Alan Saracevic has written a somewhat-goofy article for the San Francisco Chronicle, discussing Ayn Rand’s 100th birthday and the fact that there’s even ? get this ? a DATING SERVICE for admirers of her novels.
Here’s an excerpt from the article (“Objectifying online dating among Ayn Rand fans“):
Her books have sold more than 30 million copies, with hundreds of thousands still flying off the shelves every year. Her philosophies have influenced some of the most powerful business figures of this generation, including Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan and CNN founder Ted Turner.
At her centennial, she is as relevant to societal discourse as any author of the 20th century.
So I set off on the path of research and discovery only to be waylaid, yet again, by the lowest possible common denominator, while a copy of “Atlas” sat forlornly on my nightstand.
Get this: There’s a dating service for Ayn Rand followers. On the Internet, of course. It’s tied to the Atlasphere, an online site where Rand followers post philosophical essays and links to related material.
The site is fascinating, the essays intriguing, but the dating service got me going.
So lemme get this straight — a society dedicated to rugged individualism and self-interest also tries to set people up on dates?
Makes sense on a certain level. Who better to discuss the burden of welfare with than a like-minded colleague, eh?
Apparently it works. Atlasphere boasted 5,597 members as of Friday, with 2,157 of them posting dating profiles.
Actually, I’m not sure whether the relatively high percentage of Rand- ites seeking dates proves that the service works or that it doesn’t work, but that’s beside the point. Just picturing the dates is a full breakfast, so to speak.
Joe: It’s a pleasure to meet you, Jane. I thought we’d go to a little Thai place I know up the coast.
Jane: I prefer Chinese, Joe. Goodbye.
And the article ends with this:
OK, OK. I’ve had my fun. And before all you randy Randovians pick up the pen and start sending the evil my way, lemme say this:
You guys won. The world is yours. People talk about capitalism, and communism, and existentialism and evangelism.
But it was objectivism all along — and with a capital “O” — that carried through the century and won over the hearts and minds.
Most of us just didn’t realize it.
For more details (and bad Objectivism jokes) see the full article.