Hi Rich,
I almost had a similar experience in which a fellow ciner noticed my copy of AS that was sitting next to me. She started a conversation about it and I asked her what she felt she gotbout of reading the book. She said ....she learned a lot about trains !
sigh

Although, some of my liberal friends have read Atlas Shrugged and they said that they may not agree with everything that is said in the text, but they still appreciate Ayn Rand's ideas.

I hypothesize that this is what Agialoro et al have been doing, or trying to do, with their movie production/distribution company. I agree with both you and with salta in that it is necessary to get entry points to Ayn Rand's philosophy 'out there'.

I will go a step further and suggest that trivializing common forms of fictional communication is not in our best interest. How many people developed their vision of the world by watching Star Trek or reading comics? Answer: Probably a lot more than by reading philosophy texts or AS.

Our heroes used to be independent, resourceful, and competent; now they are masses of doomed, writhing, self-loathing angst. Even just getting media out that addresses the heroic archetype again is a step in our favor. Free will, freedom, competence - there are many 'baby steps' that we can take that would be hungrily seized on by audiences.

Jan

It seems that it steered him onto the correct path.
Wonderful for him, and your son to have taken an interest in him. Thanks for sharing he story, Herb.

I'm glad you've actually met other students who read Atlas Shrugged! It seems so much of campus life at present is devoted solely to squashing any other dialogue excepting the progressive liberal far left.

Rich! You brought me back with this post! I could just kiss you!! What a brilliant idea. I'm thinking make a compilation of short takes submitted by by readers, expressing what you just stated above. Put it to music, and I think it could be something REALLY SPECIAL. Are there any video people here? I'm positive there must be. Lets do this!!

Rich, you are so right. There must be thousands of incredible stories out there. Here's one: My son, Todd had an employee that he found out was hooked on speed. However he was an incredible worker. In confronting the employee, we'll call Tom, Todd said he'd give him a chance under certain conditions, which of course depended on getting clean. Tom saw a copy of A.S. on Todd's desk. He asked about it and Todd gave him a rundown on the book and gave it to him to read. (We never loan things out, we either give it or keep it.) A monthe later, Tom had been clean for 2 weeks. Todd asked him if he had read the book. Tom replied he had, but he had "a million questions." Todd asked him which character he identified the most with. Tom said it was the mechanic who worked on the stalled train. Long story short: that was 25 years ago. I recently caught up to him on Facebook. Not the same guy. Not even close. He is married (2 kids) doing well, and is an NRA activist. He doesn't consider himself an Objectivist even though he has read all of Rand's fiction and keeps A.S. handy always. In signo vinces.

I will agree with you on the fact that it is so relieving to find other people who enjoy Atlas Shrugged as much as you do. I would always tell people that my favorite book is Atlas Shrugged and most people would just give me a funny look. But I realize that when I started college that there were other students my age who have also read the book and agree with the ideas in it.

I am thinking more like someone going along blindly in life as most people do and then they read Atlas Shrugged. It completely changes their perspective. We are a threat to the establishment.

I would have offered to help but not my strength either. I like to think I know a good idea when I hear it though and think this has possibilities. Finding the right person or group to pull it off would be the challenge. :)

Thank you Ed. Wish I was creative enough to write it.

You may be on to something Rich. Good idea!

Does anyone in the Gulch know Dinesh D'souza or Josh Gilbert?

I agree. It could even be a fictional story with all the references to the book and how those people are living the philosophy. This kind of thing isn't my genius, but I have a few ideas spinning in my head.

I think so. It is a powerful message and with the current state of our economy and corrupt government it should be easy to understand.

Rich would a well-made documentary work as well? It might have a wider impact if shown on youtube and other social media.

Thanks Pirate. I think it would be a way of showing off the Philosophy without being constrained by the book itself. It could be set in our current time period and could draw in a whole new generation of AS fans.

Exactly. Enough references to the book that we pick up on it but not enough to spoil it.

I really like this idea. I noticed a contradiction during the releases of the three movies, some Rand followers were over critical of the movie. They focused on things that were lost during the transition to screen, and things they found not strictly accurate. However, even pedantic fans would identify with a movie about the books effects on fictional people.
Another effect would be to get more people to read AS for the first time, so it would be important to limit the spoilers in this movie. To be successful, I think it would be important that the AS references are blended into an independently good story, otherwise it would feel like a movie-length promo.

An interesting twist Rich. Perhaps some of our great Gulch writers should start on a screen play.