Ep. 16 "Nihilism"

"NIHILISM"
Second edition (v 2.0) of an ongoing project to visualize Galt's Speech from Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand using images and video from current events. NOTE: These videos do not purport to be definitive or authoritative. Ayn Rand is not responsible for any unintentional misrepresentations created by my editing. If these videos interest you, please visit the Ayn Rand Institute (www.AynRand.com)for more.

Text by Ayn Rand
Read by Christopher Hurt
Edited for YouTube by XCowboy2
Music by John Williams
and Bear McCreary.
For the full novel read unabridged, visit BlackstoneAudio.com


Editors note: Hello everybody! A special double-length episode this time! Thanks for your patience. I can't say enough how glad I am to have gotten past this one. I have had a very long stretch of 8 episodes that were all dark-- the middle section of the speech just gets progressively more focused on the nature of evil. It's tough to live with that all the time. Looking forward now to the last 8 episodes which should all be fun and beautiful

This was the hardest episode yet-- so many images-- so many edits-- so much material-- twice the normal length. I'm about to drop over from fatigue. Feels great. I do it for love. Of course, if you get value from my work I don't mind donations to my blog at richardgleaves.blogspot.com. Enjoy! And BE PREPARED this one is VERY dark!

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[TheDreadfathersithis]

Who is the dude at 5:25?

[GaltSpeaking]

@TheDreadfathersithis Evan Sayet

[Worldslargestipod]

what is the name music that plays at around 11:50 and elsewhere [through 12:00-and towards the end]

[GaltSpeaking]

@Worldslargestipod It's the main theme from John Williams' score for "Monsignor"

[8daystillmonday]

Are you going to make these into one big video? One that, perhaps, could be purchased in DVD format or something?

[GaltSpeaking]

@TheGodofAtheists I've internalized it to the point that I recognize it when I see it. And it's true-- it always seems to be there. Even in little details-- I have a friend that is very far left and one day we were talking about when we die. I want to be frozen, because I enjoy living. He wanted to be cremated and scattered, he said, because "I'll just want to to be over"

[AnubisEye009]

@vendurra Okay...I don't know what the point of your comment was, but I'll continue this conversation with a slight drizzle of comedy. I feel just as good when I take a nap. :3

[vendurra]

@poopster102 The reason society fails is because of the use of improper information. When you work in the realm of objective truth, society can not possible fail, since everything is accurately accounted for in a logical and rational matter thereby removing emotions from interferring with daily life. The Greeks & Romans had stoicism, and it is also seen in the Vulcan's on Star Trek.

[vendurra]

@AnubisEye009 Advanced brain scientists have objectively proven the benefits of far eastern teachings such as yoga, meditation, and other similar practices.

[vendurra]

@gukonni Yes. There are some things that reach beyond the point of objective assessment. This is why I can only claim to be an atheist by intutive faith - rather than by objective proof.

However, when solving problems, a hard objective assessment is very useful to have at your disposal.

[gukonni]

I was not taught that there's no objective truth in school. It was just the opposite! This is where I disagree with this movie clip. I grew up as a christian in a republican household. When I became an adult I started to become more liberal and shed my beliefs. I was always more of a philosopher than a scientist by that time. Not because I reject objective truth, but because I feel that there're some parts of reality better understood by the intuitive mind. Scientists were too square to me.

[Success0527]

@YouAndWhoseTube Because they deserve it.

[piecharthosen]

@zenogais1 good critique. i knew there was something amiss i wasn't realizing.

I will take this video as confirmation that i need no ruler and that all would-be rulers in my life need swift destruction.

[piecharthosen]

The idea that nihilism is a good thing - that it removes the precursors to disagreements - I thought about it when i was young and dropped the idea, but not for any reason (I guess I simply forgot or stopped caring)

Nihilism still fascinates me but I cannot resolve the issue that the claim that there are no objective truths is in fact an objective truth