Just a thought

Posted by airfredd22 10 years, 7 months ago to The Gulch: General
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Several days ago, I believe on 9-12-14 under the title, “An Open Letter to The Producers and Makers of The Atlas Shrugged Movies,” the following comment was made by Old4WDGuy.

“Posted by  $  Old4WDGuy
I've been through a similar experience. I wished I had read or really known anything about Ayn Rand or AS as a youth. It would have helped a lot more than most of the regurgitated education I got through HS with the exception of Auto Mechanics.”


I find his comment to be very important and would like to offer the following.

My suggestion is to agree to make the best effort we can to give a copy of “Atlas Shrugged” to any young person we meet that we believe to have the basic ability to understand the concept of Ayn Rand's philosophy as expressed in her books, but especially in “Atlas Shrugged.”

By basic ability, I mean that they express an interest in new ideas and haven't been poisoned by their teachers to a point beyond salvage.

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  • Posted by airfredd22 10 years, 7 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Perhaps kids in that age range may be a little young to understand pilosophy. I do however believe that you're never to young to learn, but 4-6 years old is just a little early. perhaps reading to them or at least discussing the philosophy with them around the age of 14-16 may be a better time.

    Fred Speckmann
    mailto:coomonsenseforamericans@yahoo.com
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  • Posted by slfisher 10 years, 7 months ago in reply to this comment.
    oh, gosh, I don't remember. it was decades ago. I think I might still have been in college.
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  • Posted by slfisher 10 years, 7 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Not only did I see The Night, but I was one of the jury members. :) I didn't realize for a number of years that it was Ayn Rand, though.

    I'm a big SF fan, too -- lots of Heinlein :) -- but Anthem just didn't grab me.
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  • Posted by Zero 10 years, 7 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Not a problem for me, always a big SciFi fan.

    I usually recommend them in the same order my Mentor gave them to me:
    Anthem
    We the Living
    The Fountainhead
    Atlas Shrugged
    The Virtue of Selfishness

    Oh, and The Night of January the 16th if they start to lag.
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  • Posted by slfisher 10 years, 7 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I read Anthem in school and hated it. Not enough story, way too abstract. I love We the Living, the Fountainhead, and Atlas Shrugged, and reread them periodically, but I've never read Anthem again.
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  • Posted by ewv 10 years, 7 months ago in reply to this comment.
    There was a comic book version of Anthem, and there are Cliff Notes editions of Atlas Shrugged, The Fountainhead and Anthem. But Ayn Rand was such a clear writer that anyone old enough should read the originals. Start with Anthem. But 4 or 6 years old isn't enough.
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  • Posted by jpellone 10 years, 7 months ago
    I am soooo bummed out!!! AS3 is not playing anywhere around me... :-( Guess I will have to wait for the DVD!!!
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  • Posted by Zero 10 years, 7 months ago
    I give Anthem first.

    An easy read that'll either catch them or it won't.
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  • Posted by johnpe1 10 years, 7 months ago
    if I had a dollar for every Rand book which I have
    given to someone, I wouldn't bee so pore! Oh, No!
    I wouldn't be so rich!!! -- j

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  • Posted by CircuitGuy 10 years, 7 months ago
    This makes me want a comic book version and a abridged student version. It's not that I want it dumbbed down, but rather I know not everyone will read a book of nearly 1000 pages. *Everyone* should be exposed at least to a simplified summary of the ideas.

    My kids age 4 and 6 will listen to almost anything in comic book format. I have a comic book about the life of George Washington, and they love it. They wouldn't listen to such a story without cartoonish pictures. I would certainly buy a comic book version of AS and Fountainhead to read to them.
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  • Posted by Herb7734 10 years, 7 months ago
    I also have given away many copies of A.S. and Fountainhead. My first copy of Atlas Shrugged was purchased as a teen. It was a soft cover copy, now dog-eared and yellowed with age. Fortunately for my wallet I only have three grandchildren.
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  • Posted by $ Susanne 10 years, 7 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I've done that with AS a number of times... especially to girls who want to have a life ambition but, for whatever reason, aren't encouraged to follow their hearts, their dreams, and their determination... Tell them to put themselves in Dagny's shoes...

    Mainly because I wish someone had given *me* a copy of it when I was young. Would have scoured the "dark era" from my life before it hit.
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  • Posted by teri-amborn 10 years, 7 months ago
    I have given The Fountainhead to any youth who presents me with an: "I'm lost and can't find a life path" ...but resonates talent and hope.
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  • Posted by $ winterwind 10 years, 7 months ago
    I have both given away copies and encouraged people to read it, given them my card, and told them I'd refund their money if they thought it was a waste of their time.
    what fun!
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  • Posted by ISank 10 years, 7 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Yes they do and thanks to ideas from one thread about ASIII, I have earlier today requested a class set to start an AS reading club.

    We'll see but it sure is exciting.

    Aloha
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  • Posted by cranedragon 10 years, 7 months ago
    The Ayn Rand Institute has a Books in Schools program that has exactly that aim.
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