Framing the Dialogue

Posts Tagged ‘ayn rand’

Groundswell…Yes MSM It’s True!

I don't get many comments about this sticker, but when I do it is usually from some informed person and it sparks a good conversation.

When I get stopped about this sticker, it often sparks a good conversation.

A funny thing happened on the way to Subway today.  After I pulled into the parking slot a stranger came up to me and commented on a sticker that I have on my rear car windo.  It was not Jared the famed pitchman for the chain, but Mike who turned out to be a like-minded individual.  Mike asked about the sticker on my car and we had a great conversation about taxes, big government, and the future.

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The Fountainhead

So I was faced with one of the most famous books by one of my favorite authors; a book that was published seventeen years before I was born.  Me fear was that my expectations might be too great to live up to.  After all, I have listed Ayn Rand’s book, Atlas Shrugged as one of my all time favorites.

I took some time to select a week where I would have the time to spend with the book.  The Fountainhead  did not disappoint and it pulled me in from the very beginning.  Rand illustrates her belief in selfishness as the fountainhead of human progress through the struggles of Howard Roark, a masterful architect. 

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Forgetting Nostradamus

I grew up in a one-income family.  My Father never turned down overtime when it was offered.  As part of his union package, he was paid a premium hourly wage.  If you fast-forward thirty years, my brother also had a job where he was paid premium wages for overtime.  The only real difference was that my brother calculated the point in which the higher wages and additional hours would push him into a higher tax bracket.

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Check Please

My wife and I used to go to dinner with some of her friends around Christmas every year.  I am not real social, but I enjoyed these occasions.  One year we went to a pretty nice (read expensive) restaurant.  My wife and I were really watching our money that year and agreed to avoid high cost entrees, drinks, appetizers and deserts.  The others were not as frugal as they ordered appetizers, expensive meals, and deserts.  Oh and how the wine (and beer and mixed drinks) flowed. 

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Anthem

A number of my recent book reviews were written decades ago.  The odd thing about all of them has been how pertinent they are to the world we live in.  Economics In One Lesson, written in 1946, seemed as if it was written to address our current economic woes.  The 5000 Year Leap was written in 1981, but is based on teachings from the 1970′s and unveils the glories of our Constitution for many of us who learned very little about our founding documents other that memorizing a few pages.

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Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand

Update March 10, 2009:  Recent news releases show that the sales of Atlas Shrugged soared in 2008 and sales in the first weeks of 2009 are on pace to exceed last years’ record sales.  If you listen to talk radio, Ayn Rand’s book is mentioned every day. 

Update – December 10, 2008 :  I published this book review less than two weeks ago.  In the last two days I have heard Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, and Jim Quinn all talk about Atlas Shrugged.  A common thread of their comments was the fact that we seem to be living this book.  The names have changed, but the chill is there!

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