Ptilk posted:

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She was a prophet all right....of poop.

Her books were written to appeal to young adults (and other immature idiots) who think that they are unstoppable and are going to fix the world all by themselves by their sheer, overwhelming, amazing force of will that the world has never seen before. They will amaze and astound everyone as they force the world to act exactly like they want using their incredible superpowers of determination and super-duper manliness.

I remember reading Atlas Shrugged when I was around 14 or so. I thought it was great and that's how it should work. I grew up though, and read it again....and was embarrassed for my younger self.

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Sansfear posted:

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So you read it is a bright-eyed kid and loved it and then reread it is an embittered old man and hated it? Maybe the problem isn't in the book.

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Desnoxvu posted:

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Have you heard of Ludwig Von Mises or Frederic Hayek?

Check out this Keynes Vs Hayek vid.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTQnarzmTOc

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Sansfear posted:

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There are a lot of predictions in her book that are coming true in spades. Go reread Francisco's soliloquy on the Aristocracy of Pull.

"When you see that trading is done, not by consent, but by compulsion- When you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing- when you see that money is flowing to those who deal, not in goods, but in favors- when you see that men get richer by graft and by pull than by work, and your laws don’t protect you against them, but protect them against you- when you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrifice- you may know that your society is doomed."

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Sansfear posted:

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"When you see that trading is done, not by consent, but by compulsion- When you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing- when you see that money is flowing to those who deal, not in goods, but in favors- when you see that men get richer by graft and by pull than by work, and your laws don’t protect you against them, but protect them against you- when you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrifice- you may know that your society is doomed."

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Sansfear posted:

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There are a lot of predictions in her book that are coming true in spades. Go reread Francisco's soliloquy on the Aristocracy of Pull.

"When you see that trading is done, not by consent, but by compulsion- When you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing- when you see that money is flowing to those who deal, not in goods, but in favors- when you see that men get richer by graft and by pull than by work, and your laws don’t protect you against them, but protect them against you- when you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrifice- you may know that your society is doomed."

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Yukishiro1 posted:

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Sansfear posted:

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There are a lot of predictions in her book that are coming true in spades. Go reread Francisco's soliloquy on the Aristocracy of Pull.

"When you see that trading is done, not by consent, but by compulsion- When you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing- when you see that money is flowing to those who deal, not in goods, but in favors- when you see that men get richer by graft and by pull than by work, and your laws don’t protect you against them, but protect them against you- when you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrifice- you may know that your society is doomed."

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Wtf? You call that a "prediction?"

I swear some of you people think world history started the moment you were born and nothing at all came before.

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Ptilk posted:

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She was a prophet all right....of poop.
...
I remember reading Atlas Shrugged when I was around 14 or so. I thought it was great and that's how it should work. I grew up though, and read it again....and was embarrassed for my younger self.

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Aerlidolt posted:

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Damn, I'm soaked up to my eyeballs in Ayn Rand. I've eaten all her books up as gospel, and keep asking for second helpings. They are just so perfect and beautiful.

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Ayn Rand posted:

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Bad stuff is bad.

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Randbots posted:

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So profound! So prophetic!

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Sansfear posted:

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There are a lot of predictions in her book that are coming true in spades. Go reread Francisco's soliloquy on the Aristocracy of Pull.

"When you see that trading is done, not by consent, but by compulsion- When you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing- when you see that money is flowing to those who deal, not in goods, but in favors- when you see that men get richer by graft and by pull than by work, and your laws don’t protect you against them, but protect them against you- when you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrifice- you may know that your society is doomed."

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Aerlinthian posted:

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You can always depend on the socialists to rush in like a herd of well trained pawns to protect the corporatism, fascism and their precious oligarchs. Meanwhile the latter is corn holing the former and laughing at them for their brain dead support.

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Manegarm posted:

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I live in a Socialist country whose economy grew more then your economy this year and will do so next year, lest not forget the whole better schools, higher standard of living, no poverty and very little crime.

You also said that a socialist would protect corporatism.. which us just laughable, I personally don't think you've ever met a socialist or a social democrat.

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Aerlinthian posted:

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Manegarm posted:

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I live in a Socialist country whose economy grew more then your economy this year and will do so next year, lest not forget the whole better schools, higher standard of living, no poverty and very little crime.

You also said that a socialist would protect corporatism.. which us just laughable, I personally don't think you've ever met a socialist or a social democrat.

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In spite of the time you spend on this board, and contrary to your beliefs, you don't know or understand American dynamics. You keep harping and insisting on drawing equivalences or parallels that simply do not existent.

Or in short, your ignorance is palpable.

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Sansfear posted:

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There are a lot of predictions in her book that are coming true in spades. Go reread Francisco's soliloquy on the Aristocracy of Pull.

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Yukishiro1 posted:

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How does any of your babble make that any more of a "prediction"?

Randbots are funny because they are so consistently stupid. There is hardly anything prophetic in saying corruption is bad and that too much bereaucracy can stifle economic development.

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Yukishiro1 posted:

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How does any of your babble make that any more of a "prediction"?

Randbots are funny because they are so consistently stupid. There is hardly anything prophetic in saying corruption is bad and that too much bereaucracy can stifle economic development.

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reesescups posted:

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Yukishiro1 posted:

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It is not a prediction to say corruption is bad

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It's a prediction because you support corruption.

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reesescups posted:

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Yukishiro1 posted:

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How does any of your babble make that any more of a "prediction"?

Randbots are funny because they are so consistently stupid. There is hardly anything prophetic in saying corruption is bad and that too much bereaucracy can stifle economic development.

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It's a prediction or prophecy because people like you are too stupid to realize you are cheering and supporting said corruption. And your inability to realize this is what will doom us.

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Sansfear posted:

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The people in her books do exist, they are just rare. Steve Jobs is a good example. A single individual reshaping the entire world through sheer strength of will.

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Altra_Shadowstalker posted:

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The transcontinental railroads were built on some of the largest federal subsidies, the worst exploitation of workforce in the history of the country (probably second only to slavery), and biggest cases of cronyism in its era. To read Rand's work as anything other than ironic, especially when she repeats the "Get out of my way!" mantra, is simply simpleminded.

Dagny: "My grandfather built this railroad through backbreaking labor*, sheer hard work**, and his*** own money. Theres something very wrong when a country wakes up to the fact that it is being exploited and is too lazy to sacrifice lives for my profit. Who are they to demand I pay my taxes?"
*Other peoples backs
**Other peoples hard work
***Government money

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Sansfear posted:

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Ptilk posted:

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She was a prophet all right....of poop.

Her books were written to appeal to young adults (and other immature idiots) who think that they are unstoppable and are going to fix the world all by themselves by their sheer, overwhelming, amazing force of will that the world has never seen before. They will amaze and astound everyone as they force the world to act exactly like they want using their incredible superpowers of determination and super-duper manliness.

I remember reading Atlas Shrugged when I was around 14 or so. I thought it was great and that's how it should work. I grew up though, and read it again....and was embarrassed for my younger self.

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So you read it is a bright-eyed kid and loved it and then reread it is an embittered old man and hated it? Maybe the problem isn't in the book.

The people in her books do exist, they are just rare. Steve Jobs is a good example. A single individual reshaping the entire world through sheer strength of will.

I'd rather have kids read Atlas Shrugged and strive to be Hank Rearden or Steve Jobs than have an adult tell them that they are wasting their time with their stupid dreams.

Yes, 99% of them won't achieve that level of greatness, but the world needs the ones that do. The world is also a better place by the striving of those that attempt it. While they may not achieve the same level of influence, they can achieve it on a smaller scale in their own corner of the world.

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