What would Ayn Rand think of our Gulch?
Posted by richrobinson 12 years, 7 months ago to The Gulch: General
My belief is that she would be proud of what we are doing here. A great combination of topics covered on a daily basis with some humor mixed in. I am proud to be a part of this.
This is an excellent illustration of the fact that a belief in something doesn't make it true and the fact that words have meaning. Ayn Rand admired the ideas and achievements of other (but not many) individuals, but she did not take pride in the achievements of others.
She was clearly proud of her writing. She was also proud to be an American citizen. Even that was something she achieved as an individual.
Any one who reads Anthem will be able to see what she thought of the word "we" compared to the word "I."
I have no doubt that she would not admire some of those who "share their ideas" here, especially the mystic who created God in John Galt's image.
(The "Galt Like God" can be found in a search of the topics.)
She really did not have much patience with conservatives. So, the Christians and anti-birth control people would take some heat. She would have expected Paul Ryan's betrayal and that would impact her opinions on Dr. Randal Paul and other conservatives.
Also, of course, her close relationship with Alan Greenspan might color her view of our view of the Federal Reserve.
Capitalism: the Unknown Ideal cites eight works by Ludwig von Mises but none by Milton Friedman or Friedrich A. von Hayek. She did not like Hayek, personally; and in fact, Hayek and Friedman were tied together by "liberalism" along with Walter Lippmann via the Mount Pelerin Society. So, there is all of that.
In fact, if you look at the overwhelming emphasis here on politics, government, and legislation as opposed to the thin offerings on business, science, and technology, all contrasted with the absolute lack of material on epistemology and metaphysics, I am not sure that she would be amused.
Again, all of her closest friends planned a surprise party for her and they all were wrong. Sing a chorus of Ray Charles' "You Don't Know Me."
http://www.humanevents.com/2013/02/12/pa...
In point of fact, Ayn Rand had as many harsh words for (modern) conservatives as for (modern) liberals. If you wish to assert that Sen. Randal Paul is not a conservative then show his lack of religion and his denigration of tradition. See my post here under Culture on "Ayn Rand versus Conservatives."
or Dear Leader ...
or the Soros Sockpuppet ...
but mostly I call him Marxist Ass-hat.
Of all the Presidents, only two have disgraced the office, Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton. They are still Pres. Nixon and Pres. Clinton, not Tricky Dick and Slick Willie. I am not an army guy, but I understand the concept: you salute the uniform, not the man. To my understanding, if you denigrate, the man, then you demean the office and the process by which he was granted the trust.
I voted for Barack Obama in 2008 (though not in 2012) in the hope of everything that this country stands for. Like President Nixon, his flaws are easy to see in retrospect. In 2008, he was a bright young politician out of nowhere who would complete the work of Brown v. Board and lay to rest the separations that left the nation unequally divided. I did not expect him to actually do anything. The President is just a figurehead. But I voted for the image. But I got George W. Bush. Again. Darn.
Ayn Rand explained the familiarity we take with our leaders - FDR, JFK - as an example of benevolence, the essential equality of our democracy, versus the formality of Europe where the wife of a medical doctor with a Ph.D. who teaches at university would be called "Frau Doktor Doktor Professor." But that is not the same thing as Tricky Dick, Slick Willy, and B.O.
And you can call Ayn Rand "Ayn" just as you could call Bertrand Russell or Stephen Hawking by their given names, if you were on good terms with them. Within Objectivist circles, unless you actually knew her in New York, it is like putting your feet on the furniture.
I would have saluted BO when I was on active duty, but there are salutes and there are salutes.
BTW, you salute the rank, not the uniform. In BO's case, rank may have other meanings.
As for dropping the H from BHO, I seen to recall that there was a big deal made of it's use in 08 election. I'm just trying to "respect" his wishes.
By the way. Don't private message me again! Or I'll sick my "cheer leaders" on you. You're a piece!
is the sort of elitism that turns people off. You can set out your own rules, but do not be surprised when people refuse to follow them
Today's republican party with it's tea party subset has much more in common with the regular guy on the street than the elitist left does. If JFK was around today, saying what he did back when AR was a fan, he'd be a Republican.