Galt's Gulch
10

Nathaniel Branden Remembered

Posted by sdesapio 9 years, 4 months ago to Philosophy
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"Branden argued that Objectivism indeed presented a radiant vision of, in Rand’s words, what the world can be and should be. But too many individuals who loved Rand’s vision saw themselves as so far removed from the heroes of her novels that they despaired. Too many would say “I’m no Roark or Galt, so I must be no good.”
SOURCE URL: http://www.atlassociety.org/ele/nathaniel-branden-remembered

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  • Posted by Herb7734 9 years, 4 months ago
    Rand's personality was so powerful that she pulled off something that few if anyone could have done. She turned a man 20 years her junior into her lover with both the consent of her husband and his wife. Then, she got terribly upset when the young man took on a lover while being estranged from his wife. She dropped every association with him, banned her acolytes from any association with him, and broke all business ties with him. As a result, Objectivism in the form of the people involved in its formation became fractured. Brandon slunk away briefly licking his wounds, and Rand exhibited what a vengeful person she could be when she was crossed. He very wisely didn't tell his side until well after she was gone. She had to be aware that their relationship as lovers existed because Branden worshipped her. But she also had to be aware that he was no longer with his wife and that she couldn't fulfill that kind of need for him. It was a mess that she could have cleaned up with a few words, but she was unable to bring herself to do so.
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    • Posted by IndianaGary 9 years, 4 months ago
      That's pretty much how I read it after studying the issue for several years. Not much was published about what occurred behind-the-scenes; just I would call a vindictive character assassination of Branden by Rand and her acolytes. Here is part of what Harry Binswanger published just yesterday, "Nathaniel Branden is finally dead. His intellect died many decades ago, and now his body has followed suit. The man went from being Ayn Rand’s close collaborator, who posed as being a real-life John Galt, to a conventional pop psychologist who publicly attacked Ayn Rand and Objectivism..." Not much has changed since 1968 for many of those around at the time. Rand could do no wrong in their eyes.
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      • Posted by Herb7734 9 years, 4 months ago
        Branden wrote a book about the break-up called "Judgment Day." It seemed to me to be quite fair in its telling. I talked to him about it at a book signing in San Diego and he kept out any vindictive comments that are usually said in these kinds of situations. The only comment he made of Ayn Rand's character verbally was "She has an exalted view of mankind." One can read into that whatever one wants. Binswanger maintains his dislike of Branden, but Piekoff was vehement in his nasty and basically untrue statements about him. Never that I can tell, did any of them with the exception of Barbara Branden ever acknowledge the affair. Even Rand herself referred to their trysts as "our time together." With just about any other celebrity the whole thing could devolve into a crude joke. Fortunately, the sixties gossip media hadn't quite gotten into the degree of publicizing every relationship between people of note as salaciously as it is today.
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  • Posted by term2 9 years, 4 months ago
    I'm not a Galt or Roark or Dagny or Rearden, but I am pieces of them at various times and it is inspiring to me that these characters were brought to life in books and movies. I hope that through my actions I can encourage the people around me to be more effective human beings. After all, isnt that the purpose of philosophy and morality?
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  • Posted by skidance 9 years, 4 months ago
    After my divorce in 1972, I was in group therapy with Nathan for a time. I'd called him when my marriage was falling apart. Earlier, I'd had one session with him. He remembered me for some reason, and promised to find space for me in his group. He kept that promise, so I believe he had a great deal of integrity. In retrospect, I do not see him as a great therapist, although I did benefit to some extent. (I am now a licensed therapist, myself.)

    Nathan did provide a couple of insights that proved useful, although decades later.

    It was difficult to believe Ron Merrill's account of the break-up in 1968 (I knew Ron in college), but I soon came to accept that there was, in fact, an affair.

    Subsequently, I ran into Nathan two or three times in the Los Angeles area, and he always seemed to remember me.

