The Joss Whedon fans have discovered Monica White’s wonderful review of Firefly, at the Atlasphere.
Judging from the comments, some of Whedon’s fans have missed the boat regarding the value of Ayn Rand’s novels.
But not all of them, apparently: Our new member signups spiked noticeably this morning (by about fifteen more signups than normal, so far), which suggests at least some of Joss Whedon’s fans are also fans of Ayn Rand’s novels.
Category: The Atlasphere
All things Atlasphere can be found here, columns, podcasts, interesting anecdotes, and more.
CRF: Dodgers GM Paul DePodesta
According to an article that originally ran in the Press Telegram (now reprinted here), Los Angeles Dodgers General Manager Paul DePodesta is a serious fan of Ayn Rand’s writings:
During an hour-long interview, Paul DePodesta mentions convictions often, and reveals the famous novelist, Ayn Rand, and the 26th president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, as individuals who have had influences on his life.
“I have DVDs on Ayn Rand and have read most of her books,” he says of the author whose most acclaimed book, “The Fountainhead,” stressed the virtue of American individualism. “Howard Roark (the main character in ‘The Fountainhead’) was a guy loyal to his own ideals and principles and he eventually triumphs over every form of spiritual collectivism. He had big…” [Quote cut in the original, for some reason. –JZ]
DePodesta also has a printout on his desk of a quote from Theodore Roosevelt in regard to criticism.
He admits it serves as a source of inspiration for him, and he reads it to me verbatim:
“It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.”
See the full article for additional information about the celebrity Ayn Rand fan.
Professional Objectivists on Election 2004
Still haven’t decided who to vote for this year? Some prominent Objectivists are offering to help clear the fog.
In his lecture earlier this year on the DIM Hypothesis, Leonard Peikoff came out in favor of voting for John Kerry, because of George W. Bush’s religious fanaticism. In fact, Peikoff arguest that it is immoral to abstain from voting against Bush.
Objectivist psychotherapist Michael Hurd, on the other hand, has a different take. According to his article “Looking Ahead While Living Today,” Bush is the lesser of two evils:
If the choice is between John Kerry, who almost certainly will never use military force to vigorously defend American interests versus George W. Bush, who will sometimes do so, then this is more important to me than whether or not the candidate approves of prayer or will appoint judges who are against abortion.
See the respective arguments from Drs. Peikoff and Hurd for their full rationale.
New Issue of 'Navigator'
The latest issue of The Objectivist Center’s monthly journal Navigator is out.
In ‘The Problem of Animal Rights,’ I discuss and critcize the arguments that philosophers have made in favor animal rights.
I think that the proper basis for individual rights?which I take to be Ayn Rand’s theory of rights?excludes extending rights or legal protections to animals…. This article will simply describe that theory and then employ it to rebut arguments that claim an extension of rights to animals is morally required.
Also in this issue, Robert Campbell reviews Owen Flanagan’s The Problem of the Soul in ‘What Does Science Say about the Mind?‘ And in ‘John Rennie: Enlightenment Engineer,’ Roger Donway profiles the man who rebuilt London Bridge.
See the full issue of Navigator for these and other articles.
Bernstein on the Olympic Games
Ayn Rand Institute writer Andrew Bernstein has published an op-ed on the Olympic games, titled “Representing the Best.” The article begins:
The Olympic Games could only have been born (and reborn) in a culture that venerates individual human achievement and worldly success.
The return of the Olympic Games to the country of their birth is an appropriate reminder of their deeper meaning. The Ancient Greeks founded the games because they valued the spectacle of a great athlete striving for victory.
See the full article in the Washington Times.
Wanted: Objectivist Families
ABC recruiter Susie Banikarim (who tells me she has, herself, read all of Ayn Rand’s novels) extends the following invitation to members of the Atlasphere:
ARE YOU AN OBJECTIVIST?
Is Your Family Ready for Prime Time?
Is Your Family Ready for Prime Time?
ABC is currently working on a groundbreaking new series that celebrates the American family, based on a major award-winning British format.
The programs are portraits of American life and I am looking for a family that lives its life by the philosophy of Ayn Rand to participate.
If you are a two-parent family with young or teenage children, at least two of whom are over the age of eight, you can be on our show.
If you have ever wondered what it would be like to be part of a different family or if you have ever wanted an opporunity to share how your family does things with the world, this is the opportunity for you.
If you’re interested, please call me (Susie Banikarim, 212-404-1429) as soon as possible. We’re looking for families all the time.
