tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8591018003444406729.post7048199910088474691..comments2023-10-25T06:13:28.265-04:00Comments on The Conservative Wahoo: Atlas Shrugged, RevisitedThe Conservative Wahoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17818674434286683162noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8591018003444406729.post-58449356510163022482011-03-02T06:37:02.270-05:002011-03-02T06:37:02.270-05:00I think too many people take the "all men are...I think too many people take the "all men are created equal" and then discount the fact that some of those created equally get busy right away on the rest of their lives, through study, work, sacrifice and, ultimately, achievement (fruits of labors), thereby upsetting the stasis of equality. All men may be created equal, and all men may have equal opportunities, but that in no way means that all men must remain equal. And it especially does not mean that government should include in its authorities the enforcement of an artificial "equality stasis." Applying some simple, dispassionate Newtonian physics/math: If two bodies of equal mass and equal initial velocity align at a starting line, and both experience the same force (let's call that force "motivation"), then those bodies will remain equal in position throughout their "lives." But change only the motivational force on one of them and any 7th grade student (or at least any student who was in the 7th grade before the NEA had an entire government department representing their union through a cabinet secretary, sorry, I digress) could tell you, those two bodies will no longer be equal. Ditto in life. Born equal does not equal died equal.Mudgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10106218895150473141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8591018003444406729.post-57528501153247450802011-03-01T20:17:45.302-05:002011-03-01T20:17:45.302-05:00Rand was not the first to identify the risks that ...Rand was not the first to identify the risks that liberal democracy would present to capitalism. Thinkers from DeTocqueville to Weber worried that the levelling effects of democracy would discourage those with talent from pursuing their efforts to the fullest. With standardized tests, certifications for every job from physician to beautician, and mechanisms to give the "less-advantaged" a greater chance at success, they worried democracies would necessarily make really talented citizens less likely to stick around. Pure meritocracies, in contrast, would reward talent proportionally, but also risk eventually creating permanent castes of haves and havenots as the gifted can better educate their kids and they do better as adults, etc. We have to figure out the appropriate balance, unfortunately.Bryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04449961206943205940noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8591018003444406729.post-65680633486630463202011-02-28T18:07:31.406-05:002011-02-28T18:07:31.406-05:00In 1959 I was the epitome of the old saying "...In 1959 I was the epitome of the old saying "Ignorance is bliss".<br /><br />But then I read Atlas Shrugged and my bliss was shattered and to quote someone who's name I cannot recall,” I have never been satisfied again". <br /><br />Exacerbating that dissatisfaction is the knowledge that the vast majority of the American populace does not read and that an even larger number have never read Atlas Shrugged. <br /><br />Thus leaving them in their blissful ignorance and us in our dissatisfaction.<br /><br />BillAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8591018003444406729.post-87175234061062370912011-02-28T05:59:36.844-05:002011-02-28T05:59:36.844-05:00Assigned reading? You never said they'd be ho...Assigned reading? You never said they'd be homework.Sallyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02676433619034511319noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8591018003444406729.post-24726166012598704222011-02-27T21:48:23.344-05:002011-02-27T21:48:23.344-05:00Those who have difficulties swallowing Rand's ...Those who have difficulties swallowing Rand's novel-writing style can make the task easier if they regard ATLAS SHRUGGED _et_al._ as Russian novels that happen to have been written in English.KateGladstonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07062492442607584456noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8591018003444406729.post-87495518812326464232011-02-27T21:21:50.359-05:002011-02-27T21:21:50.359-05:00Oh yeah, you are right on the "too many notes...Oh yeah, you are right on the "too many notes" thing. Milos Forman is full of shit."The Hammer"https://www.blogger.com/profile/16342812251947807673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8591018003444406729.post-62933851637209040432011-02-27T21:00:00.820-05:002011-02-27T21:00:00.820-05:00And don't be too hard on Rand. The novel is af...And don't be too hard on Rand. The novel is after all 50+ years old. Every tried reading a 19th. century novel? Same thing.<br />But it cannot be denied Rand describes the various liberal/leftist archetypes to a tee. And they are still with us to this very day and will be here along after we are gone."The Hammer"https://www.blogger.com/profile/16342812251947807673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8591018003444406729.post-20142746727848398132011-02-27T20:56:40.767-05:002011-02-27T20:56:40.767-05:00http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCud8H7z7vUhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCud8H7z7vU"The Hammer"https://www.blogger.com/profile/16342812251947807673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8591018003444406729.post-80498545853962940412011-02-27T19:58:18.965-05:002011-02-27T19:58:18.965-05:00Perhaps I can be forgiven my error, if there is on...Perhaps I can be forgiven my error, if there is one:<br /><br />http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2004/jun/04/classicalmusicandopera<br /><br />http://www.wwnorton.com/college/music/enj9/shorter/composers/mzrt.htm<br /><br />http://www.blo.org/season_figaro_myths.htmlThe Conservative Wahoohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17818674434286683162noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8591018003444406729.post-33516609716091164572011-02-27T18:15:12.880-05:002011-02-27T18:15:12.880-05:00It wasn't the Emperor who said too many notes,...It wasn't the Emperor who said too many notes, it was the director of the state opera house Count Franz Xaver Wolfgang Orsini-Rosenberg.<br />What the hell's wrong with you?"The Hammer"https://www.blogger.com/profile/16342812251947807673noreply@blogger.com