About Rand...

I honestly feel like, after reading Atlas Shrugged that I have discovered a major revelation about society and politics. It is as if I didn't quite understand something, but I do now. I will say, It is a very cumbersome book to read, but completely worth the time and effort.

Atlas shrugged is about the human spirit and how it is giving way to the government. It involves industry versus rediculous measures taken by the government, and as Rand likes to call them, looters. It was written in the mid 1950's for those of you who don't know, and it is scary how things are playing out today are similar to what goes on in the book. I recommend it.

Here's a quote from the book that I thought was great. I'll call this the "title track" of the book. You'll get my meaning when you read it. Francisco, an apparent playboy heir, is trying to explain to Henry Rearden, an entrepreneur/inventor why he should quit his business (even though at this point in the book, we don't understand that's what he's trying to get him to do).

“Mr. Rearden,” said Francisco, his voice solemnly calm, “if you saw Atlas,
the giant who holds the world on his shoulders, if you saw that he stood,
blood running down his chest, his knees buckling, his arms trembling but
still trying to hold the world aloft with the last of his strength, and the
greater his effort the heavier the world bore down upon his shoulders – what
would you tell him to do?”

“I…don’t know. What…could he do? What would you tell him?”

“To shrug.”