Well, if they are sincere on wanting to serve the public good, this might wake them up. The problem is that they are not sincere.

Unfortunately, the liberal thought process isn't based on logic and truth. It is only based on their feelings about themselves and how others see them. The liberals in power don't care about any of their stated "issues" either. They only care about the end result flogging these issues in conveying power to them.

That Ayn Rand advocated against racism has no meaning for them because her premise starts with freedom for all. That is not what a liberal is about. They want freedom and power for themselves and themselves alone. Flogging the racism issue is only a means to that end. That is why racism can never be "cured".

As such, it is my layman's observation and opinion that liberalism is a mental disorder that must be studied and classified as such. Megalomaniacs, narcissists, and maybe even, if I may be so harsh, schizophrenics have nothing on liberals.

I'd suggest not just liberals, but everyone watch Part I.

Liberals generally refuse to be educated beyond what their propaganda masters tell them. I had a discussion with a socialist, who was dumbfounded when I quoted Karl Marx, Lenin,Trotsky, and Stalin, showing him I knew more about his philosophy than he did. I also have Hitler's Mein Kampf in my library, and his favorite philosopher, Nietsche's Man and Superman (Hitler completely misread that work).

Those volumes are accompanied by Adam Smith's tomes on capitalism and morality, Fountainhead, Atlas Shrugged, the Federalist and Antifederalist papers, and a broad spectrum of religious works. I also have all of the military strategy volumes (a result of a 20 year Air Force career), as well as antiwar and anti-military writings. My technical library is extensive as well. You won't find such a collection in a liberal's library.

My brother in law, who has two technical PhDs, is a serious liberal, but I assumed someone with his education would at least be willing to consider alternative views. No such luck. He quit trying to engage me on points of philosophy and politics, because he said I was "unfair" for relying on facts and logic, instead of feelings. I have little hope you'll have much luck convincing any liberal to watch Atlas Shrugged.

I recall AS1 having a strong influence on me. Up until then I had never heard of Ayn Rand (or if I heard the name it went into one dino ear and out the other).
It was a Christmas gift from a brother who later Santa Claus followed up with A2 and A3
Now years later my memory of it has become cloudy. Think I'll stick it back into my DVD player tonight should no other distraction present itself.

Ayn Rand has never influenced my views, my morals or my sense of life. She helped me put into words what I already knew. She helped me define my values. I was introduced to Ayn Rand’s philosophy at a very early age by both of my brothers and I fell in love with her immediately. My response to her was “But of course!”.

I told a liberal friend that he sounded like a villain our of an Ayn Rand novel when he said something that was almost a direct quote of Ellsworth Toohey from "The Fountainhead". He took it as a complement.

Good post. +1. This is what I want to see in the Gulch, a philosophical discussion, not another political/religious post.

The liberals hate Ayn Rand because they are unwilling to see the truth in her philosophy and the hypocritical results of their stated intentions for the greater good.

First a liberal has to admit there are other viewpoints just as valid as their own.
Second, you'd have to spend money and give them the DVD so they can say later, when they deny the truths, that they didn't spend their" money on the damn thing.
Lastly, liberals can't ignore the reviews/media, its their collective brain where they get their walking orders from.

I agree part 1 was the best. It had a strong message even for those who do not know the book, as Shermer suggests here.

It's 6 years old. It doesn't hurt to keep on trying to get people to understand though.;^)
Part 1 was the best of the trilogy, too.

I have heard interviews with Shermer on scientific/skepticism podcasts, and I agree with this article.
"So...liberals, conservatives, progressives, libertarians, Tea Partiers, and politicos of all stripes — ignore the reviews and go see Atlas Shrugged for yourself and tell me what you think. Ayn Rand is not who you’ve heard she is. Read her works, watch the film, and judge for yourself."
That's so true. His suggest also applies to non-politicos of all stripes. In one of the movies (I can't remember it being in the book) Dagny tells her brother it's amazing how much you can accomplish if you stop playing politics and just roll up your sleeves and get to work.

Amazing article!
Though I would be surprised if it gets read by those who should read it the most.