A Critique of Ayn Rand
or
“Give ‘em Hell, Freddy"
G.D.O'Bradovich III
November 11, 2012
Firstly, I could never write a magnum opus like “Atlas Shrugged”- a story arc of 12 years is beyond any pretended writing ability I imply. I grant high praise for a work I’ve read several times.
Secondly, the critique-Ayn Rand like to reference “second handers” and we see evidence of this in Halley’s musical themes borrowed for more popular tastes. During John Galt’s speech, we learn their goal is death, their standard is non existence-I agree. “Nothing new is under the sun” so we should not be surprised that Ayn Rand has borrowed ideas from others. She states Aristotle is the great philosopher whose laws of identity, A is A, leas to her “Objectionable” philosophy.
Unfortunately, Ayn Rand does not give any credit to Friedrich Nietzsche-in Nietzsche we see clearly the second handers or, as Fred would say, the herd mentality. The herd simply borrows ideas and identifies from the Noble and the Strong and reappropriates them for their needs.
The vulgar are incapable of originality. The masses have transvalued all values and this leads to death being the standard-death not life-weakness not power.
Ayn Rand has taken Fred’s ideas and created a novel. I don’t want to say she has popularized his ideas, but “Atlas Shrugged” is more read than the sum of all of Fred’s works. “Atlas Shrugged” is held by conservatives as what will happen when the Liberals take over-Beaky and I agree. “The Strike” is what happens when the Noble, the Powerful, the elite leave the masses, the vulgar, the herd to their own devices.”-”Atlas Shrugged” wouldn’t be as well known if Fred wrote a review for the jacket cover.
Ayn Rand has taken Fred’s views on reality and named it “objective” (existentialism, from existence, was already taken). Fred’s views of the Noble, the Elite, the Powerful has found a new expression of those who are “capable”.
Ayn Rand finds the powerless vulgar masses as the “incapable” whose instinct for life is replaced by the goal of nonexistence. Perhaps now, Gentle Reader, we can understand why the modern liberals so violently attack Ayn Rand and “Atlas Shrugged”. The educated liberals know that once one reads “Atlas” and reject the ills of modern socialism, Nietzsche is only a minor step to the right of Ayn Rand-with the will to power added to “Atlas Shrugged”, the trains will run and the camps will be constructed to reverse the the decline of the West.
In conclusion, I accuse Ayn Rand of being a second hander, but why? Ayn Rand does not give Nietzsche credit he deserves, no doubt for expediency. Ayn Rand does not reference Nietzsche, the harbinger of beyond good and evil, but Aristotle is safe and safe means uninteresting and non controversial. To praise Nietzsche would be as fatal as quoting Aleister Crowley-the will to Occult Power and the will to Democratic Power are not so different as one may suspect. Like Socrates, I acknowledge my indebtedness to others and Nietzsche's writings are the gift that keeps giving. I am not a second hander because I give credit to Nietzsche. When I comment on the Modern Era and its current events, I don’t pretend or lead the unwary or careless readers ashtray with my unique insights of Modernity and the ignorant.
“Give ‘em Hell, George” says the agitated reader. “I don’t give them Hell-I state facts and come to reasonable conclusions that are devoid of Christian Moral sentiments, and that, Gentle Reader, is not Hell, but the reality of existence.”
Secondly, the critique-Ayn Rand like to reference “second handers” and we see evidence of this in Halley’s musical themes borrowed for more popular tastes. During John Galt’s speech, we learn their goal is death, their standard is non existence-I agree. “Nothing new is under the sun” so we should not be surprised that Ayn Rand has borrowed ideas from others. She states Aristotle is the great philosopher whose laws of identity, A is A, leas to her “Objectionable” philosophy.
Unfortunately, Ayn Rand does not give any credit to Friedrich Nietzsche-in Nietzsche we see clearly the second handers or, as Fred would say, the herd mentality. The herd simply borrows ideas and identifies from the Noble and the Strong and reappropriates them for their needs.
The vulgar are incapable of originality. The masses have transvalued all values and this leads to death being the standard-death not life-weakness not power.
Ayn Rand has taken Fred’s ideas and created a novel. I don’t want to say she has popularized his ideas, but “Atlas Shrugged” is more read than the sum of all of Fred’s works. “Atlas Shrugged” is held by conservatives as what will happen when the Liberals take over-Beaky and I agree. “The Strike” is what happens when the Noble, the Powerful, the elite leave the masses, the vulgar, the herd to their own devices.”-”Atlas Shrugged” wouldn’t be as well known if Fred wrote a review for the jacket cover.
Ayn Rand has taken Fred’s views on reality and named it “objective” (existentialism, from existence, was already taken). Fred’s views of the Noble, the Elite, the Powerful has found a new expression of those who are “capable”.
Ayn Rand finds the powerless vulgar masses as the “incapable” whose instinct for life is replaced by the goal of nonexistence. Perhaps now, Gentle Reader, we can understand why the modern liberals so violently attack Ayn Rand and “Atlas Shrugged”. The educated liberals know that once one reads “Atlas” and reject the ills of modern socialism, Nietzsche is only a minor step to the right of Ayn Rand-with the will to power added to “Atlas Shrugged”, the trains will run and the camps will be constructed to reverse the the decline of the West.
In conclusion, I accuse Ayn Rand of being a second hander, but why? Ayn Rand does not give Nietzsche credit he deserves, no doubt for expediency. Ayn Rand does not reference Nietzsche, the harbinger of beyond good and evil, but Aristotle is safe and safe means uninteresting and non controversial. To praise Nietzsche would be as fatal as quoting Aleister Crowley-the will to Occult Power and the will to Democratic Power are not so different as one may suspect. Like Socrates, I acknowledge my indebtedness to others and Nietzsche's writings are the gift that keeps giving. I am not a second hander because I give credit to Nietzsche. When I comment on the Modern Era and its current events, I don’t pretend or lead the unwary or careless readers ashtray with my unique insights of Modernity and the ignorant.
“Give ‘em Hell, George” says the agitated reader. “I don’t give them Hell-I state facts and come to reasonable conclusions that are devoid of Christian Moral sentiments, and that, Gentle Reader, is not Hell, but the reality of existence.”
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