The Atlasphere just got a call from Anchor/Reporter Kris Sims, from Talk Radio 580 CFRA News in Ottawa.
She recently read Atlas Shrugged (loved it) and will be producing a segment on the Ayn Rand centennial for the afternoon drive show with Rob Snow this Thursday. Check it out if you’re one of our members in Ottawa or surrounding areas.
Incidentally, according to the CFRA web site, Kris herself can be heard reading the news on Talk Radio 580 CFRA on weekend and weekday evenings.
UPDATE: The segment is scheduled to run from 4:30 to 5pm, Thursday, February 10th.
Category: The Atlasphere
All things Atlasphere can be found here, columns, podcasts, interesting anecdotes, and more.
The Fountainhead Soundtrack, by Max Steiner
The soundtrack for The Fountainhead movie has been recently released on audio CD, with a lavish 32-page color booklet.
Chris Sciabarra wrote an insightful review of the recording for Navigator, including this excerpt from the liner notes:
Steiner’s score suggests that he felt a strong affinity for The Fountainhead. There is, to be sure, no documentary evidence to prove this (indeed, all that we have on paper are Steiner’s notes to his orchestrator, Murray Cutter). However, the music, especially the heroic Roark theme, so perfectly conveys the feel of a Rand novel, it is hard not to think that Steiner was personally moved by the story, and its message. Steiner uses his music to convey important information to the audience. For example, he establishes subtle “links” between characters through the music…. Steiner demonstrates an insight into the metaphysical nature of the “evil” that opposes Roark…. His use of the “redemption theme” is carefully placed and always conveys what Rand intends. There is even a musical link made between Dominique’s malevolent sense of life, and Wynand’s tragic flaw. All in all, the evidence suggests that Steiner had a strong, intuitive insight into what Rand was up to.
Check out Sciabarra’s full review for additional information.
The Miami Herald: Ayn Rand's Influence
The Miami Herald has printed an article by Phil Kloer (“Many hearts still held captive by Ayn Rand“) examining Rand’s influence among her readers. It begins:
Fay Stephenson’s old copy of Atlas Shrugged was turned into soggy mush when her basement flooded and ruined a bunch of stored books. Bill Fallin keeps his copy of the novel in his desk and re-reads sections occasionally. Ron Mahre read The Fountainhead in college and plans to give his battered copy to his daughter Bethany, 17.
Like a first rock concert or a first slow dance, some people never forget their first encounter with Ayn Rand, the passionate, controversial author of Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead, creator of the philosophy called objectivism, patron saint of libertarians (both capital “L” and small “l”) and galvanizer of several generations of intellectually inclined teenagers.
See the full article for more information.
Ayn Rand and the Atlasphere in San Fran Chronicle
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.
Peggy Noonan: Ayn Rand's Sister Comes to America
In an Op-Ed in The Wall Street Journal, Peggy Noonan discusses the favorability of President Bush’s proposed Social Security Reforms to young people because of their eagerness towards having options, and is reminded of the story of when Ayn Rand’s sister came to America:
She walked into an American supermarket for the first time and was overwhelmed: too much choice, a thousand kinds of cereal, doesn’t it all give you a headache? Rand was impatient; her sister came from the land of No Choice, and wasn’t up to the battle. A young person of course would not be overwhelmed by options but revel in them.
Read the full article if you’d like.
Chris Sciabarra on the Ayn Rand Centenary
Did you know that illustrated versions were made of both The Fountainhead and Anthem, with Ayn Rand’s approval and involvement?
Chris Sciabarra has posted links on his blog to a number of his different essays on the Ayn Rand Centenary, including the PDF version of his article “The Illustrated Rand,” from The Journal of Ayn Rand Studies.
See the latter for full details about the illustrated versions of Anthem and The Fountainhead.
New Ayn Rand Centenary Web Site, from ARI
From the Ayn Rand Institute:
Ayn Rand, one of the most inspiring and controversial writers, was born on February 2, 1905. To celebrate her life and achievements, the Ayn Rand Institute (ARI) is inaugurating a special centenary Web site.
The new Web site will be updated with audio and video of the events that will take place throughout 2005. In addition, the site will soon feature materials from the collections of the Ayn Rand Archives, as well as other special content.
We hope you will enjoy visiting aynrand100.org and that you will join us in celebrating the Ayn Rand Centenary.
Hopes and Fears for Bush's Second Term
Reason magazine has published a roundup of commentary on Bush’s second term in office by some well-known and intelligent commentators. Check it out if you’re interested in a pro-freedom take on the subject. (found via Instapundit)
On Point: Life and Legacy of Ayn Rand
Ayn Rand makes an appearance on another NPR show: “On Point”. In this hour long show aired on February 1, several guests discuss Rand’s life and her legacy on American culture and politics. Guests listed as appearing:
–Scott McLemmee, freelance writer
–Edward Hudgins of The Objectivist Center
–James Sterba, professor of philosophy, University of Notre Dame
–Barbara Branden, biographer and former friend and colleague
–Jack Beatty, senior editor at The Atlantic Monthly
Listen to the show…
NPR: Marking the Ayn Rand Centennial
In the “Book Bag” segment of the February 2 edition of NPR’s show “Day to Day”, Nick Gillespie, editor of Reason magazine, presents his thoughts on Ayn Rand’s legacy in American culture. Gillespie notes many of the places that Rand has popped up in culture from The Simpsons to Alan Greenspan. Gillespie also discusses what he calls her “disheartening personal life”.
Listen to the audio commentary…