NYT - Ayn Rand’s Literature of Capitalism

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Ayn Rand’s Literature of Capitalism

By HARRIET RUBIN

September 15, 2007

New York Times

Seeing this article in the Business section of the New York Times was quite a treat. The heading on the Drudge Report linking to the article was "IN AYN RAND, CEOs FIND DEFENSE OF SUCCESS..."

From the article (the very beginning):

One of the most influential business books ever written is a 1,200-page novel published 50 years ago, on Oct. 12, 1957. It is still drawing readers; it ranks 388th on Amazon.com’s best-seller list. (“Winning,” by John F. Welch Jr., at a breezy 384 pages, is No. 1,431.)

The book is “Atlas Shrugged,” Ayn Rand’s glorification of the right of individuals to live entirely for their own interest.

It really is a new day.

Michael

[georgedonnelly]

I found the article to be shallow. I don't think the writer is very familiar with Rand's works.

Also, it seems that a lot of people hear about or even read Atlas Shrugged and come away with some wrong-headed ideas about Objectivism. Some people think the message is 'greed is good' or 'corporations rule'.

I wish more people would read the philosophy books, and not just stop at AS or Fountainhead.

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

George,

You should see what the NYT normally publishes about Rand. This article falls within the category of an about-face. Within that context, the shallowness doesn't bother me one bit.

Michael