John Stossel Fox Business 01-07-10 Atlas Shrugged 6 of 6

[marce11o]

People resist Rand's message because they actually don't want to be free. They want to be taken care of. Freedom scares people. To live up to one's own standards is too daunting a task, so they give up.

[thirteendays13]

This series was excessively lame, they had almost no opposing view points what so ever. They never even mentioned that Dagny was a murderer, and that there was a pirate who stole from the poor to give to the rich, the book is whacked.

[mrrobotica]

@thirteendays13 Let me guess, you didn't even read the book?

[JackyB92]

Really need to read Atlas Shrugged at some point, thanks for posting this.

[Judy101101]

to teach selfishness is a good thing is to teach people how to be a psychopathic mass killer no wonder Angelina Jolie loves the book she does appear to have psychopathic traits - anyone working for the UN is a psychopath right now. it takes a different mind set to see how much harm Angelina does towards kids and families while fooling herself into believing she's a hero - it's just selfishness on the poor - this sounds like one insane book

[Judy101101]

@Judy101101 the spike in sales means the more people suffer the more they will want to turn into their enemy. if you can't beat them join them. So if everything wrong 'works" and we all want lives to work then you'll want to learn how to do everything wrong so you can be successful as your enemy. just look at Oprah - slavery history, don't like being a slave be the slave master - she makes her employees work day and night while saying parenting is important - the parents working for her

[Judy101101]

@Judy101101 can't be a good parent. because they are way to busy being oprah's slave and they love their slave master because of money

[ramv36]

Interesting fact: Even on the day of his inauguration, Atlas Shrugged was outselling both of Barack Obama's novels. Like John said, not bad for a 52 year old (in 09) book.

[thirteendays13]

@ramv36 That is of course, a fallacy of logic. Just because something is more popular than something else, that doesn't mean it is actually better. I am pretty sure Harry Potter is outselling Gulliver's Travels, Don Quixote, and Catch-22, but you would have to be insane to think Harry Potter is better or even equal to any one of those books. Popularity doesn't mean a damn thing.

[mrrobotica]

@thirteendays13 ramv36 made no comment on the quality of Atlas Shrugged. Why are you responding to him like he did? The only conclusion he made based on the fact that he posted was that it's sales were "not bad for a 52 year old book". Is this conclusion what you are calling a fallacy of logic? If so, why did you follow it up with a completely unrelated argument?

[jnycnuk]

stossel doesn't speak to anyone. he is such a buffoon.

[toverkleet]

Dont forget, big companies can also can become corrupt, and free market doesnt save people. There are more then enough people being extorted through companies, that aren't given a shot. The reward for your own work is needed, true, but is it realistic to pay someone millions of dollars for a freaking SPORT? or what about the director that screws a company over, and gets a golden handshake worth millions? Is that right? Its in the self interest of the sportsman and director, but not right at all

[cruze2005]

@toverkleet There is a small minority of outliers in the context of the greater population. Todays media blows up the stories to have people think that these things occur all the time. Golden handshakes for failures are always played more than for successes. The main sports stars are always in the headlines more than the lower. What the majority fails to realise is that they object to these things because they dont have the drive to attain the same levels. The pro sports stars put in huge effort

[cruze2005]

@toverkleet to get where they are. They put in the time and make sacrifices and are rewarded for it. There are brilliant minds behind most companies that allow for new ideas, for growth and expansion, to allow communities to grow and for people to live. These people cannot be labeled as selfish for taking higher paying salaries just as your super sports stars. You fail to see how much effort and individual puts in to getting to those levels and then you critise what they have earnt

[cruze2005]

@toverkleet The people that should be held accountable for there actions are the looters and moochers. The people with no drive or ambition, the ones that dont want a job but want security, food and protection. The ones that constantly hold other individuals to blame for there current way of life. The ones who look at individuals with success and wonder what 'they did to deserve it' but would never walk the path required to get there. It is becoming all to big a problem that the media blows up

[cruze2005]

@toverkleet the stories that seem to feed on the minds of weak and inept individuals. In my opinion it is completely selfish for someone to hold envy over another who has put in the effort to be successful. It is selfish to blame another for your own inability to grow. It is selfish to limit or want to limit an individuals success and everything that comes with it just because they are unable to, for whatever reasons, reach the same level. If people cant see that then shame on them.

[conservative608]

I first saw the movie Norma Rae in high school. I thought it was one triumphant woman who fought for unionizing a factory because of horrible working conditions. Last week, I watched it again because I put it on my NetFlix queue and if this movie was at all like what the factory conditions in that small town in real life were like, I gotta tell you it seemed like a story about a union organizer coming to town with people that didn't mind their jobs until their campaign to unionize.