    I have mostly positive memories of Nathan, and am sorry that he has left us. I think his contributions are valuable.
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  • Posted by jpellone 9 years, 4 months ago
    Even in an ideal world, you still need people that have good work ethics even if they don't have a special talent to do things like construction, painting, building roads, etc.
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  • Posted by wiggys 9 years, 4 months ago
    those of you who associate Branden wit Rand should read what Harry Binswanger knows about him and thought of him.
    HE WAS NOT A FRIEND OF HERS. you can also put Greenspan in the same boat as he was a turncoat too.
    Ayn Rand did not need branden or anyone else to promote her ideas she was very capable of doing that herself and it shows because about 99 percent of the population that knows Ayn Rand does not know branden. while i have read much of his writing in the AYN RAND NEWSLETTERS book it is obvious that branden developed his ideas from studying her ideas, just as I have.
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    • Posted by xthinker88 9 years, 4 months ago
      Yes. Not just friends. Just long time lovers. He WAS John Galt.
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      • Posted by wiggys 9 years, 4 months ago
        long time no, as he was married 4 times so it wasn't long time. regardless he was not good to her he lied to her.
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        • Posted by khalling 9 years, 4 months ago
          and she pretty much lied to herself. In his response to her accusations she made allegations and statements that Branden was able to prove on many occasions she said the opposite including issues regarding Barbara Branden. anyone who's been through a divorce or close to others who have always say the one who fell out of love changed, making no allowances for their own change or behaviors. The way I see it, she publicly blackmailed him and removed his ability to continue on in his own business which he solely developed for her pleasure. Those businesses were successful and solvent. She took possession of the Objectivist and left him high and dry. She had even given Barbara better consideration when she decided to have an affair with her husband. Yes, divorces are messy business. I've seen damn few where only one party was at fault. Dr. Branden's work stands on its own.
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        • Posted by xthinker88 9 years, 4 months ago
          Glad you were there for all of their conversations. Quite the voyeur I guess.
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          • Posted by wiggys 9 years, 4 months ago
            it appears that sarcasm must be tolerated.
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            • Posted by xthinker88 9 years, 4 months ago
              As is the religious fanaticism of some "objectivists"
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              • Posted by wiggys 9 years, 4 months ago
                being an objectivist thinker is not to be considered in the same realm as religion. all who believe in religion are fanatics; all one has to do is look at the state of the world today. those who are objectivists do not act as those who believe in religion. you are obviously not an objectivist.
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                • Posted by xthinker88 9 years, 4 months ago
                  Actually, I know plenty of people who believe in religion that are far less fanatical than you. Less hysterical in their need to denounce anyone that they view as a heretic. AR's ideas might be great. But she ran her inner circle like a cult and demanded complete allegiance to her personally.
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                • Posted by khalling 9 years, 4 months ago
                  I won't speak for x, but your disparaging comments against Branden, whom you most likely did not know, show your loyalties. Why comment on a post that clearly is for those who would like to respectfully mourn his loss? The fact is-Rand and Branden shared the same corporate attorney. This same attorney advised Rand on her business matters which included business dealings that Rand agreed to but later called fraudulent. However-did she fire her attorney? No she did not. IN fact, she used Branden's joint attorney to present him with a blackmail deal and his letter of resignation. If Rand was a nitwit-perhaps someone could have pulled all that she claimed. However, she was no man's fool. and the same attorney who advised her in those business dealings she called foul? He remained her attorney after. Her extraordinary claims deserved extra ordinary evidence when publicly accusing someone. In fact, her methods of denouncement are chillingly similar to how Peikoff carried on-not once but several times. I have no idea what happened. but I can logically observe what's out there and logically observe the behavior of those who have a rabid dislike of Branden who never even knew him.
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  • Posted by Eudaimonia 9 years, 4 months ago
    Somewhere packed away I have a daily reader by Branden.
    One thought to ponder per day.

    For you *nix geeks out there, I always thought it would make a great fortune file.
    (For you non-*nix geeks, imagine a fortune cookie program that printed a pithy one liner whenever run.)

    But, I'm sure that the rights to publish the file would be difficult to obtain.
    So I created a lot of the file, but never did anything with it.
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    • Posted by plusaf 9 years, 4 months ago
      Big :)... a department I worked in some forty years ago had a similar logon file, called "Clem Sez."

      I took over part of the system management of it over time and eventually learned how to edit the ClemFile. Shortly thereafter, a LOT of quotes of Rand, Heinlein and some other choice authors found their way onto my co-workers' login screens.

      Such fun...
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      • Posted by $ nickursis 9 years, 4 months ago
        Hopefully you borrowed liberally from Lazarus Long, one of my favorite scoundrels in his books. Starship troopers also was good fodder.
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        • Posted by plusaf 9 years, 4 months ago
          :)... some, though Moon Is A Harsh Mistress was a treasure trove, too.
          And the 'definitions of humor' in Stranger In A Strange Land...
          And about life in general in Time Enough For Love.

          Heinlein is/was one of my favorites...
          I also happen to own a copy of The Notebooks of Lazarus Long (illuminated version) which is no longer in print. If I'd taken better care of it and it were now in pristine condition, it would be worth some bucks. I plan a project to put the quotes on my website (with attribution, of course) for folks who could use some of that wisdom.

          Cheers, Nick!
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          • Posted by $ nickursis 9 years, 4 months ago
            Great.RAH is as under appreciated as Ayn Rand for what they did. Heinlein brought conscious thought of what exactly constituted "moral" to the Sci Fi community, and encouraged his own brand of independent thought. A lot of his wisdom influenced my Jr High/High School years. I got lambasted in a writing class for using Starship Troopers as a potential model for a "moral" state.
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  • Posted by johnpe1 9 years, 4 months ago
    isn't it obvious, in AS, that Rand loved all producers,
    from Eddie Willers to the "bum" on the train with the
    clean white shirt? . Cherryl Taggart (her name does
    have two Rs!) is a treasure; Miss Ives and many
    others are wonderful ... how could someone think
    that they are no good, like that? -- j

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