Atlas Shrugged

[reitze01]

I enjoyed your commentary. Its been over 10 years since I read the book - the movie was excellent. And so were you! Thanks. I sent you a vid... "I'm Atlas".

And keep reading! The "answer" at the end of part 1 is clear... without John Galt Rocket Motors is DEAD.

[reitze01]

I enjoyed your commentary. Its been over 10 years since I read the book - the movie was excellent. And so were you! Thanks. I sent you a vid... "I'm Atlas".

[LibertyJedi]

Good for you, it is a great book. You can a find a real life version of it happening today in Dick City, USA.... as the world around u continues to collapse, study econ. Austrian Econ. and learn the truth which they don't want u to know.... It will add value to your life, but for that reason alone is hated by most who have poor lives and say they enjoy their slavery.

[cosg9531]

It might behoove you to finish the book, and give it a year of thought, before you even remotely attempt to waste our time.

[KeithMcElwain]

Atlas Shrugged is KING : )

[z44sms]

Also you can see when the federal / state gets involved as it is in most industries now. It doesn't work as well if at all. You can see that the government was totally helpless to plug OIL in gulf. WHY? Because it isn't an expert in anything it has no expertise except in bull shit. Look at China a group of communist when they got back Hong Kong. The entire system of capitalism in place because it worked better then government run systems and they make huge sums of money. Read MILTON FRIEDMAN

[z44sms]

There are hundreds of years of history and philosophers that all try to build perfect government systems. You can tell by "Communist, Fascism, Monarchy, Socialist state, Tyranny, Theocracy, Oligarchy" All FAIL. Because nature makes humans GREEDY hench will wants to CONTROL others causes the loss of LIBERTY = PROPERTY of another. If you do not maintain by LAW (Republic) protection of PROPERTY all their system collapses by those oppressed.

[jmbekrub]

There is an alternate book describing how a government world would be run... "1984" is one... also, another book written by Ayn Rand would be "Anthem". "Anthem" is MUCH shorter than "Atlas Shrugged" making it a nice read on a rainy day.

[zackzebra]

@jmbekrub Yes, there is also "We the Living," based on Rand's own life as a young woman in the Soviet Union before she was able to defect to the USA (it is fictionalized but the main character, Kira, was based on Ayn herself). She describes the conditions of the early USSR in a way that others who lived under that regime would say is accurate. And this takes place in the late 10s/early 20s while Lenin was still in power well before Stalin took over. Stalin it is generally agreed was much worse.

[randalljones58]

It is an Illuminati book. The book was ordered written and produced by Philip Rothschild, the leader of the Illuminati in his day and age. Ayn Rand, she was, at that time, one of Philip Rothschild's mistresses. it was supposed to be a novel. The book is really the blue prints for bringing in the New World Order. And it was written for only Illuminati witches to read, for them so they would know how the NWO would be implemented. Be glad if you read the book, as you see the future.

[zackzebra]

@randalljones58 Were space aliens involved? How about Cthulhu?

[igorkrupitsky]

It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own self interest. We address ourselves, not to their humanity but to their self-love, and never talk to them of our own necessities but of their advantages - Adam Smith (The Wealth of Nations)

[MoneyIsSilver]

Yea!

Seems like the only people who don't like Atlas Shrugged are the people who never actually read it.

[TheGladeGirl]

Interesting your comments only a little into the whole story! That book changed my life! It is the most amazing book ever written. Ayn Rand is inspirational, her writings have made me fearless in stating my own views now. Read the other books & also her writings on objectivism. Logic is so empowering.

[chaserehn]

it is the best book i have ever read and i am willing to bet the best book ever written and will ever read.

[vincentrand100]

I used this video for my blog... thanks. The link to my blog is fvdb(.)wordpress(.)com. The blog's title is "What Real Folks Say About Atlas Shrugged?"

You, guys, are inspiring. It means there's hope!

[UnionKid15]

Great review! Thanks for posting this.

[bapyou]

Ayn Rand was a fourth-rate philosopher whose ideas are about as deep as a bird bath.

[MattinglyAlexander]

@bapyou

That would still make her better than you... if it were true.