[radscorpion8]

the power of the individual is important and freedom should be number one, but like the banker said some people don't see what's "truly selfish" - i.e. they make mistakes, just like the government. I guess the question becomes which system minimizes the magnitude of the mistakes or the potential for corruption? A free market with numerous companies all competing, or one big government? On the one hand, government seems like an easy target, but it is also very visible unlike numerous companies..

[radscorpion8]

@radscorpion8 I think both government and the free market want to help people - but like that guy said government's initial mission has become corrupted, and its powers have expanded to the point where it has become a nanny state (i have a right to have a fish pedicure..). I have to say...the free market is a better idea because this can't happen as long as free competition exists. It also forces people to be more intelligent instead of parasitic. But the next question is am i an idealist

[radscorpion8]

@radscorpion8 and will the free market truly remain free? is it impossible for "secret" monopolies to be formed or companies to band together? I guess some things might be impossible to protect against..but i would rather make it harder not easier by removing centralized power. ok well thats that

[tridentmovies]

@radscorpion8

The problem with government is that bad, immoral people are always attracted to power. What's more inviting for a man drunk on controlling others, being part of an elite, and making big bucks doing so, than politics? Especially if you believe that mankind has a proclivity to do bad, it is precisely the bad that would be attracted to the unlimited power government has over so many people. Look at how drunk on power police officers can get. Now multiply that for politicians.

[JimProfitCat]

Objectivism: It tries to be technocracy only corporate ceos are incharge, not the inventors and scientists they exploit.

Objectivism: It tries to be darwinism only without the rape, murder, and wars.

Objectivism: It tries to be nihilism only without the crime and laziness.

[texas9085]

oh fox news i should hane known,propaganda channel

[Zaxxon2008]

@texas9085 fox business channel

[shakaama]

the problem with this notion of blaming capitalism in this country is the fact that we haven't had free capitalism since 1913. At that time corporatism took over and free capitalism was quashed.

Get rid of crony corporatism and you'll see all of these problems disappear. Most corporation lobby to remove their own competition. And we let them.

[griff500grr]

Thanks for putting this up, Mr Penguin. If you're interested in Rand, capitalism and freedom, I highly recommend a book called The Neo-Tech Discovery. It was based on the principles of Rand, and while their marketing was a little nuts, and they seemed to go off the rails in the end, this book turned me from a layabout loser into a productive businessman, improved my life and relationships immeasurably. Most importantly, it enabled me to spot financial / emotional leeches a mile off.

[PenguinProseMedia]

Thanks griff500grr, I'll have to check it out. Reading 'Atlas Shrugged' changed my life, and wish I"d read it when I was in HS or earlier.

'Atlas Shrugged', has been so successful in my opinion, because its ultimately a very positive book. It's a celebration of the unlimited potential of the human mind, a recognition of the achievment that anyone can accomplish if we free men to pursue their god-given talents and abilities.

[ramv36]

@griff500grr what are "Extraterrestrial Zons" and "Thinkons"?

[griff500grr]

@ramv36 As I said, they did go off the rails in the end. Your guess is as good as mine. The original book featured none of this nonsense, just 114 concepts that had a subtle but profound positive influence on me.

[RocknCorruptrepublic]

Well here's something to think about. Human nature - and I'm not talking about "self-interest" per se, but what John mentioned earlier on in the program - exchange of goods. Before money, we traded. Money is not (or at least, should not be) a product of "selfishness", but of setting value to material goods. Material goods include innovation. Innovation that is valued by the "common good" will prosper monetarily.

[Shahn718]

@RocknCorruptrepublic Money is not the root of evil. It's people who desire what they did not earn.

[RocknCorruptrepublic]

@Shahn718 Yes, I agree. I wasn't implying that. I was saying it is part of human nature to have some kind of value system in which we exchange one thing for another. So anything valued more by "the people" (which, if you believe in free markets, you believe that the everyday citizen should decide what is more valuable, not the government), will be profitable.

[Shahn718]

@RocknCorruptrepublic My apologies. I'm rereading your post, and I don't see how my post relates to yours at all. Haha...

[RocknCorruptrepublic]

@Shahn718 lol. it's cool my friend. :)

[xpxzampop]

maaaaaaaan. I was in the audience and they only show me like once :(

[jimboking]

@hellofaname Great democrat party talking points you have there. The American people voted the Fox Network, including Fox News, #1 over all other news programs including the beloved CNN and the laughable MSNBC. Read the book.

