General Discussion

snot

(11,848 posts)

46. There still are powerful people who embrace her philosophy.

Mon Dec 15, 2025, 06:41 PM

Dec 2025

I went through a phase myself many years ago, but gave it up when I realized I was alienating all my friends and becoming an a**hole.

But the biggest realization I took from the experience was that the best way to test the merit of a philosophy was to "try it on" and see for yourself what actually works and what doesn't.

Maybe Rand's philosophy works for sociopaths who only hang out with other sociopaths, but it didn't work for me.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

1 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

snot

49 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Oh shit, I just came across evidence of my youthful stupidity. [View all] NNadir Dec 2025 OP

It's okay! We all have something that we fell for, or had pushed at us. Maru Kitteh Dec 2025 #1

In our defense UpInArms Dec 2025 #2

For those either not familiar with Atlas Shrugged, or it's 'been a while', I offer an abridged version. Abolishinist Dec 2025 #3

Oh man! I saw this here once before and regretted not knowing the source. Do you know it? NNadir Dec 2025 #4

I've posted it here before, Abolishinist Dec 2025 #14

You are brilliant. mr715 Dec 2025 #8

I wish I could give the author proper credit, but I copied this Abolishinist Dec 2025 #16

I was confused and disturbed by Atlas Shrugged when I was young. dgauss Dec 2025 #26

It's as I remembered "Atlas Shrugged". Hugin Dec 2025 #44

So, your Organic Chemistry book... ret5hd Dec 2025 #5

I'm happy to say, that to my knowledge, there is only one Ayn Rand book on these old shelves. NNadir Dec 2025 #7

I have a lot of Ayn Rand... mr715 Dec 2025 #6

That's rich: "Philosophical Biohazard." Mind if I steal it if I ever find myself discussing Ayn Rand again? NNadir Dec 2025 #9

Please share. mr715 Dec 2025 #12

On 'Atlas Shrugged' RetiredParatrooper Dec 2025 #34

Dorothy Parker on 'Atlas Shrugged' RetiredParatrooper Dec 2025 #35

I hope that you got rid of it TexasTowelie Dec 2025 #10

Well, I don't know. Maybe I should keep it around to remind myself that I can be stupid. NNadir Dec 2025 #11

Nah- sometimes burning a book actually can be recommended biophile Dec 2025 #15

Morrison and Boyd's Organic Chemistry was the one I used. harumph Dec 2025 #13

I gave a copy, an earlier edition to a guy who worked for me. I actually have several... NNadir Dec 2025 #19

Nature of the Chemical Bond by Linus Pauling harumph Dec 2025 #36

I'm starting the annual book shelves cleaning this week malaise Dec 2025 #17

One's political philosophy should result from intellectual inquiry, not blind faith. snot Dec 2025 #18

I rather like your perspective, more generous to me than I am to myself. In fact... NNadir Dec 2025 #23

There still are powerful people who embrace her philosophy. snot Dec 2025 #46

It sounds like you grew out of it in high school. mjvpi Dec 2025 #20

I too read Ayn Rand's books as a youth and admired them. Morbius Dec 2025 #21

It's as if she took communism Turbineguy Dec 2025 #24

This message was self-deleted by its author jfz9580m Dec 2025 #37

I recall very well being offended by that billboard remark. NNadir Dec 2025 #41

My take was that the right picked up Rand as a reaction to all of the era of socialist writers that preceded her. Hugin Dec 2025 #45

Oh, gawd - Morrison and Boyd! The stuff of my nightmares. 3catwoman3 Dec 2025 #22

I think organic chemistry is generally taught badly, probably for historical reasons. NNadir Dec 2025 #28

The 3 things I remember from that long ago course are... 3catwoman3 Dec 2025 #32

Not to butt in jfz9580m Dec 2025 #43

The story of Kekule's "dream," has inspired a lot of psychological speculations on scientific creativity. NNadir Dec 2025 #47

Organic chem wherein, my cousin told me EverHopeful Dec 2025 #33

A long-lost ending of 'Atlas Shrugged' RetiredParatrooper Dec 2025 #25

Wow! Someone got to the end without falling asleep. Impressive. (Pretty funny ersatz ending, I think.) NNadir Dec 2025 #31

I have retained a number of stupid things from my stupid youth. One *not* stupid thing that I kept Ocelot II Dec 2025 #27

I feel your pain. I really do. I suspect most of us do. NNadir Dec 2025 #30

i'll admit to a youthful flirtation with ayn rand rampartd Dec 2025 #29

This message was self-deleted by its author jfz9580m Dec 2025 #38

It's Eleanor Roosevelt, who I consider the greatest Democrat of the 20th century. NNadir Dec 2025 #40

I really should read more about her jfz9580m Dec 2025 #42

Everyone should have read them when a teen HAB911 Dec 2025 #39

I read both The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged... Chemical Bill Dec 2025 #48

And I read Morrison and Boyd in college. Chemical Bill Dec 2025 #49