I read this book when I was 17. At that time this book went a little over my head due to its objectivist philosophy. But now after reading it for the 2nd time, the point was crystal clear. It's a wonderful combination of story telling and philosophical presentation. While some of the main characters lack an arc, it was refreshing to get to know them as self realized individuals. Resist temptation to not like this book when disagreeing with a motivating philosophy.This seems to rank with the best of both religious and political books in terms of how polarizing it is, which at least makes sense to me in the sense that many people use the objectivist philosophy as it espouses their political basis and arguably a "religion." This is still a novel - a fiction with characters - and I think it succeeds on that level outside of some hilariously pretentious relationship decisions, general length, and overuse of the word "bromide." Appreciate that the characters have interesting motivations. I found the material completely relevant to today's world. As a philosophical delivery agent, it's unsurprisingly heavy-handed but definitively makes its case. I had assumed that I'd vomit if I were to even glance at philosophy in general, but this book makes me think I might really like example-based presentations of them.The only reminders of when it was written adds to its charm rather than detracts from the message.
There is a reason that 70 years later, this book still sells.
3 comments:
"There is a reason that 70 years later, this book still sells. " This said it all.
Similar to you, it went over my head when I read it first time. Didn't like this 'heavy' book. Never wanted to touch it again. But now this is one of my favourite books till date. :)
Ayn Rand is an ultra-mentally incompetent megalomaniacal reactionary elitist cretin- in short, she was an ultra-right winger that supports laissez-faire capitalism and is totally against workers' rights.
When faced with lung cancer, as a result of her life long disbelief that smoking caused cancer what did Rand do? Face it as an Objectivist should and rely on steely eyed rugged individualism? By living by her own mantra that only the fittest survive and that all state welfare is wrong, merely allowing the undeserving weak to live?
Nope, she claimed Medicare off the US Government.
Because of your interest and review of “Fountainhead”, have you reviewed “Hunger For Atlantis” yet?
Quote:
“. . . [“Hunger For Atlantis”] does evoke the grand musings present in the deeply steeped social-philosophical seminal works of Ayn Rand.” TINFOOT, AMAZON TOP 500 REVIEWER
http://www.amazon.com/HUNGER-ATLANTIS-Work-Series-Book-ebook/dp/B00JY2FXC0
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