[GuitarMatician]

I watched the whole thing. Thanks for posting this. We don't get the Fox business channel with my cable company.

[packrat76]

@GuitarMatician Same here. For what they charge and what they give you, cable tv is a joke. It's amazing they are still in business.

[PenguinProseMedia]

GuitarMatician, packrat76 -- My pleasure and thanks for watching. Please spread the word about shows like this that put the protectionist, statist, anti-market, anti-reason, anti-growth, wealth-spreading looters in their place!

[toverkleet]

@PenguinProseMedia the market isnt holly. You forget that monopolies tend to get around, which has the effects of making us pay more then we should. Reason doesnt involve the market. Companies try to make agreements that artificially keep a price high. Reason makes you ask yourself do I want to take the place of that other person with my action? That has nothing to do with the market.

[selymak]

@toverkleet government is the reason why corporations are so powerful and monopolies pop up. as governments grow, they get closer to corporations (in our country at least) so we need to dramatically downsize the government to expand our freedom and limit what they can do for corporations.

[Organjic]

Best show on TV, next is Conspiracy Theory.

[JBeatty17]

John Stossel- One of the few bright spots of Fox News.

[hellofaname]

one of the few? He's the only voice of reason there on that channel

[yurismir1]

@JBeatty17 He's on Fox Business Network actually.

[sniper6081]

See, this is what you call good news reporting fair and biased as all fuck. It's impossible to have news without some sort of bias, so why deny it? Just as long as you're honest about your bias and let both sides state their case you can maintain fair and honest journalism.

[OneOfTenVirgins]

I would agree with your idea, but there is also a difference between reporting the facts, and reporting your opinion on the facts.

[sniper6081]

A news reporter giving their opinion on the facts lets people see how others view current events. It might strengthen their resolve or change their minds, but that's the thing. John Stossel doesn't just report his opinion he reports the facts too.

[SadisticMonkey336]

ridiculously biased program, what with the presenter himself finishing with a monologue about why the other side is wrong.

Hwoever, I agree with every word he said and everything the pro-capitalist guests said, so in that respect good job.

[Zaxxon2008]

@SadisticMonkey336 and what exactly is wrong with "bias?"

i suppose you aren't biased at all in your opinions?

this show, unlike shows like "Countdown" w/ Keith Olbermann, at least has opposing opinions represented

and at least Stossel allows his audience to challenge his guests & himself

there is nothing wrong with bias or principled partisanship

[amindbody]

where is ron paul?

[dyersev]

Ron Paul is too old and shitty

[courtesyZone]

2:20 - Yes, Congress will "fix" capitalism the way a vet fixes a dog.

[alexburja]

This is the best thing Ive ever seen Fox air, ever!

[benklan]

you guys do know that the US has the worst average living standards of all western countries right.. US media is such a joke.

[landofbile]

You know that the US has one of the most fascistic governments of all the western countries right? Which generally leads to worse overall results economically (and therefore personally) than a more state socialistic styles, which itself is worse than a freer market? And that it's far more diverse than other western countries right? A representative ratio of over 600 thousand to one federally.

[TheMobocracy]

@benklan I'm going to enjoy watching the EU fall apart. Greece will be the first to succeed.

[sniper6081]

No we don't. We still have the highest even with the recession.

[Zaxxon2008]

@benklan "worst living standards?"

with the classified 'poor' having, on average, 1 car, a refridgerator, tv, cable/satellite, internet, and is 'obese'

that is some awful "worst living standards"

get real

[Michaelwiseguy]

That was a really powerful piece of work.

[boldstandard]

Well put, Mr Stossel. Everyone should read Atlas Shrugged. Besides the philosophical brilliance and sociopolitical foresight, it's a beautiful piece of literature. Romantic, exciting, and funny; it has everything.

[0ceanwind]

and Raunchy!

[mustang607]

I can see why more freedom is blamed for all of our problems. The government stepped out of the way, let the free market work and look what happened - NOT!

[g00se99]

If the free market was allowed to function you may have market bubbles but the popping of said bubble would move capital from failed business to more productive areas of society. What is happening right now has nothing to do with free market economics. It is much closer to fascism.

[MrTrilliondollarman]

Wow....I never really thought of Atlas Shrugged like that. I think i will find the money to buy a copy myself.

[hurryingfred]

I just bought it today and then happened to see this video. The large print version is freaking expensive, but the small print version that I bought was $9.  If your eyes can handle it, go for the small print that is less than half the cost.