Hello everyone, the name's Radin. I'm sure that my story of becoming an Objectivist in it's core will sound trivial to many of you. I had made a mess of my values, basically was wasting my time not doing anything productive; never improving myself, without a clue what to do with my life. I was smart enough to see that something is not right, but not smart enough to see what is it exactly. I love literature and after reading time and time again how we're so imperfect and insignificant before the great face of "God"/"Nature"/$insert entity, I was about to conclude that after all it's true. That after all, maybe we really are what all the scientist/philosophers/preachers are saying and happiness is unnatural and unattainable for the humans. Fortunately, I was wrong. Few months ago, I was overcome with nostalgia and decided to play again some games I used to play while I was younger - System Shock 2 being one of them. Although I work intensely with computers, I'm not much of a gamer now and I wasn't keeping track of the news in gaming world. So I saw the the game in question has inspired a "spiritual successor" - Bioshock - influenced by (or with my current understanding should I say trying to vilify) the works of Ayn Rand. I've heard that name mentioned before, but since she was presented in very negative light (euphemistically said) being the conformist I was, I never actually took the time to research more deeply and read a single line. But as I was playing Bioshock, some of the words of the antagonist businessman sounded interesting to me and made sense, despite the attempts to make them sound evil. (I now find it ironic and amusing that a computer game, a means to evade reality has become the means to my full awakening and appreciation of the latter.) So I dumped the game and decided to read "Atlas Shrugged". Perhaps this won't be something surprising to you too, but I didn't slept that night. I just kept reading and reading, teetering in the struggle between the drive to reread some heavily underlined passages again and the wish to finish the book faster. I read it in one sitting. And although it's difficult to summarize how I felt then, if I had to do it with one word, that word would be "regret". I regretted that I haven't read it much sooner. Of course, this passed quickly and I took up to enrich my newfound understanding of the world by reading more of Miss Rand's works. I have the "privilege" of living in (ex)socialist country (Bulgaria), so I had the possibility to watch first hand the collectivist scum and their modus operandi - although I never had a complete understanding what motivates such creatures. Until now. Of course, I have much more to learn, but now I have a profound basic understanding that I lacked before (and that the "educational" system made sure to stop me from attaining). A few words about me - I'm currently studying Philology (about to graduate) and meanwhile learning several programming languages, since I love to work with computers and also because I don't want to be a part of the contemporary pseudointellectuals. I am a Classical music fan (my nickname is a favourite hero from a favourite opera ), like to read a lot and sometimes going around for a walk, philosophizing. I'm more of a lurker type poster and I'm here mostly to learn, so don't expect much postings from me. Thanks to everyone who has read this post... and Good Premises. ;)