You all have so very many opinions about Ayn Rand

[POS Industries]

Turns out we obviously needed this thread since that other thread that wasn't about your opinions about Ayn Rand continued to be filled with your opinions about Ayn Rand, lets hurry up now and fellate me for postin' this thread and then close that other thread up so you can't continue fillin' it up with your endless opinions about Ayn Rand

[Kim]

Ayn Rand is like if you took every absolutely terrible thing about the Republican party, and made a person out of that mess. She's like if Glenn Beck found a way to be an even worse person. A lot of pretentious teenagers read her books and get sucked into her downright malevolent philosophies, but if you haven't realized the whole thing is fucked up after several years out of high school, you may just be a sociopath.

[Viridis]

Libertarian philosophies, as argued to me, sound like they were devised by an unfeeling robot. This is my entire opinion and I now walk out of this thread because political and economic philosophy makes me go 'guh' and leave the room.

[Osterbaum]

I think Ayn Rand is great.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk]

Who the fuck is Ayn Rand anyway??! And what the fuck kind of name is Ayn Rand??! Seriously how the fuck do you even pronounce that??!

[Viridis]

I always pronounced it 'An', but the true answer is "The stupidest way possible (http://www.aynrand.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_ayn_rand_faq_index2#ar_q 3)"
How do you pronounce “Ayn”?

“Ayn” rhymes with “mine.”
Seems she made it herself.

[Green Spanner]

Objectivism is why we can't have nice things.

[Professor Smarmiarty]

I think Ayn Rand is great.

Do oyu also like living in caves and slaughtering children?

Libertarian philosophies, as argued to me, sound like they were devised by an unfeeling robot. This is my entire opinion and I now walk out of this thread because political and economic philosophy makes me go 'guh' and leave the room.

This only works if the CPU of the robot is a C64.

[shiney]

In a word, misguided.

[krogothwolf]

I had to go look up who she was cause I forgot then I remembered she wrote the most boring novel I have ever read. Stupid Book.

[Amake]

I'm tempted to recreate my legendary 666:th tweet, in which Ayn Rand and Margaret Thatcher have sex.

Which brings me to a question: If Ayn Rand hadn't been a woman, about whom lesbian sex horrible nightmares could be had, would anyone have paid attention to her dumbass imaginary ideology?

[Professor Smarmiarty]

Maybe if she had been born a few hundred years earlier

[Lumenskir]

I don't think it was Rand's womanness that attracted so much attention as much as her inherent Randness. Like hating immigrants after immigrating, espousing a hatred of forced thinking while making sure all of her close followers thought exactly as she did, adoring the jolly misadventures of serial killers, and all the just actual rape, among other things.

[Odjn]

It's pronounced like the dog in Cowboy Bebop. Ein.

In one word? Terribadifferic.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk]

I still don't know who the fuck Ayn Rand is.

[phil_]

She was an author, Hawk. Now she is dead. You have google, wikipedia, and a link to her foundation's website in this thread. Go forth, and discover why people don't like her using the resources afforded to you by the information age. Or don't, whatever.

[Julford Hajime]

It's pronounced like the dog in Cowboy Bebop. Ein.

In one word? Terribadifferic.

AND NOW YOU'VE FUCKING RUINED BEBOP FOR ME.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

[mudah.swf]

I bought Atlas Shrugged out of sheer curiosity about a yeah ago and have yet to finish it. I'm convinced you could use it as a weapon.

[POS Industries]

I bought Atlas Shrugged out of sheer curiosity about a yeah ago and have yet to finish it. I'm convinced you could use it as a weapon.
It is, in fact, a notably powerful weapon.

In class warfare.

[Viridis]

I still don't know who the fuck Ayn Rand is.This may help. (http://www.cracked.com/funny-304-ayn-rand/) Also, just keep in mind that selfish asshole = good. That is key here with her.

[Wigmund]

I still don't know who the fuck Ayn Rand is.

If you've played Bioshock you've seen the aftermath of Rand's ideas in action.