[bapyou]

@MattinglyAlexander Of course Ayn Rand is a better person than me. What else would a right-wing suck-up like yourself have to say about it? Set aside that Ayn Rand was a sexual weirdo the relationships of which no right-wing Christian like yourself would ever condone, and a proto-fascist. Aside form those qualities, yeah, she was brilliant.

______

You look as though you've just discovered reading yesterday.

[MattinglyAlexander]

@bapyou

Wow, you almost got all of the usual smears in there!

Sexual weirdo? I couldn't care less about her sex life as long as it was practiced by consenting adults and in private. Of course to an old atheist wannabe hippie like yourself, everyone is a fascist, except actual fascists.

I'll take no more of your time. I'm sure you have other topics to troll on YouTube. One day I might search for topics I don't like so I can let everyone know how much I dislike them.

[MaxTheCrystalSkull]

Thanks for your video. I don't know when you uploaded it, but I hope you stick with the Atlas Shrugged, and read it several times. You will always learn more and you will think of it as you form ideas and thoughts, for years to come. There is no higher praise I can give a book.

[TheCrizbi]

I love the book

[upquist1]

Sweetie, you need to find some other way to get through menopause. Ayn Rand's stuff is a little more than you can handle. Go for a nice shopping tripto the Wal Mart - that's a little more your speed.

[bdwilson1000]

gotta be the best book I've ever read

[xTjPx]

there are no alternates and no other solutions.

good video.

everyone who can read should read Atlas shrugged.

[internNumber9]

yeah we like to see america to become third world country. please keep it up.

[AlanCom1]

No need to read a book on what happens if the government takes all over: look at Soviet Russia, Eastern Europe that was enslaved by communism.

Also for those less apt at history: look at the khmer rouge ruling in Cambodia.

Talk to somebody who grew up in communism if they want to go back (there might be exceptions) - those who were the government.

[willzyx1980]

Also, I think it is a great idea to read books that try to justify government intervention in the economy, if only to see how weak their arguments truly are. Though I would suggest reading books by intelligent opponents of capitalism (e.g. John Rawls, Joseph Stiglitz, Paul Krugman) as opposed to hacks like Michael Moore and Al Franken.

Also it is important to remember that support for capitalism isn't limited to Rand. Excellent books on many topics can be found at the websites of

[willzyx1980]

...the Cato Institute and the Independent Institute, both of which advocate laissez-faire capitalism.

Two very readable recent books that I highly recommend are In Defense of Global Capitalism by Johan Norberg, and How Capitalism Saved America by Thomas J. DiLorenzo.

(For a contrasting view to Norberg's you can read Naomi Klein, and decide who makes a better argument.)

Atlas Shrugged is one of my favorite books. I really hope you enjoy it, and other books (pro and con) about capitalism!

[willzyx1980]

I think the quote you're looking for is:

It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest. We address ourselves, not to their humanity but to their self-love, and never talk to them of our necessities but of their advantages.

It comes from Adam Smith's book The Wealth of Nations.

[jaminunit]

I think you would love the work of Stefan Molyneux

[RUSH2LIMBAUGH]

This is a great post. It was wonderful to watch. I just finished listening to 'Atlas Shrugged' unabridged, on audio CD. That was 50 CD's! It took a while, but it was worth the listening! I love the part you discussed here! Thank you very much, vitalfinds!

[biggsy182]

It is of course commendable to see someone delving into the world of philosophy, albiet the arid and small corner of it that is occupied by that most lifeless ideological dogma known as "Objectivism". LOGIC!! AS IF THAT COULD BE A FOUNT OF ANYTHING!! Logic has it's use only AFTER the imperative has been issued! It is dependent on the premises, and is of NO use without them! It is a great source of amusement to me that Rand and her acolytes decry "emotivist" tendancies, when her ENTIRE WORK...

[biggsy182]

...was nothing more than an EMOTIVE reaction to her harsh and completely unjust treatment in Soviet Russia. This is what issued HER "catagorical imperative", and the rational "justification" was merely an AFTERTHOUGHT! Through her own EMOTIONAL "perspective", she exerts herself through "reason", to arrive at the "objective". What an utter fraud. As if human will could be moved by something as completely indifferent as "logic". "Indifference as virtue", "life according to nature", by this she..

