Sat Jan 17, 2015, 01:18 AM
ND-Dem (4,571 posts)
Ayn Rand, Worst Jewish Aunt — Ever
It’s hard to imagine Ayn Rand as having a warm and fuzzy family life.
And yet, this letter to her niece Connie shows that Rand — born Alisa Zinov’yevna Rosenbaum in 1905 to Russian-Jewish parents — did indeed have humans who loved her. Well, maybe. The missive (posted below) outlines the rather, um, severe conditions under which Rand would loan her sister’s daughter (not some stranger — and even then, come on) $25 to buy a graduation dress. If I were Connie, I would probably have waved bye bye to scary aunt Ayn after this doozy. You think your aunts are bad? Read it and weep: Read more: http://blogs.forward.com/the-shmooze/212822/ayn-rand-worst-jewish-aunt-ever/#ixzz3P3L8eoFO
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8 replies, 1151 views
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Author | Time | Post |
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ND-Dem | Jan 2015 | OP |
The Velveteen Ocelot | Jan 2015 | #1 | |
ND-Dem | Jan 2015 | #2 | |
mythology | Jan 2015 | #3 | |
ND-Dem | Jan 2015 | #4 | |
1000words | Jan 2015 | #5 | |
JHB | Jan 2015 | #6 | |
ND-Dem | Jan 2015 | #7 | |
JaneyVee | Jan 2015 | #8 |
Response to ND-Dem (Original post)
Sat Jan 17, 2015, 01:25 AM
The Velveteen Ocelot (101,482 posts)
1. I think I'd wear an old dress rather than deal with Auntie Ayn to get a new one.
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Response to The Velveteen Ocelot (Reply #1)
Sat Jan 17, 2015, 01:29 AM
ND-Dem (4,571 posts)
2. I don't think I would have even bothered to ask. I wonder how well they knew her?
So she wrote off 2 out of 3 of her nieces, apparently. No great loss to the nieces.
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Response to ND-Dem (Original post)
Sat Jan 17, 2015, 01:54 AM
mythology (9,527 posts)
3. I'm not sure why you, and the original article, felt the need to include that she was jewish
Ayn Rand was a horrible person regardless of any ethnic or religious background.
I get that you took the subject from the article's title, but I would feel a little off given the history of condemning Jews for being money lenders and perceived harsh repayment terms. |
Response to mythology (Reply #3)
Sat Jan 17, 2015, 02:00 AM
ND-Dem (4,571 posts)
4. because it's the Forward, probably. (A Jewish paper). Look at their front page and notice
the general theme.
http://forward.com/ e.g.: "Paging All Jewish Elvises" almost every article is like that. |
Response to ND-Dem (Reply #4)
1000words This message was self-deleted by its author.
Response to ND-Dem (Original post)
Sat Jan 17, 2015, 02:16 AM
JHB (35,429 posts)
6. The proper response to this...
"My dear aunt,
I am fully prepared to abide by the payment schedule you stipulate. However, having carefully considered your lengthy treatise on your reasoning behind it, I think I'll forgo the dress and tell you to go take a flying leap. Holy Cannoli! Can't you just say "Too much family strife is caused when money is involved. That's why I want a clear agreement up front"? Is it possible for you to write anything without 50 pages of lecture? I fear for the sanity of whoever handles your laundry and grocery lists. (On that topic: say hello to Alan for me.) I'm surprised that you are disappointed with Mimi and Marna. Did they not treat your altruism with the contempt that you advise others to have towards it? Surely you didn't abandon your principles because it was you they owed the money to? Fare well, dear aunt. I shall heed your advice. Once I seal this envelope, I won't think of you at all." |
Response to JHB (Reply #6)
Sat Jan 17, 2015, 02:17 AM
ND-Dem (4,571 posts)
7. lol. she certainly was a wordy old girl, wasn't she?
seems like one of her heroes had a 50 page speech which he gave without taking a breath.
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Response to ND-Dem (Original post)
Sat Jan 17, 2015, 02:54 AM
JaneyVee (19,877 posts)
8. Niece asks to borrow $25, gets a 6000 word essay on capitalism.