[Viridis]

Well, Rand's ideas+superpowers+a tyrannical paranoid leader, really.

[Funka Genocide]

I mean I kind of get the whole "I'm better than those fuckers" vibe she puts out, but at the same time I'd like to think that the inherent hubris of success can be tempered with a humility born of experience. If you just had money thrown at you your whole life or are a complete sociopath its easy to see how you'd come to conclusions similar to Rand.

But I'd like to think that most people have been royally fucked at some point in their lives, and thats the sort of thing that really puts objectivism in perspective. "Oh shit, I'm an intelligent, hard working person and I still got fucked... well damn."

In order to succeed on the levels idealized by Rand and her ilk, you need to be born into privilege from the get go. You need to have some sort of leg up on the competition, whether you hit it big in the genetic lottery, have rich parents or simply aren't shot to death by freedom fighters before the age of 13, people born into shit live lives filled with it, and no amount of anecdotal fairy tale stories will ever overcome the reality of poverty.

[Professor Smarmiarty]

But Rand's family lost thier wealth to a dirty mob made up of vagrants and poor people! How is that fair!!!!

[Amake]

There's also the simple mathematical fact that people can accomplish more working together than we can working against each other. Ayn Rand could not believe that because she was too afraid to trust any other human being on any kind of personal level. Sad, really.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk]

She was an author, Hawk. Now she is dead. You have google, wikipedia, and a link to her foundation's website in this thread. Go forth, and discover why people don't like her using the resources afforded to you by the information age. Or don't, whatever.

I probably have better things to do. Maybe.

This may help. (http://www.cracked.com/funny-304-ayn-rand/) Also, just keep in mind that selfish asshole = good. That is key here with her.

That sort of helps.

If you've played Bioshock you've seen the aftermath of Rand's ideas in action.

Ok yeah that's all I really needed. Thanks.

[Funka Genocide]

This whole rape advocacy thing is news to me though. What are you guys talking about?

[Kim]

At least a couple of her books, if not all of them, have the lead female characters getting raped but it's a "good thing" because it's acting on selfishness with no concern for the other party also the women being raped enjoy it. I'm not even fucking kidding. I wish I was.

[Viridis]

While Roark is working in the quarry, he encounters Dominique, who has retreated to her family's estate in the same town as the quarry. There is an immediate attraction between them. Rather than indulge in traditional flirtation, the two engage in a battle of wills which results in rape. (Author Ayn Rand said that "if it was rape, it was rape by engraved invitation."[citation needed]) Not long after, Roark leaves to build the Enright House.
What the fuck. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fountainhead) Also. (http://jezebel.com/5490207/a-welcomed-rape-sex-and-ayn-rand)

[Professor Smarmiarty]

Relationships are pretty commuist when you think about it.

[Amake]

They totally are. And let's not get into having kids! They take up like 15 years of your life you know.

[Funka Genocide]

You know honestly I don't really care how she got her rocks off, I mean everyone has their kinks.

Sex is one of the least logical things a human being is likely to do in their life times, I don't think someone's rape fantasy really merits the sort of censure someone's completely deluded yet easily marketable philosophy does.

I mean not to delve too deeply into my own, rather mundane, sex life, but I can't remember ever asking someone directly if they'd like to have sex. In fact I think that would sort of kill the mood. Not to say that nonverbal consent and rape are the same thing, just that sometimes wacky stuff happens when people whip their junk out.

[Fifthfiend]

Ayn Rand is like if you took every absolutely terrible thing about the Republican party, and made a person out of that mess. She's like if Glenn Beck found a way to be an even worse person. A lot of pretentious teenagers read her books and get sucked into her downright malevolent philosophies, but if you haven't realized the whole thing is fucked up after several years out of high school, you may just be a sociopath.

