ATLAS SHRUGGED, TEA PARTIES, BERNIE MADOFF: COMPASSION IS FOR SOCIALISTS?

Ayn Rand's prophetic 1957 novel Atlas Shrugged, has gained quite a bit of attention lately. With the "gojohngalt" site and the very hot Filipina American blogger Michelle Milken, Ayn Rand's book has reemerged as a very important conservative talking point. Wikipedia describes it as "the role of the mind in man's life and, consequently, presentation of a new morality: the morality of rational self-interest."

And the plot basically is very dramatic, that any one could find appealing. Again, Wikipedia.

The main crux of the book surrounds the decision of the "men of the mind" to go on strike, refusing to contribute their inventions, art, business leadership, scientific research, or new ideas of any kind to the rest of the world. Each man of ability eventually reasons (or is convinced) that society hampers him with unnecessary, burdensome regulations and undervalues his contributions to the world, confiscating the profits and sullying the reputations he has rightfully earned.

And while conservative pundits and radio peronalities make money off this there is another element at work: various conservative groups have formed "tea parties" as a way to protest the policies of the Obama administration.

It is here that if, in fact, you are 1). unemployed. 2) looking for a job on your own and need no hand outs, you may be wondering would in the world is going on! All these protests and talking points seem to have disconnection. Are these protesters of the current administration really talking about the threat of socialism and how they helping the unemployed workers who are willing to work?

Ayn Rand's personal and philosophical believes that emerge in this book, come from the knowledge and personal hardships of living in a Socialistic and totalitarian society. Yet, her views are so over compensating for what she saw that transferring them to a American society seems rather harsh and cruel in the end. This total believe in pure capitalism without any sympathy for the down-trodden may attract such people like the lovely Michelle Milken(although I believe she suffers from a racial identity crisis believing herself to be a anger white Conservative), it seems to me that the reason so many have brought up Atlas Shrugged, is the same reason I brought it up.

To make money.

Of course Michelle Milken ranks far better than me. And writing on Atlas
Shrugged keeps her high on the search engine. And on GoJohn Galt site(Galt referring to the pure capitalist protagonist of the story), not only attracting rather shady and egocentric and potential racists, he is actively seeking and trying to make money--like me. Note the Amazon links he has on his page. You think he doesn't get any money for referring to that book?

What disturbs me about the whole concept is the over compensation factor. Over inflating some misguided belief that Obama is turning America in to a socialist state. I would be willing to believe it, if i saw it happening.

Another important point is this: If you believe in the basic purism of this book's philosophy, there is no room for altruism. No room for helping others. Is that really what America is about.? A capitalism so pure it forgets the basic principle of culture of caring for those around you? Is this the conservative mantra now? Those that seem to speak for the rich or the conservative rich, are they speaking for everyone that is wealthy, or are they so alienating themselves from the hard working blue collar types or even the middle class?

Would not Bernie Maddoff be the 'Galt' if he had not been caught? Could he not be a poster boy for the pure capitalist system that some seem to want?

And now the economy sinks us lower. Those like myself that have never taken a hand out, and always worked for my food, what of us in this pure capitalist world? We listen, and we watch as some wealthy and employed whine, and all the while they do not see us. They alienate us.

--Courteous Navigator