BuddyRey
01-06-2008, 03:00 AM
After five days of INTENSE cramming, I finally finished the 44-hour-long audiobook of Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead. Alright, so I didn't actually read it, but cut me some slack. I'm an auditory learner!
It was quite a journey, and led to some very interesting philosophical thought and introspection.
POSSIBLE SPOILER AHEAD...
I kept drawing mental comparisons with the events of the story and real-life happenings, especially with regard to Ron Paul and his treatment by the media. The character of Ellsworth Toohey, for instance, made me do a double-take when he suggested that the perfect way to dehumanize and devalue the honorable and virtuous in man is to laugh at it...to laugh at everything, including that which is worthy of reverence, so that it soon becomes impossible to take anything seriously, or hold anything sacred. Remind anybody of something? For example, Rudy and Mitt snickering at RP during the debates? :eek:
I've been taking baby-steps toward libertarianism for the last several months, but only since finishing this novel have I finally become comfortable in embracing this school of thought to its ideological, economic, and philosophical conclusions. It's very ironic indeed that Ms. Rand did not consider herself a libertarian, although she definitely seemed to be a lot more hawkish on foreign policy, from what I've heard. It's a shame, and, in my opinion, a self-contradiction, but it doesn't seriously mar an otherwise meritorious philosopher.
I'm very excited (though somewhat nervous) about embarking on her 1,200 page magnum opus, Atlas Shrugged. Heck, I may even read this one for real!
It was quite a journey, and led to some very interesting philosophical thought and introspection.
POSSIBLE SPOILER AHEAD...
I kept drawing mental comparisons with the events of the story and real-life happenings, especially with regard to Ron Paul and his treatment by the media. The character of Ellsworth Toohey, for instance, made me do a double-take when he suggested that the perfect way to dehumanize and devalue the honorable and virtuous in man is to laugh at it...to laugh at everything, including that which is worthy of reverence, so that it soon becomes impossible to take anything seriously, or hold anything sacred. Remind anybody of something? For example, Rudy and Mitt snickering at RP during the debates? :eek:
I've been taking baby-steps toward libertarianism for the last several months, but only since finishing this novel have I finally become comfortable in embracing this school of thought to its ideological, economic, and philosophical conclusions. It's very ironic indeed that Ms. Rand did not consider herself a libertarian, although she definitely seemed to be a lot more hawkish on foreign policy, from what I've heard. It's a shame, and, in my opinion, a self-contradiction, but it doesn't seriously mar an otherwise meritorious philosopher.
I'm very excited (though somewhat nervous) about embarking on her 1,200 page magnum opus, Atlas Shrugged. Heck, I may even read this one for real!