Oh man so I was poking around the Stupid-Ass Threadheap to find some of my old Ayn Rand hate to copy-paste, and right at the top of the pile is

So, as many of you likely know, I am a fan of Ayn Rand, and love Capitalism, and am not the biggest fan of Communism/Socialism/Whateverthesimilarism. However, I realized today, that Capitalism can't work as well as my idealism would like to believe in the current world, especially not the sort of Free Market that I would really like. I still feel that Capitalism is the best currently available system, but it's flaws exist in people. Not just Big Evil Corporations, but also in us, as customers. I will use video games for most of my examples, as they play a large role in my life, my free time at least.

One of the problems I see is that too many companies try and make money, or take money, rather than earning it. Make a cheap video game that will make you money in spite of how bad it is because you threw Barbie, Sonic, or Mario on the end of it or something similar. Many companies just see people as a way to make money, and put out less than stellar games that we as consumers buy because of it's EPIC STORY involving a spiky haired protagonist, or because it has Sonic and we long for the days of yore when Sonic games kicked ass, or because it's a football game, and we love football, but we just aren't any good at it. A non-game example is smoking. I am not trying to condescend or anything, as it is your choice and I have nothing to do with it if you smoke. Smoking is bad for your health, but companies still make money knowing it's killing their customers, and customers still buy them because they want to look cool, they want something to help them relax, or because they're addicted and even if they wanted to quit they can't, and probably more reasons I can't think of cause I don't smoke. Whatevs.

On to something else. The reason I like Capitalism, or at least the ideal of how it SHOULD work, is part of my view on life. I believe that a person's first priority should be their long-term happiness and well-being. Not their only priority, but their first. Also, note long-term. I think that helping others, doing good things for your family and loved ones, etc. is crucial to to long-term happiness. You can call it selfish, but I think that if you are able to think actual long-term and see how the way you interact with others can affect that, you are more likely to treat others with kindness and respect. I think that earning money for your benefit and the benefit of those you care for can also bring happiness, and satisfaction from work is also key. But if you don't actually EARN your money, it has no meaning to you, and can thus, obviously, bring no happiness.

Expounding a little more about work. I love working. Even if my day sucks or people are frustrating or whatever, I am much happier with how I spent my day if I worked. I earned money and I did something worthwhile. I feel that work, specifically, what you do, how hard you work, and if you enjoy your work, defines a person, or at least plays a role in it.

Finally, Communism v. Capitalism. Both would require ideal people for the system to work. Communism requires people who's first priority is the health and welfare of their fellow man and people using that as motivation for work. Capitalism, at least as I see it, requires people who's first priority is themselves, and they use that as motivation for making quality products, working hard, and treating each other well. It would also require customers who only bought quality products. They both require ideals, it's just that Capitalism requires the ideals I believe in. Sadly, neither can work perfectly, mostly due to human flaws.

Before I conclude, I am one of those people who doesn't like the government spending my tax money on the less fortunate. I would spend my money on the less fortunate if I could afford to, but my problem is just that I wish I could judge whether or not the people needed and deserved my money. Who am I to judge? Well, it is my money, and I would like a bigger say in how it is spent. HOWEVER, I can't truly argue against it, because the governments job is to represent, protect, and serve the needs of ALL it's people, and though I might disagree, this is part of that function, and one that is necessary that institution.

Don't ask my why I went off on this really, really long thought bubble. It came to me at work and I thought I'd share it. I'd also like to see others' opinions and whatnot. This might belong in the discussion thread, but I figure it was better to put something in the General thread that belonged in the Discussion thread than vice-versa.

Oh man, good times.

[Funka Genocide]

I always find humor in poor people supporting hard line capitalism. Because that 2000 dollars a year they borrow from you is really going to get you that Lamborghini.

[Professor Smarmiarty]

You know honestly I don't really care how she got her rocks off, I mean everyone has their kinks.

Sex is one of the least logical things a human being is likely to do in their life times, I don't think someone's rape fantasy really merits the sort of censure someone's completely deluded yet easily marketable philosophy does.

I mean not to delve too deeply into my own, rather mundane, sex life, but I can't remember ever asking someone directly if they'd like to have sex. In fact I think that would sort of kill the mood. Not to say that nonverbal consent and rape are the same thing, just that sometimes wacky stuff happens when people whip their junk out.

