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So my recent blog-post, Why Ayn Rand matters, generated some interesting feed back. My friend, Juliet shared the article, How Ayn Rand ruined my childhood from Salon.com that is heart-breaking and drives home the reason why everyone needs to pay attention to the Ayn Rand movement. Ayn Rand's core principle, objectivism, states that selfishness is good and religion is bad. So I was shocked to learn that Representative Paul Ryan (R-WI), requires his staff to read Ayn Rand. Why on earth is the darling of the dairy land, with the six-pack abs and piercing blue eyes flirting with objectivism?
I would like to believe the congressman enjoys Rand's beautiful prose but lord knows Rand's prose sucks and that her novels are just manifestos wrapped in a cheap story line. It's the philosophy that matters here so we should assume Ryan is promoting the Rand doctrine: selfishness is good, religion is bad. The charismatic Wisconsin congressman recently relseased his proposed budget fix called the "Path to American Prosperity." So I wonder, is Ayn Rand on this path?
Is it a coincidence that his budget slashes aid to the most vunerable members of our society and rewards its richest? After all, Ayn Rand teaches us that the wealthiest are the most productive members of society and considers them to be really alive. The middle class, however is considered a tribe of leeches and something less than human. Is this the message Ryan wants his staff to remember?
Oh, and it's going to get more interesting come April 15 - that's the release date of Atlas Shrugged, the Movie - Part 1. Soon, all America will be talking objectivism and why selfishness is good. And just in case you you haven't figured it out, the movie's producer, John Aglialoro is a memeber of the CATO institute. Yes, the same institute that finances Paul Ryan, Scott Walker and the Tea Party movement.
