The novel or The Gulch?
Well, I could say both.
Oops, I just did.

And, it's seemed to make sense most of the time...
(sorry, I had to borrow that line from Douglas Adams...)

Great post. I never tire of reading AS. Each time I can slow down and really think about what I read. Unfortunately, the passages are describing this very real world in very real time. Some things are better this year, but how long will it last once the driving force, the engine of the train leaves power. Watch your six!

The worst Obamanation was getting his senile VP elected president. We are going to suffer the consequences of that for a long time.

Same!

Yes, it's almost a surprise when you run across someone who's actually competent these days. I make a mental note of these people and/or businesses and deal with them whenever possible - even if it cost a bit more!

We keep seeing this. I think it is worse than that. I think we are employing the kids with ADD/ADHD (and not in the good way). And that many people are so heavily vaxxed and unrecovered, that their brain fog is a constant.

Forgot all about that Mao ornament until you jogged my memory just now.
I saw that too. Thought it to be yet another disgusting Obamanation.

I remember describing Zimbabwe as the land where Atlas Shrugged!

Odumba$$ LOVED China. Remember he had a Mao ornament on the Whitehouse Christmas tree

Yes. And like the other Socialist...“The masses have a little time to think. And how incredible is the willingness of modern men to believe.”
― Adolph Hitler

The educational system in America has so dumbed down the populace that they, willingly, keep voting for Marxists. Just like the people of NYC will vote in Mandami. Paraphrasing John Galt: I'm going to stop the mind of Man.


https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/1072...

I just referenced Atlas Shrugged today with a colleague. We were talking about how most restaurants screw up your orders now, how the shop screwed up my oil change (top-tier shop, no Jiffylube), etc. She said, "It's like people don't want to work anymore." She's right. They don't. They just wanna get stoned and coast on through with minimal effort and no real concern for their own effectiveness. Make no mistake, though. This is a lot more than people en masse just deciding to mail it in. What incentive is there, anymore? My own kids have seen how hard I've worked and, frankly, it probably didn't look like fun. I asked my colleague if she is familiar with Atlas Shrugged. She wasn't.

Indeed, considering Obummer didn't build or create ANY of the loot he's accumulated. Marxist charlatan and con man from day one, just like his idol Karl!

Me dino never heard of Ayn Rand (maybe once hearing her name on TV but not caring who she was) until my most conservative of 4 brothers Christmas gifted my with all 3 DVD's of Atlas Shrugged.
Very shortly thereafter, I was reading the book from cover to cover and also internet researching Ayn Rand when I stumbled upon The Gulch, landing here 11 years and 8 months ago.

Thanks LP, excellent essay.
I noticed your use of "rational self-interest", a phrase I prefer over Rand's insistence on "selfishness". It's very difficult to get over the negative stigma that "selfishness" raises in many people. They are turned off before they even find out what she means by it.

Atlas Shrugged is daunting to many people because of its length and the amount of thought it evokes. I saw a headline earlier today to the effect that the average attention span is about 8 seconds. That doesn't encourage me to believe the next generation will read AS. Maybe they will watch the movie ... probably while scrolling their phones!

Barack Obama refutes Hank Rearden. "you didn't build that..."

https://libertypen.substack.com/p/why...

Obama summed up "We rise or fall together as one nation and as one people, and that’s the reason I’m running for President — because I still believe in that idea. You’re not on your own, we’re in this together."

All for one and one for all. A Socialists' fantasy, An Individualists' nightmare.