[biggsy182]

...means "life according to HER nature", THAT is the imperative of "Objectivism", and those of us with more robust humanity, realise that to live by indifference would be INHUMAN! To the person who posted the clip, I would suggest reading Plato's Republic, which offers a fine example of the sort of distopian nightmare that a purely "rational" society, with a purely "rational" conception of "justice" inevitably leads to. Good luck.

[antitheistlife]

Your point comes across more clear when you type in caps.

[biggsy182]

THANKS!! Having a point is GREAT!! You should TRY IT some time.

[VariedInterest]

I don't really want to even rejoin this here because it just seems cruel. I always thought that for anybody to take somebody like Rand seriously or consider her deranged ideas to hold any weight, they would need to be sort of confused and bewildered people brainwashed by traditional American anti communist propaganda and so forth, well...

But I think it is better if I do try to help. Try reading Plato, William Morris' 'News From Nowhere', and maybe Dean Baker's 'Conservative Nanny State'.

[vedsgoc]

tl;dr, the book is "a christmas carol" in reverse

[noflowersthistime]

I wonder what it is about a person's curiosity in the realm of ideas that draws forth such nihilism from you. Her interest something to commend, not to ridicule. I hope you never come into contact with developing children, and would suggest you make your contempt for the cognitive faculty less apparent in the future, or else give up any ideas of class status that might be required to liken someone else or their property to that of white trash.

[noflowersthistime]

You really could have been more clever on the first bit. But I have a question about the second. Who is more likely to become a welfare recipient -- a person who devotes her time to studying Ayn Rand's Objectivism -- a philosophy which rejects parasitism of all forms? Or the angry emotionalist attempting to esteem himself on the basis of the inferiority of others -- a leech who can achieve value only RELATIVE to the supposed failure of others -- rather than by any objective achievement?

[noflowersthistime]

I'll concretize your criticism: Most people my age are incurious, irrational, and have no idea how to orient themselves to reality. I decided to study philosophy, history, literature, and economics a few years ago, spent a long time reading and watching relevant videos, now I am among the youngest to give papers at national philosophy conferences, and that, to you, is a waste of time. Shall I devote more time to antagonizing middle-aged women with comments about vibrators? Can you really be 60?

[noflowersthistime]

I've actually been very concise with you. The character count doesn't allow much pretentiousness. If my words aren't commensurate with any concepts in your mind, the burden of improvement is not mine. You might also stick to criticizing what you do know about me, as I've had two jobs since I was 15, and have an amazing social life (which does not require numbing my conceptual faculty -- about which you again reveal your feelings). Nor do I think taking myself seriously requires being 45.

[1981z28camaro]

why don't you shut up, with stupid comments Upquist

[usrbid]

Mpeg encoding has this problem that the algorithm defines a color palette. What happens is that you like pink so there is a lot of that color in the picture. This tints your skin a little pink in the encoded movie. Great book by the way, keep reading it, it is a little breathy though.

[Nanee715]

I went to a psychiatrist one time when a traumatic event happened in my life.I told him I couldn't get out of bed and I had an attention span of a nat. He told me to go to the bookstore and get Atlas Shrugged. Like an obedient idiot I did. When the lady from the bookstore got me the book I couldn't stop laughig, It is about 1282 pages. Honestly an attention span of a nat and 1282 pages, are you kidding. Like a simp I read it. One of best books ever! Who is John Galt?

[caltrop69]

I'm pretty sure the butcher quote was from Adam Smith. I could be mistaken, though.

[InFromTheVoid]

Ayn Rands mentor Nathaniel (can't remember last name right now) wrote some criticism of her philosophy, from a psychological point of view. But it was more of a clarification of her views than an actual debunking. Liberals hate her because of economic views and the conservatives hate her because of thier superstition. But she really hit it on the head if you ask me. I love the characters in this book. Very enlightening. It has opened my eyes to so much. Especially Fransico's money speech.

[cwclemons2007]

His last name's Branden. Long live Ragnar Danneskjold!!

[zdwade]

nicely said. I swear by my life and my love of it that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine

[InFromTheVoid]

How do you like that tiny print BTW lol!!

[cav1992]

I am wondering if you truly understand the actual concept of the book.

[greenghost2008]

its impossiable to do that by the point she is at. im at page 215 and i feel like im just getting started.

[Sam26100]

LOL, nice description. I love the book too.

