About Thoughts of a TechnoGeek: This is where I'll post my thoughts, interesting articles, or anything else I want to. If you don't like it, don't read it. David L Brenner my email Subscribe Links
|
|
Sun, 07 Mar 2004
I got into the mood to read a book that I've always heard was worth reading, but never got around to. Every once in a while I read the books that people are assigned in school but don't read. Anyway, this time it was Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. I recommend the book as a thought provoking book. I will warn you, it is not an easy read. The book is a monster, nearly 1,200 pages. Between that and the dense manner of writing from the author, it is a slow read. If you can get past that, it does put forth some interesting ideas, even if they are presented in the most extreme version possible. The book is essentially a treatise on why capitalism is good, and social programs are evil. The book sets forth an interesting philosophy indicating that people should act in their own best interests and not help others unless they get something out of it. It sets forth an extreme picture of what happens when the Government interferes with business too much (or at all as the author would lead you to believe). All of the characters in the book are very two dimensional. There isn't much depth to any of them. People do tend to be either good or evil in the book with very little in between. The whole point is for the author to build an environment in which to put forth her economic ideas. The strangest part of the whole book is that I agree in principle with many of the ideas that are presented. I agreed before I read the book and the read solidified many of the ideas that I had rolling around in my head and gave me a concrete way of expressing them. The problem is I disagree with the way things are shown in the extreme in the book and I cannot agree with some of the actions of the supposedly moral people in the book. If you've read the book and would like to discuss it, I would love to hear from you. The biggest problem with the philosophy she laid out is that there was no room left for compassion. She asserts that people should always act in their own best interests, and not assist others unless there is a benefit to yourself. I do believe that man is an inherently selfish creature, but I also believe in the need for compassion and assisting others, regardless of the benefit to myself. |