The Concerto of Deliverance
Atlasphere member Monart Pon has commissioned and produced a new CD entitled Concerto of Deliverance, by John Mills-Cockell. The album was released on July 4, 2004.
The Concerto of Deliverance web page states that it?s a work inspired by Ayn Rand?s words in Atlas Shrugged describing such music. Readers of Atlas Shrugged would know that ?The Concerto of Deliverance? is the title of Chapter VI, Part III, and is what Richard Halley?s friends called his Fifth Concerto.
The web site for the album offers samples from the 79-minute work. Also on the site are profiles of the composer and contributors, a pre-production interview with the composer, and the post-production Composer?s Notes, as well as reviews by Objectivist musicians and philosophers.
UPDATE (Aug 12): Doug Wagoner has written a formal review of the Concerto of Deliverance for the Atlasphere.
Update on TOC Distance-Learning: Objectivism from the Source
The Objectivist Center website has more information available on its distance learning course: “Objectivism from the Source.”
Objectivism from the Source will teaching a systematic understanding of Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism, through a careful reading of core texts in which Rand explicates and applies it.
It will meet every Wednesday, 6:30 – 9 pm ET from September 15 to December 1, 2004 by a toll-free teleconference. (The day and time are subject to change) The course tuition is $180 ($85 for full-time students). This fee doesn’t include costs of books or materials. There is, however, no charge for the telephone call. A limited number of scholarships are available.
It is open to students, activists, scholars, and club members who want to deepen their grasp of the key elements of the philosophy. The application deadline is August 23. Application Information.
Notes on Whole Foods Owner John Mackey
Atlasphere member Will Wilkinson notes on his blog that his local Giant grocery store is lousy in just about every way a grocery store can be lousy:
Sure, it’s cheaper than my other local grocery, Whole Foods (libertarian-owned, I’m told), but I think I may be willing to add $10 to each bill in order to save myself the aggravation of standing in line while the check-out lady makes yet another historic attempt to break all known records in lethargy (while the manager, a creature rarely seen, camps in the fetid back room listening to “The Rest of the Story” on Paul Harvey News and Comment.) Whole Foods is often packed, yet I rarely wait more than five minutes. Did I mention that Giant is ugly, and that the produce is bad.
I don’t know anything about Giant, but I know something about Whole Foods. In the early 1990s they bought out Wellspring Grocery, the natural foods grocery store that I had worked at in high school. At the time, I remember reading that Whole Foods owner John Mackey called himself a “new-age libertarian environmentalist,” whatever that meant.
A little research on the ‘net shows that he’s a colorful character:
[W]hen left-leaning journalists began attacking him for resisting union demands last year, MacKey responded by putting together “Beyond Unions,” a 19-page summary of his libertarian views that included quotes from libertarian giants like Ludwig von Mises, Milton and Rose Friedman, Henry Hazlitt, and Robert Nozick.
Heh. And how did he arrive at such pro-freedom views? Reportedly by reading Ayn Rand, among other authors.
Kathy and I find ourselves doing more and more shopping at the Whole Foods here in Albuquerque. …Why? Because it’s the best store in town: incredible selection, immaculately kept, and friendly staff. Always teeming with happy shoppers and fresh, delicious food. (Viva Capitalism!)
Celebrity Rand Fans: Rock Trio Rush
You probably already know that the rock trio Rush (and especially its drummer Neil Peart) are long-time fans of Ayn Rand’s writings.
Bay-area TV station KTVU recently profiled the band while reviewing their latest tour. The review makes brief reference to Rush’s adaptation of the storyline from Ayn Rand’s novelette Anthem for the title track on their 70s-era album 2112.
The profile begins:
There aren’t many surviving acts from the ’70s who can boast the kind of durability and integrity that Canadian trio Rush can. In an era when KISS continues touring years after its alleged farewell jaunt and hires two imposters to take on the costumed personas of original members, Rush’s line-up of bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee, underrated guitar hero Alex Lifeson and drummer/lyricist Neil “The Professor” Peart has managed to stay intact for three decades while remaining true to the unique kind of virtuoso musicianship and thought-provoking hard rock that have become Rush trademarks.
See KTVU’s full Rush profile for further information about this terrific rock band.
(If you’re unfamiliar with Rush, but interested in exploring their work, I particularly recommend their albums Moving Pictures and Permanent Waves. These two albums were released at the height of Rush’s career, and are masterpieces of classic, guitar-driven rock.)