The problem comes when you package your rape fantasy in a set of philosophical tenets to live by and in fact as the correct and right course of action

[Fifthfiend]

The problem comes when you package your rape fantasy in a set of philosophical tenets to live by and in fact as the correct and right course of action

Objectively correct!

:knowledge:

[Funka Genocide]

The problem comes when you package your rape fantasy in a set of philosophical tenets to live by and in fact as the correct and right course of action

Yeah that's pretty much the point I was trying to make.

Like getting hot and bothered because you're just kinky like that is ok on a personal level, but trying to market rape as the logical outcome of a proper worldview is pretty much horrific.

[Kim]

This is the sort of people who read Ayn Rand and buy her bullshit (http://www.mcsweeneys.net/2010/8/12hague.html)

[Professor Smarmiarty]

This is the sort of people who read Ayn Rand and buy her bullshit (http://www.mcsweeneys.net/2010/8/12hague.html)

Oh god, I wantto kill this man. Not for my own self-satisfaction but for the communal good.

[POS Industries]

This is the sort of people who read Ayn Rand and buy her bullshit (http://www.mcsweeneys.net/2010/8/12hague.html)
Mmmmmm, that's good satire!

Another of Mr. Hague's works on the subject. (http://www.collegehumor.com/article:1806622)

[Amake]

Oh god, I wantto kill this man. Not for my own self-satisfaction but for the communal good.
To each according to need, from each according to ability. Well I guess that's the antithesis of what he believes so to be nice I guess we should take from him according to everyone else's need, and give to him the ability to eat a gun. Everyone wins!

[Kim]

Mmmmmm, that's good satire!

Another of Mr. Hague's works on the subject. (http://www.collegehumor.com/article:1806622)

Poe's Law strikes again!

[bluestarultor]

Poe's Law strikes again!

Man, I don't think you actually were reading the stuff you posted. Seriously, being proud of a little girl's "ability" to whack another kid with a ball?

Pretty obvious, man. XD



Edit: Also, I find it hard to believe Atlas Shrugged has a picture book edition.

[Kim]

Man, I don't think you actually were reading the stuff you posted. Seriously, being proud of a little girl's "ability" to whack another kid with a ball?

Pretty obvious, man. XD

Obviously you have little experience with objectivists.

[The Sevenshot Kid]

Until now, I thought Ayn Rand was cool because she wrote Bioshock. I was... very wrong.

[Archbio]

Ayn Rand is cool because Bert Cooper.

[POS Industries]

Until now, I thought Ayn Rand was cool because she wrote Bioshock.
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o159/posindustries/facepalm/tuvok2.jpg

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o159/posindustries/facepalm/tuvok1.jpg

[Fifthfiend]

Ayn Rand is cool because Bert Cooper.

I just worked out that Pete Campbell is the next Bert Cooper in the making.

DEAL WITH THAT

EDIT: on a happier note there's a great scene in the last one of Bert just sort of hanging out on a bench in the SCDP lobby, eating an apple, Hobo Chillin'.

[Archbio]

Spoilers, man!

I've only watched it up to the second season, I didn't need to know ahead of time that Cooper ate apples.

[Fifthfiend]

Spoilers, man!

I've only watched it up to the second season, I didn't need to know ahead of time that Cooper ate apples.

GET WITH THE PROGRAM

My Mad Men thread sinks further and further into the forum abyss.

So lonely. So un-posted-in.

EDIT You're also missing out on Bert's chummy relationship with Hedonismbot.

SPOILER ON THAT!!

[Fifthfiend]

I'm tempted to recreate my legendary 666:th tweet, in which Ayn Rand and Margaret Thatcher have sex.

Which brings me to a question: If Ayn Rand hadn't been a woman, about whom lesbian sex horrible nightmares could be had, would anyone have paid attention to her dumbass imaginary ideology?

It just occurred to me that as hot as Rand/Thatcher would be, Rand/Schlessinger would be a million times hotter (and/or more hilarious).

