The Ayn Rand Shield for America

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

The Ayn Rand Shield for America

I hope this thread grows. I believe it will.

The purpose is to show where Ayn Rand's ideas penetrated deep enough in the political culture to serve as a shield against the current communist threat to America, the stolen 2020 election, the biological warfare underway, and so on.

Since I read a great deal and watch a lot of videos, I have seen Rand mentioned in several places relevant to current political affairs I did not expect.

So, I got to thinking, this trend needs a thread to document some of it.

I'm going to start with one example. I hope this thread grows long with others.

 

American Marxism
by Mark Levin

This book came out on July 13, 2021 and is already a massive bestseller. On Amazon, as of today, there are over 3,000 reviews, most of them 5 stars.

And Ayn Rand? Well, Levin discusses her in the the bulk of Chapter 5 about manmade climate change and its relationship to the attempted Marxist takeover of the USA. And he discusses her in a few other places. He even quoted George Reisman and his book on capitalisms. 

Levin doesn't just sling a phrase of Rand's here and there. He emphasizes that Rand talked about man's mind being the principle item attacked by Marxism. He talked about man's mind and Rand's defense of it. As if that were something normal.

 

The best part is that he talked about Rand in the same tone of voice he talked about all the authors he discussed. No qualifications. No special explanations. She was treated as a good solid source of great ideas and nothing more (or less).

That led me to thinking... Rand has finally arrived in the mainstream, not as a revolutionary, but as a member of the top part of America's intellectual wealth. The love-hate frame is gone. Oh, that stuff is still around on the fringe, but now Rand is an American classic, much more American than the figurehead of an isolated movement called Objectivism.

That makes her a shield against the current communist attacks. 

Read American Marxism if you can. I found it by accident in my Scribd account in audiobook form and I immediately devoured it in two days.

If you have worked to spread Rand's ideas in the culture, this one should give you a nice feeling inside.

I would qualify that with a comment about the danger of communism, but I honestly think that danger is going to go away before too long. Yes, it is still dangerous. And it is still deadly. But the resistance here in America is too great of it to win, even with all the crap they are throwing at us.

One of the reasons communism will fail is the intellectual shield Rand built. 

Levin's book shows just how deeply rooted that shield is.

Michael

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

I have a friend who sent me an email with a nice improvement on my phrase.

The Intellectual Shield Rand Built

She's right, too. It would make a nice book title.

Michael

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Here's a leftie I like (despite abhorring his politics) mentioning Ayn Rand in the tone I'm talking about.

Jimmy Dore:

 

The context is that he is bashing Pelosi for pointing out that people who's kids are not going to college may not want to pay for the college of the kids of others.

Here's the quote by Jimmy Dore (at about 1:54):

Quote

Only in the United States could somebody who channels Ayn Rand this hard call themselves a progressive and be believed by anyone.

 

There's also another moment a little later (at about 4:28). Jimmy is referring to student debt and the way Pelosi is talking about it.

Quote

Jimmy Dore: She says relieving people of this obligation. She won't say debt. 

Ron Placone: She won't say it. She'll say obligation, which again: that puts it...

Both: On you!

Ron Placone: This is you. This is your obligation. My Atlas is Shrugging.

 

They got the concept right, too.

Even from their befuddled premise, they got the concept right.

And what's this befuddled premise, pray tell? That's easy. Taking unearned money by force from others is OK. You just have to have good intentions and give it to others who need it to make it OK. After all, two wrongs does make a right.

They don't realize how treating Rand as a normal cultural reference and articulating her idea is a perfect shield against what they are proposing. Most people will hear what they are saying and, if they think about this at all, will think, I certainly don't want to pay for the college of other people's kids. That's a lot of money.

 

Michael

[Peter]

Have a nice Fourth of July and thanks to all who post to Objectivist Living. I proudly served my country and I profoundly thank Ayn Rand for loving our Constitution, (she did!), and our unique land, and values. “Stand up!” Peter

Lee Greenwood

If tomorrow all the things were gone
I worked for all my life
And I had to start again
With just my children and my wife
I'd thank my lucky stars
To be livin' here today
'Cause the flag still stands for freedom
And they can't take that away.

And I'm proud to be an American
Where at least I know I'm free
And I won't forget the men who died
Who gave that right to me
And I'd gladly stand up
Next to you and defend her still today
'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land
God bless the USA

From the lakes of Minnesota
To the hills of Tennessee
Across the plains of Texas
From sea to shining sea
From Detroit down to Houston
And New York to L.A.
Well, there's pride in every American heart
And it's time we stand and say

That I'm proud to be an American
Where at least I know I'm free
And I won't forget the men who died
Who gave that right to me
And I'd gladly stand up
Next to you and defend her still today
'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land (love this land)
God bless the USA

And I'm proud to be an American
Where at least I know I'm free
And I won't forget the men who died
Who gave that right to me
And I'd gladly stand up
Next to you and defend her still today
'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land (love this land)
God bless the USA.

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Happy 4th of July to you, too, Peter.

And to all of you who grace OL with your presence.

Long live America and freedom (with some Ayn Rand thrown in)...

 

Michael

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

How was your 4th of July?

Lively?

Michael