Ayn Rand: Anthem

[Dual]

I guard my treasures: my thought, my will, my freedom. And the greatest of these is freedom.

I owe nothing to my brothers, nor do I gather debts from them. I ask none to live for me, nor do I live for any others. I covet no man's soul, nor is my soul theirs to covet.​

At just over a hundred pages, one might expect Anthem to be lacking in substance, but to the contrary, I found in it a message more powerful and timeless than any other. Written in 1937, Rand's first book's has no declined over time. In fact, like 1984, the novel is perhaps more relevant now than ever before.

But I still wonder how it was possible, in those graceless years of transition, long ago, that men did not see whither they were going, and went on, in blindness and cowardice, to their fate.​

​

 

[Conchaga]

There's not enough poskarma in the world...

 

[Conchaga]

Have you read Rand's Playboy interview?

 

[Conchaga]

Link: http://www.ellensplace.net/ar_pboy.html

 

[Dirk Funk]

Damn. I haven't read Anthem in quite some time. I should dust it off again. I did re-read Atlas Shrugged recently. It never gets old.

 

[Dirk Funk]

Link: http://www.ellensplace.net/ar_pboy.html

I've read this. It's a good interview. I don't consider myself an Objectivist. I'm a Libertarian. There are parts of her philosophy I disagree with, but the overall meaning behind her work is fantastic. She was truly a remarkable woman and a great mind.

 

[Conchaga]

Seen the Donahue/Rand interview? Priceless.

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[Marquis De Sade]

Dual, I reckon you will love Gibran Khalil Gibran.

The deeper that sorrow carves into your being the more joy you can contain. Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven ?

The teacher who is indeed wise does not bid you to enter the house of his wisdom but rather leads you to the threshold of your mind.

Many a doctrine is like a window pane. We see truth through it but it divides us from truth.

 

[Archibald Nixon]

I hope to finally get around to Rand fairly soon, starting with Anthem, and start a discussion thread --or just come back to this one.

Conchaga: would you recommend reading We the Living first?

 

[Conchaga]

She really started pushing her philosophy of Objectivism in Anthem. We The Living has some glimmers of that philosophy, but it doesn't resonate like The Fountainhead or Atlas Shrugged. If you want to read her works purely for their literary enjoyment, read We The Living. It also gives glimpses into Rand's life inside of and escape from communist Russia.

If you're looking for philosophy beyond her prolific works, read The Virtue of Selfishness and Capitalism: The Ultimate Ideal. I'd even suggest reading Leonard Peikoff's Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand. Though, that can be very dry at times.

Oh, and I recently downloaded the 1949 film version of The Fountainhead. Haven't watched it yet, but I'm hoping for a good movie. Rand did the screenplay and Gary Cooper played Roark.

Torrent for the movie. Link.

 

[Dirk Funk]

It was a very good movie. I saw it some years back.