[Lumenskir]

I dunno about Campbell being the next Cooper. One was pushing to target black demographics in ads, one thinks that giving them rights leads to Communism. I think Campbell is being set up as the next Sterling.

Although his dedication to his anti-shoes/pro-socks principles is sort of Objectively noble, I think. I'm pretty sure Roark eschewed footwear or social norms or somesuch. Although it might have just been eschewing consent.

[synkr0nized]

I guess someone likes Ayn Rand. (http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/08/worlds-biggest-writing/)

[Fifthfiend]

*Drives to Canada*

*turns on GPS*

"DON'T"

[Viridis]

Write "EVER" across Mexico, just to be safe.

[Fifthfiend]

I dunno about Campbell being the next Cooper. One was pushing to target black demographics in ads, one thinks that giving them rights leads to Communism. I think Campbell is being set up as the next Sterling.

Nah [MAD MEN SPOILERS] Pete could never be Sterling because the core of Sterling is his "put 'er there pal buddy chum dude let's shoot the shit / drink heavily / slap each other on the back / ride girls our daughters' ages around like horses" bit that Pete could never pull off because he's too innately offputting. Cosgrove is the seed that grows into the Roger Sterlings of the future, whereas Pete clearly becomes the weird motherfucker with the inexplicable rule about shoes and the old-timey japanese octopus rape painting who always gets stuck with second billing but he's the guy who calls you into his office and tells you How Shit's Gonna Be because he knows all the moves in the game. Bear in mind they're both the ones who come from Old Money but never got it handed to them the way they thought they deserved, or at least that's my conjecture re: Cooper on the basis of how his sister's got a stake in the company, you just know there's some story waaaaaaay back where he had to swallow his pride and ask Sis to front him the money to keep his company afloat because he didn't have shit.

Bert Cooper was totally the same kind of guy Pete Campbell is who just gets told over and over again to go suck eggs because it's fucking Pete Campbell, of course that's what you tell him, but like Pete's doing now he swallowed his pride and clamped down and clawed his way up the ladder no matter how many times people (justifiably) tried to kick him down. He's high up enough that he can indulge in a little light racism but if he were young and getting told to fuck himself on a regular basis he'd be going after any untapped market he could find, same as Campbell now.

[Viridis]

http://worldsbiggestwriting.com/
TOP 10 REASONS TO READ AYN RAND
4. Reading pleasure. Her novels feature creative, page-turning stories with unforgettable characters.
5. Solutions. She explains with refreshing honesty and clarity which basic ideas America must adopt and which it must reject if it is to remain a great nation.
...
8. Truth. Her ideas in essence are true.BWAHAHAHA
10. Influential. Atlas Shrugged is the "second most influential book for Americans today" after the Bible, according to a joint survey conducted by the Library of Congress and the Book of the Month Club.http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2383368/emotes/emot-geno.gif

[Green Spanner]

http://worldsbiggestwriting.com/ (http://worldsbiggestwriting.com/)

What.

[Magus]

I'm not sure if this is covered but who did the heavy digging labor and throwing horse manure on the tomatoes in the Objectivist compound's garden in the novel? The least superior person or something?

EDIT: So the Nazca painstakingly, physically laid out rocks over dozens of miles to make pictures of their holy animals that could only be seen by the Gods (from the sky), and some Objectivist douchebag takes a roadtrip and does it digitally and he is totally the coolest guy ever and has the world's biggest writing?

[POS Industries]

I'm not sure if this is covered but who did the heavy digging labor and throwing horse manure on the tomatoes in the Objectivist compound's garden in the novel? The least superior person or something?
Well, since you brought it up... (http://www.angryflower.com/atlass.gif)

[Green Spanner]

Well, since you brought it up... (http://www.angryflower.com/atlass.gif)

If you weren't going to link that, I was.

[Amake]

IQ, post that slashfic in that NPF thread that has Ayn Rand in it, please.
I don't see how anything could go wrong with that.
"Ayn, your nipples are so cold", Thatcher whispered as her saliva froze in brilliant spiderwebs on Rand's skin.
"Call me Ayn Rand, daddy."