas Paine