Stephen Colbert Loves Ayn Rand (VIDEO)

In last night's episode of "The Word" Stephen Colbert praised Ayn Rand for her novel "Atlas Shrugged," a favorite of conservative commentators that blames government spending on social programs for the downfall of the country. Sales of the book have been on the rise since Obama came into office, proving that "things have gotten so desperate, Americans are actually reading."

Colbert has wholeheartedly accepted Rand's philosophy and wants to live on an island with the CEOs, hedge fund managers, House Republicans and TV pundits.

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Comments

[WasteNJ]

Well in the book, "Rapture" wasn't an island, but whatever. I read the book and enjoyed it as fiction, and the copy I have I got used, it was printed in the late 50's or early 60's.

One thing that threw me off was inside the book there was a card you could fill out to "join" her "movement". That was the point I realized what I was reading could pass as some cultist ideology handbook, for well-to-do "victims" of the underclass.

It's so absurd that people actually try to apply it to real life, they might as well be Scientologists.

[touchman]

Would someone please provide an example of any act that is NOT done in one's self interest. Selfishness is not antithetic to "doing unto others as you would have them do unto you", but is a prerequisite of it as evidenced by the statement's subject, "you" - very selfish statement. Hurting others is still hurting others no matter in who's interest it is done. "Self-sacrifice" as preached by many religionists (including the religion of government) is antithetic to self and, therefore, is antithetic to all that is good and moral. For instance, helping your neighbor is done in one's self interest because one realizes that helping the neighbor helps them to get along in the long run - this can not be forced via religion or government. This knowledge requires much thinking beyond government­al/religio­us ideas. Turn on your brain...you will see that it is inside us all.

[kempnerboy07]

The last 20 plus years of Mother Theresa's life... Self-serving bi***.

[larry278]

When a friend's bride constantly gushed about Ayn Rand during their wedding reception, I knew that the marriage was going to end in divorce.

[Wendy Johnson]

30 years ago when I used to be a conservative, Objectivists were the weirdo loony-pants characters at the fringe of the action. I was a Young Republican at USC, and there'd be about 50 people at our meetings, about 5 or so at theirs. And their guys didn't wash enough. Now they're taking over the mainstream of conservatism?

The GOP is definitely screwed.

[regulargal]

Well, I love hippie facism, as opposed to conservative, Irish Spring, facism. : )

[kurd55]

Yer right/correct! They are a joke!

[Samalabear]

One of the best "word" segments ever, especially when it followed more of the Stewart-Cramer takedown.

[regulargal]

I find it hilarious that conservatives are so intrigued by Rand because she was wildly pro-choice, "An embryo has no rights. Rights do not pertain to a potential, only to an actual being." She also had no religion, "Faith is extremely detrimental to human life: it is the negation of reason."

[ari burling]

the HISTORY section

[ari burling]

I'm a huge fan of Rand. I have a whole bookshelf devoted to her writing.

Read Ayn's biography. One sees her philosophy didn't work all that well for her. Her personal life was a mess. Her emphatic pursuit of her own stated ideals ruined the lives of those closest to her. It was a real eye opener for me to read about her life, and as much as I loved her books, it helped me to understand that the books were one thing, and the practical, the everyday - different story.

You never see Dagny Taggart running a 30 to 1 margin on a leveraged position with others peoples life savings. Dagny wanted to run her business to the best of her ability- Does that include shipping jobs overseas? Or cooking the books to show a profit when in reality there is a hidden staggering loss? Many of our American captains of industry sound more like James Taggart to me.

Ayns writing is powerful because it never takes into consideration anything other than her 'ideal'. Was there ever a discussion about Ediie Willer's 401K? Or to put it in todays' real world example, that after working for TT his whole life, he found himself in retirement and his 401K gone, lost by a fraudulent and corrupt banking system? How about a single non- white character? Ayn's world is a world under glass... Life is more complex.

I would recommend a book from a different section of the library - the

[red or dead]

"Read Ayn's biography. One sees her philosophy didn't work all that well for her. Her personal life was a mess. Her emphatic pursuit of her own stated ideals ruined the lives of those closest to her"

This much is obvious from a cursory reading of "Objectivism" at Wikipedia.

[WasteNJ]

Good point about the Dagny Taggart / James Taggart similarities to today's CEO's. I don't know how you made it through a whole shelf worth of her books though.

