The Ayn Rand Renaissance

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

The Ayn Rand Renaissance

By Dr. Yaron Brook

FOX News Blogs: FOX Forum

April 20th, 2009

From the blog post:

The U.S. economy is in shambles. Government intervention into the economy is increasing by the day. Americans are alarmed and desperate for answers: What caused the crisis? What is the solution? That might sound like a description of today’s world, but in fact it’s sketch of the world of Ayn Rand’s 1957 classic novel “Atlas Shrugged.”

“Atlas Shrugged” has exploded in popularity in recent months. Pundits talk about a widespread “Going Galt” movement inspired by the novel, book sales are higher than at any time in the novel’s 51-year history, and at virtually every anti-tax day tea party you could find protest signs referencing the novel or its author.

One of the people I like the best in the upper echelon of ARI is Dr. Yaron Brook. I have some disagreements with him (especially about his scorched earth first approach to war), but he is doing so many things right, it gives me the feeling that the situation actually is changing.

Dr. Brook is an official contributor to the FOX Forum blog. Good on him. This is the kind of mainstream adherence that needs to be done to get the ideas out. He is a contributor, not just a guest. Frankly I have watched Dr. Brook's achievements from a distance with growing respect.

Another point. Look how he ends the article:

To show how Rand’s ideas help make sense of today’s events, and to show how her radical new conception of morality–what she called rational selfishness–can help return us to the Founders’ ideal of limited government, the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights regularly speaks and writes on current events.

Although he is plugging ARI's outrereach Center, (which is what he should do in this context), he is also doing it in the right manner (which is also what he really should do in this context). He is making an invitation to readers to see and think for themselves instead of giving them a predigested opinion or false information. He is not focusing on one tribe over another. He is not saying that Rand's ideas have to totally replace society or that ARI (or Rand) is the one true path to salvation.

He is explicitly saying how Rand's ideas can help. This implies respect for the reader because it implies that the reader already bears a respectable mind with respectable thoughts in it without any previous input from him (or Rand). He is essentially telling readers that they are good and he knows a way to help them improve on that good. Not that they are evil for wishing others well.

And he leaves the decision about what to think up to the readers.

This is not typical of what I have read coming from ARI quarters. It is an excellent exercise in effective persuasion. I expect this approach to have far more impact than ARI's usual approaches (from what I have read). Actually it is effective as is evidenced by Dr. Brook's growing prominence in the mainstream media.

I do hope this trend continues and others adopt it.

Michael

[Jonathan]

I also like Brook. From what I've seen of him lately, he usually comes across as very rational, confident, informed and focused. He's been giving me the impression of someone who's good at bringing light to a darkened space, where, in contrast, past spokesmen for Objectivism have come across more as cranks and petty cult leaders who were more interested pointing their fingers in condemnation than in enlightening and inspiring people. Brook seems to be much better than other Opiners at getting to the point, sticking to the point, and making it interesting.

J

[Ruth]

He is explicitly saying how Rand's ideas can help. This implies respect for the reader because it implies that the reader already bears a respectable mind with respectable thoughts in it without any previous input from him (or Rand). He is essentially telling readers that they are good and he knows a way to help them improve on that good. Not that they are evil for wishing others well.

Agree. "You are all dumb" has often been the catch-cry of modern day libertarians/Objectivists. Brook is changing that. Certainly Rand never thought the populace was stupid.

[Chris Grieb]

Ayn Rand frequently expressed a very high opinion of Americans. Her article "Don't Let it Go" shows that.

Edited April 25, 2009 by Chris Grieb

[Michelle]

I loved this the moment I read about this two weeks ago. It's a great idea.

Now, here's what would be really neat: promoting this campaign to keep ATLAS SHRUGGED in public prominence, and then using this to boost the excitement over a movie, which could be released around the next election season when Obama will undoubtedly be running again.

This couldn't have come at a better time. We're approaching a time when Ayn Rand will start being laughed at and dismissed more viciously than usual because of the fever that is taking over the country.

If it keeps up like this, we could see this country turning into Venezuela after a few decades of erosion.

That's not something I'll allow.

Edited May 27, 2009 by Michelle R

[Chris Grieb]

I wanted to note that Amazon shows Atlas in their top 100 bestseller. Atlas is the oldest book on the list except for Dale Carnegie "How to Win Friends and Influence People".

[Reidy]

According to Barbara Branden, Rand's editor at Bobbs-Merrill accepted The Fountainhead and turned down the Carnegie book and never regretted either decision.