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Jennifer M Koskinen's avatar

I honestly can't help but seeing the myriad of ways Rand would absolutely eviscerate the current administration and vehemently reject everything that has been done in the past decade or so by republicans in her name. I've always appreciated your take on her writings.

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Diamond-Michael Scott's avatar

Yes. We need a modern day bold figure like Rand to help take the lead in terms of this narrative

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Jennifer M Koskinen's avatar

FWIW that’s kinda what I wrote about this morning (how we need better, more creative, even self-motivated narratives around how government IS necessary to serve and create infrastructures and safety for people)

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Diamond-Michael Scott's avatar

Necessary yes. But it badly needs to evolve for present day times. I believe we need a creative reimagining of what government looks like that is collaborative vs autocratic.

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Jennifer M Koskinen's avatar

Yes that’s also what I wrote (in my substack from today, to be clear!)

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MacFinnian Aisling Fíodóir's avatar

It’s interesting to think while reading these books I never thought I’d have to deal with it in this lifetime. Now we’re faced with it. To answer your question, I will not succumb my mind to any disrespectful leader. My mind is my own. I will until my last breath be who I am. I’ve been told I have a problem with authority. It true if that authority is disrespectful. If they thinks I owe them their allegiance. Especially when they’ve done nothing to help me, but try to belittle, gaslight and wipe out my communities. An authority that’s only trying to help themselves *cough cough* Trump (he didn’t want to go to jail)

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Medivh's avatar

I've never written a substack comment but I just feel so excited and seen by reading an article about one of my favourite writers by someone who understands her the way I do. I always get nervous when someone brings her up because the only people that do are either idolizing some comically capitalist ideal of her (without taking her history into account at all) or mocking her and people that read her, but this was so on point, thank you. I did reread We the Living fairly recently but I do miss Kira and her relatable spirit... maybe I should revisit her anyway.

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Richard Salsman's avatar

Utter nonsense. Rand is great, the supreme pro-capitalist, but Trump is no dictator. Sure, he’s not a pure capitalist, but he’s more the capitalist than any of his rivals — in either party. Note the irrational resistance he’s getting while trying to reduce and even dismantle the unconstitutional, authoritarian 4th branch of government — the obscene, fascistic, regulatory state. Not what a tyrant does.

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Elizabeth Grace Martinez's avatar

ok I have to read it now. I think The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged are phenomenal books, and that Atlas Shrugged might be one of the greatest novels ever written. I am in no way a fan of Randian politics, but Atlas Shrugged does have some valid criticisms of capitalism.

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Meant for the Mountains's avatar

Probably, but I am seeing lots of similarities with Atlas Shrugged. The libertarians love Ayn Rand, and do not seem to have ever encountered life as most of us know it.

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