[aweissnet]

The top earners in this country don't do much work. A work slowdown on their part bodes good times for the rest of us.

[brummie]

All these Conservatives (in the video) claiming to have read Rand is like Palin claiming to read The Economist.

[nettyspagetti]

Or any publication

[SignOfTheDollar]

It's clear that Atlas Shrugged is an idealized novel, and that nouns from the novel cannot directly carry over to match exactly everyday usage. The successful people are not like some of today's CEOs who do not earn a profit, ask for a bail out, and spend the money as a bonus for themselves. Ayn Rand does not ever call for rewarding failure. She also very clearly does not say wealth proves superiority as many of her characters whose wealth were ill-gotten were ultimately ruined. In this respect, I think Stephen Colbert has taken her ideas out of context.
Yet as far as selfishness goes, he is accurate for the most part. Ayn Rand absolutely does say you should look after yourself first. She of course has a good reason: that self-sacrifice cannot fulfill the human desire for accomplishment. It is against human nature to self-sacrifice (I believe): how many people can really love their neighbors as themselves? Thus through preaching self-sacrifice, we are discouraging all values. If children find they cannot follow the central tenet, why should they try to observe the others? However, given that too many are making her out to be a monster, let me say that what she says is not too hoard food and watch others starve; she says you cannot give up the bread you need for your survival so that others may survive.

[kempnerboy07]

Where's the cut-off? If I have bread for a year and you have no bread, am I justified in denying you nutrition to preserve my future benefit?

[WasteNJ]

I wonder if you'd feel the same if everybody else became ultimately selfish.

When I step in front of you in line at the bank, don't say anything, because I'm looking out for me. When I cut you off in traffic and force you to crash, and then I drive away, don't say anything because I'm looking out for myself.
When I walk up to you on the street and push a knife into your chest and take your wallet, don't complain because that's what I needed to do for myself at that moment.
I'm just going Galt! Screw what you feel, right?

[johnb3950]

Well done, Stephen! Yes, I know some of the posters find some of Rand's thoughts "interesting." Nothing can redeem the basic sociopathic attitude.

Isn't it wonderful how easy it is to find clips of truly nauseating stuff on Fox? For any intelligent commentators, it's the gift that keeps on giving.

[SignOfTheDollar]

sociopathic? In what way is her writing immoral or anti-social? She supports society based on fair exchange of effort and reward. She doesn't ask anyone to destroy society; in Atlas Shrugged, society is destroyed by the people who tried to gain without doing work. And surely fairness and justice cannot be called immoral: these concepts are the very definition of morality.

[Badfickle]

Atlas Shrugged is a NOVEL. She can invent any sort of event to happen. i find her philosophy deeply immoral. It is nothing but the idolatry of the self.

[red or dead]

Rand is ridiculous. Anybody who's reading her has either 1) read everything else there is to read, 2) is an i.di.ot, 3) is researching the phenomenon of Americ.an stupi.dity.

[stevehamlin]

'A woman came up to me and said
"I'd like to poison your mind
With wrong ideas that appeal to you
though I am not unkind . . ." '
from "Whistling in the Dark"
by THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS

[DWGRadio]

I have read Atlas Shrugged, and by read I mean sat down and read every word, cover to cover. Not listen to it on tape which counts as reading to too many people.

Several points:

1) Colbert is providing an oversimplification of Rand's book.
2) Whether or not you agree with Objectivisim, it's a great story.
3) (This one may not make sense unless you've read the novel.) What is going on right now is not the result of an Objectivist viewpoint. Hank Reardon had too much integrity to loot his company or compromise the quality of what he did for a quick buck. While the heroes of Atlas Shrugged were greedy bastards, nothing in the book justifies business leaders using manipulation to increase profits. It is all purely market driven.
4) Because the idea of the book is purely market driven, it is myopic. It does not take into account the Kenneth Lays of the world, the producers compromising quality to ship labor off to China.
5) The book must be read in the proper context - it is a primal scream against communism, specifically the Soviet Union.
I do not agree with all of Rand's philosophy, but there are merits to parts of it. Read the book and decide for yourself.

[alexis d]

There are merits to that guy Magic's book on how to pick up chicks. He's still totally skeevy.