[filingcabinet]

Great video! It's been a long time since I read Atlas and I really loved hearing your interpretation of the events of the story thus far.

I hope you keep posting video updates every hundred pages or so.

[MrCropper]

4:30 "I wonder if there is some kind of book out there that disputes this book..." Lots of them. One is called The Bible, another is Karl Marx's Communist Manifesto, and a third would be John Maynard Keynes' A General Theory of Money, Employment and Credit.

[AlbaGoBragh]

Don't equate the Bible with The Communist Manifesto or A General Theory of Money...

The Bible does not espouse such freedom restricting economic systems it abhors them. The Bible is a guide for the individual. It describes how the individual is to "work out [his] own salvation..." (Phillipians 2:12). The individuals salvation is NOT anyone else's responsibilty. And especially NOT the government. Individual liberty is paramount to God's plan.

[paulk314]

It's still true that each of those books is opposed to the philosophy of Atlas Shrugged. As Galt explains in his speech, the systems of morality which have been offered are the mystic and the social. The Bible presents a mystic morality and the Communist Manifesto presents a social morality.

[AlbaGoBragh]

I would argue that the Bible and the Judeo/Christian morality laid a foundation for Objectivism. There are many similarities between the two.

Collectivism is the exact opposite of Objectivism and the Judeo/Christian morality.

I don't know if Ayn Rand said anything or not but Yaron Brook (president of the Ayn Rand Center) speaks highly of our founding fathers and most of them were Christians.

[NathanJames21]

@albagobragh - very well said...

^_^

[NottsBenAllan]

Ayn Rand gives credit to Aristotle for giving her the inspiration for Objectivism...

Religion did not lay down the foundation at all, its highest moral value is faith while objectivism is reason - complete opposites

[AlbaGoBragh]

Rand wasn't raised in ancient Greece. She may have been born and raised in a communist regime but Russia was Christain for centuries before the Bolshevik revolution.

The same Christian ethics that permeate all of western civilization. The things we all tend to believe are right and wrong.

Rand rejected religion outright but she still had the same sensibility of what is right and wrong that was instilled in our culture over the centuries.

That is the foundation that I am talking about.

[NottsBenAllan]

I'm telling you who SHE gave credit to and it was Aristotle.

If you look at what her and other Objectivist's say, they blame religion for holding us back, and give REASON the credit for taking us into the enlightenment.

And to add in my own thoughts, right and wrong don't come from religion. First off there is lots of wrong in religion, second off study evolutionary psychology if you want the to know the roots of right, wrong and our compassion

[AlbaGoBragh]

I'm not really trying to take a contrary stand to what you are saying. I mostly agree with you.

But the culture in which Rand, you and I have been raised in has been heavily influenced by Christianity.

Some religions have held people back but others have not. It is a little unfair to lump them all into the negative category.

Freedom, reason and Christian ethics are what built this nation into the great nation it once was before Atlas Shrugged changed from being a fiction novel into reality.

[w8ting4fri]

@AlbaGoBragh ok for one objectivism is diametrically opposed to collectivism AND religion on the same grounds. Specifically the fact that reason is mans means of observing the universe, both collectivism and religion preach against reason. Religion tells you to give it up to faith for some higher power and collectivism to the state or group. second objectivism love the founding fathers because the founding fathers were the first to create a nation based on individual rights.

[AlbaGoBragh]

@w8ting4fri Not all religions are the same. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For us reason is a strong part of our philosophy. If you want to know of there is a God the reasonable answer is to ask Him if he exists. In fact you cannot become a member of our church unless you have asked God for a verification of not only His existance but if the doctrines are true.

Reason does not always lead the individual to atheism.

[w8ting4fri]

@AlbaGoBragh and he answers you how?

[HoldingOnToLiberty]

@w8ting4fri First you need to be teachable.

[legendre007]

I love *Atlas Shrugged*. :-)

The events of the story seem to be happening in America right now. :-S

I think you're referring to what Scottish philosophy professor Adam Smith said in *The Wealth of Nations*: "It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest."

[WhistleStix]

There are some Ayn Rand interviews here on YouTube that you might find interesting...

[schoolmaster1945]

You also should read "The Fountainhead"....I think it was her best....she was a Russian who hated Communism and also was an athiest...regards...