sundries

[juldea]

I am rereading the fiction of Ayn Rand. The order: Anthem, The Fountainhead, Atlas Shrugged, and We The People. I might insert The Night of January 16th in there somewhere, too. I am already through Anthem and partway into Fountainhead, and I can tell that I have changed my thoughts since last reading through these works. I don't have the violent hatred that many seem to have towards Rand - most of whom haven't read any of her books - but I no longer have strong agreement, either. There are too many little things in the way... Or perhaps I just say this because I'm forced to admit I'm not an übermensch? *ponder*

I kind of wish I could find online versions of her books online so that I can read at work without looking like I'm reading at work... it's an amusing thought, if you're familiar with her ideas on free work. ;)

I learned to knit this weekend, under the tutaledge of tpau. I'm making a scarf (everyone's first-time knitting project!)

I need some security in my living prospects. If I need to give a months' notice for July, that's just a few weeks away! :P

Speaking of weeks, I have completely lost all track of my internal scheduling. Time is passing at such weird rates... days are simultaneously too long and too short, and weeks are flying by at paces I can't handle. What events (of any type) are happening these days?

Perhaps londo and I should've gone to Cambridge last night. "Common sense" kept me from being a part of something historical. Sigh.

Jim comes home from his extended trip today. He'll be leaving again in a few days, apparently. I hope we have time to discuss what's up.

Comments

[isaiahblake.livejournal.com]

I'm one of those people who hates Rand, but I've read The Fountainhead.

I even started Atlas Shrugged. No one finishes that book. If you say you did, you're lying or mistaken.

Anyway ... the fact that Rand was a disgusting hypocrite aside, a woman that believes that capitalism's 'class mobility' leads to those most deserving and hard-working advancing to new economic and social strata is seriously out of touch with reality.

The above times ten for lassez faire capitalism, of which Rand was a vocal proponent.

Okay, done with my short rant.

[juldea.livejournal.com]

I must be mistaken about 7 times over, then. ;)

The fact that her ideal system is unattainable in reality is part of my disconnect from her views, yes. However, I do still believe that the most deserving, talented, and hard-working should find it easier to advance (economically and socially)... even if the thought makes me wonder where I stand on that scale.

Her views on women are very queer, too. I found that the female submission in Anthem jumped out at me this time around, and was hard to swallow. This, from me, probably says a lot.

However, I still enjoy the main sex scene in The Fountainhead. Got to that one on the bus this morning. Made the commute so much nicer.

[isaiahblake.livejournal.com]

I believe in an economic and social meritocracy, yeah.

I don't believe capitalism is anything close to that.

[juldea.livejournal.com]

Agreed.

I think Rand's problem with understanding this is that she doesn't choose her economic system objectively - amusing, eh? She looks at capitalism in a world populated by her "ideal man," and given those ethics and actions, it works. But an economic system is run by everyone, and even she agrees that the world isn't full of her type of people. Capitalism doesn't work if not everyone is of the same mindset...

[isaiahblake.livejournal.com]

The problem I see is that the ideal values of the popular religion in most capitalist countries (... or at least in the US) contradict the ideal values of capitalism. You have to be a traitor to your morality or a traitor to your economy. Most people try to take the middle road, and it doesn't work.

I actually have some Randian ideals, since I live in a capitalist economy, but that doesn't mean I like it.

[juldea.livejournal.com]

Well, Rand was definitely not a fan of our popular religions. ;)

[baronbrian.livejournal.com]

You probably don't agree as much with Ms. Rand any more because you've grown some. You've had experiences that were different then her's when she formulated her philosphy. So while you can say, "Well I used to agree with Points X, Y and Z but because of Experience A I don't feel that Y is really valid in most cases and because of Experience B I don't agree with Z at all anymore. I still think X is valid though." I think it just means you're thinking for yourself and making comparisions against what you believed.

[juldea.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, I fully understand why and how I have different thoughts now than I did then. I'm simply trying to pinpoint what Experiences A and B are, etc. :)

I will hold by the claim that I was thinking for myself the years ago I first read this stuff, too... I at least like to believe I never blindly followed anything. I just have more experiences to make judgements against, now. :)

[baronbrian.livejournal.com]

Well I wouldn't say you weren't thinking for yourself. But you nailed what I was trying to say. That you now have experience to back up your thoughts.

[outlander.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the heads up...would you let me know if you need a ride on wednesday?

[juldea.livejournal.com]

Will do. If he's going, I won't need one... but you'll want to know if that's the case, too, eh?

[outlander.livejournal.com]

if at all possible...

[juldea.livejournal.com]

He'll be there tomorrow; I won't need a ride.

[outlander.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the heads up...I really do appreciate it. Remind me at some point that is not now to tell you about my weekend. You minght find it mildly amusing.

[jester-king.livejournal.com]

I just have philosophical differences with Ms Rand, and while I haven't read any of her fiction, I have read some her philosohpical papers.

[juldea.livejournal.com]

Nod, I actually have only read the fiction, which might explain some of the differences that arise from my understanding of her philosophy and her own elaborations in her non-fiction.

[diego001.livejournal.com]

I have some of the non-fiction, should you wish to borrow it...

Let me know.

[juldea.livejournal.com]

I always have not wanted to, preferring the agreeable-to-me interpretations that I created out of the fiction. This may change; I'll let you know.

[oakleaf-mirror.livejournal.com]

An amusingly bizarre book by Matt Ruff, called Sewer, Gas & Electric spends much of it's time on Rand's views and their implications. I still can't dismiss objectivism out of hand, though I do have some issues with it, too.

[juldea.livejournal.com]

Oooh, interesting. I really need to get a library card, it seems. ;)

[withlyn.livejournal.com]

I didn't go up when Multnomah county was still issuing homosexual marriage licenses, though I was happy to be (almost) in an area that was willing to do so. But my (then) manager did go, because her sister got married, after 18 years with her partner.