Borderline Personality Disorder for Beginners

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Kori,

Dayaamm!

You lost your capital letters!

Michael

[BAMF]

k

Edited September 29, 2010 by Kori

[Selene]

Oh! Oh!

Kori is morphing into e.e. cummings!

Adam

[BAMF]

k

Edited September 29, 2010 by Kori

[Selene]

i dunno 'bout all that. i never considered much of a poet of myself.

A poet dat don't know it!

[Robert Campbell]

I wish we could have confirmation from Allan Blumenthal about that statement (everything in The Ayn Rand Cult is somewhat suspect) as well as his further thoughts about the matter.

But the paranoid, narcissistic, and borderline tendencies are all clear enough. As is the atypicality.

Fortunately, Ayn Rand was highly atypical, mostly in good ways ...

Robert Campbell

[Neil Parille]

Robert,

Best I can recall, this is the first we've heard from Ellen that Dr. Blumenthal has said he was misquoted in TARC.

Judging from PAR to TARC to ARWSM it sounds as if Dr. Blumenthal has become progressively more critical of (or perhaps more candid about) Rand vis-a-vis her psychology.

-Neil Parille

[Robert Campbell]

Neil,

I distrust TARC as a source because Jeff Walker is not a very good writer, his book is rather disorganized, and some of his arguments are absurd.

Ms. Stuttle's complaints about it should carry no weight whatsoever.

And when others have gotten access to Walker's original interviews (as Anne Heller has, in some cases), I have no problem with the interviews as sources.

Still, Allan Blumenthal could say a good deal more for publication if he wanted to. Apparently, he doesn't want to.

Robert Campbell

[Dennis Hardin]

Evidently Anne Heller agrees with Kori:

Lundborg: She was a speed freak, addicted to amphetamines for decades. Did that add to her irascibility?

Heller: Yes, it did.

In this interview, Heller seems much more negative on Rand than others I have seen, even suggesting that Frank O’Connor may have been “gay like his brother.” I don’t remember seeing that in her book. OMG.

Does anyone know if Lundborg is a trustworthy source?

BTW, I agree with Robert that Jeff Walker is not. On the other hand, if Blumenthal had been misrepresented, you would expect him to make a public statement to that effect.

EDIT: I took a look through Heller's book and did not find a reference to speculation about Frank O'Connor being gay.

Edited September 29, 2010 by Dennis Hardin

[BAMF]

k

Edited September 29, 2010 by Kori

[Ellen Stuttle]

Robert,

Best I can recall, this is the first we've heard from Ellen that Dr. Blumenthal has said he was misquoted in TARC.

What are you referring to?

Ellen

[Robert Campbell]

Dennis,

I asked Anne Heller about that Lundborg interview shortly after it came out.

She has disavowed it.

It's a good idea when being interviewed, particularly on a controversial topic, to make your own recording of the proceedings. I hope Ms. Heller has taken to doing that.

Robert Campbell

[Dennis Hardin]

Dennis,

I asked Anne Heller about that Lundborg interview shortly after it came out.

She has disavowed it.

It's a good idea when being interviewed, particularly on a controversial topic, to make your own recording of the proceedings. I hope Ms. Heller has taken to doing that.

Robert Campbell

Robert--I am very glad to hear you say that.

Heller's book does make it clear that Rand frequently used amphetamines to help her stay awake for extended periods while working to meet her publisher's deadlines. I'm not sure she would have qualified as a "speed freak," but such a chronic habit would inevitably impact a person's mood and disposition.

[BAMF]

anyone who takes speed on a regular basis is a speed freak. if you take it so much it affects your personality you are a speed freak. whenever you are on it, even once, you are a speed freak.

[Brant Gaede]

anyone who takes speed on a regular basis is a speed freak. if you take it so much it affects your personality you are a speed freak. whenever you are on it, even once, you are a speed freak.

You gave three examples, the first two were rendered unnecessary by the third. You neglected why it is wrong to be a "speed freak," whatever that is. A speed freak is someone who takes speed is circular and empty albeit prejorative consequent to the use of "freak." "Freak" is a word children use to enforce social conformity within their group.

--Brant

you should replace "B" with "b" in your signature line to conform to yourself

[BAMF]

Brant (brant),

i was only making a comment about people who use crystal meth, not making a judgment on whether it is right or wrong to be a speed freak or crystal meth user, whichever you wanna call it. so, i wouldn't say i was neglectful.

i would define 'freak' as more of a state of mind. kind of like...when i am on speed, i do not act as though i normally would, as my normal self. i am acting abnormally. freakishly. i no longer value the things i valued while i was sober.

-Kori

you neglected why it is wrong to use the word 'freak' to enforce social conformity within a group.

[Brant Gaede]

Brant (brant),

i was only making a comment about people who use crystal meth, not making a judgment on whether it is right or wrong to be a speed freak or crystal meth user, whichever you wanna call it. so, i wouldn't say i was neglectful.

i would define 'freak' as more of a state of mind. kind of like...when i am on speed, i do not act as though i normally would, as my normal self. i am acting abnormally. freakishly. i no longer value the things i valued while i was sober.

-Kori

you neglected why it is wrong to use the word 'freak' to enforce social conformity within a group.

Ayn Rand did not take crystal meth.

There are all kinds of ways to alter a state of mind from *normal*.

Maybe the group is wrong.

I once took an upper. I felt quite charged up mentally and physically. I suspected, though, that if I were to have taken an intelligence test I would have only been more sure my wrong answers were right.

--Brant