Atlas Shrugged

It's one of those moments for me. But I'm going to do my best to keep my academic exuberance from bursting forth and simply tell you that the book Atlas Shrugged is most definitely my favorite book. It has taken me my entire life to find a book that I can actually say is my favorite. And a whole lot of books.

In the last ten years, I've read over 500 books. That doesn't even count the newspapers, magazines, short stories, plays, etc. And yes folks, Atlas Shrugged is most definitely my favorite piece of literature (I should probably put in the disclaimer piece of secular literature) ever written. That I've encountered thus far anyway.

Now, I don't want you all to pick up the book, read it, and decide that I've given up on morality. I do have a few major differences of opinion and philosophy than Ayn Rand (the author). But, as it applies to most things secular, political, economical...she hit what I believe as dead on as someone who is not me could. And her theory (objectivism) is stated with such a convincing argument and fervor that I found myself thinking for a moment that what she was saying made complete and utter sense. Funny enough, the thing that convinced me otherwise was her 50 page discourse given by her (well, it's the character that "comes up with" this theory in the book) about objectivism and laying out all of its tenets that finally convinced me that it most definitely was not the right way to go in things personal, but in things public, most definitely.

And I also don't want you thinking that I don't believe in sacrifice. I do. Or that I don't believe in the necessity of giving of one's self, talents, and treasure. I do. But she makes quite the case against it... but the final action sequence of the book itself punches some serious holes in her theory as a whole. Why save one man? Because I want to. Why do you want to? Ah, and that is the question. Because if it's because that one man made their lives more worth living, that's fine. But what if helping someone who is struggling succeed makes mine more worth living? I say that's fine too.

I'm not one to spoil spectacular events, so I won't tell you all about the book or its philosophical contents. And it is a big book. 1079 pages, with very, very small print. But if it were me, I'd take the month, year, or years it takes to get through a book of this magnitude, because it's worth it. Really.

Read it. Even if it doesn't fit in with your world view, at least it will make you think. And thinking is something that's so underrated these days. Hah... the irony...

But hey, who is John Galt?