The Young and the Restless

[Peter]

The “Young and the Restless.”

Twenty years or so ago Arnold Greenspan, when he was still an unapologetic Objectivist, admitted taking off from 12:30 to 1:30 each week day. He would lie flat on his back, on the floor in his office, with his head on a pillow because of spinal problems, and watch each episode of “The Young and the Restless.”

I remember wanting to call him about some financial matter before he was in charge of the Federal Reserve, but he wanted two hundred and fifty dollars for a half hour’s consultation. That was too steep for me. So, by watching his show, he was potentially losing five hundred dollars per day!

I have watched it over the years, but I never became engrossed with the show. The one character who does fascinate me is Victor Newman. He is a ruthless industrialist in the mode of Ayn Rand’s industrialists “of the mind,” in Atlas Shrugged.

My wife Barbara is a bit iffy about my diagnosis that Victor could be a portrayal of an Objectivist. She thinks Victor Newman “walks the line,” not in a Johnny Cash sense of being virtuous, but more in the sense of a lawyer who walks the line. One step and the lawyer is on the legal left side of the line but then with his next step he is on the illegal right side of the line.

I agree that Victor always has his “legal” explanation for his ruthless illegal side, and he does occasionally get caught, but considering the regulatory climate and the ability of his opponents to bribe officials, does anyone else think the character Victor is the portrayal of an Objectivist?

Semper cogitans fidele,

Peter Taylor

[jeffrey smith]

The “Young and the Restless.”

Twenty years or so ago Arnold Greenspan, when he was still an unapologetic Objectivist, admitted taking off from 12:30 to 1:30 each week day. He would lie flat on his back, on the floor in his office, with his head on a pillow because of spinal problems, and watch each episode of “The Young and the Restless.”

I remember wanting to call him about some financial matter before he was in charge of the Federal Reserve, but he wanted two hundred and fifty dollars for a half hour’s consultation. That was too steep for me. So, by watching his show, he was potentially losing five hundred dollars per day!

I have watched it over the years, but I never became engrossed with the show. The one character who does fascinate me is Victor Newman. He is a ruthless industrialist in the mode of Ayn Rand’s industrialists “of the mind,” in Atlas Shrugged.

My wife Barbara is a bit iffy about my diagnosis that Victor could be a portrayal of an Objectivist. She thinks Victor Newman “walks the line,” not in a Johnny Cash sense of being virtuous, but more in the sense of a lawyer who walks the line. One step and the lawyer is on the legal left side of the line but then with his next step he is on the illegal right side of the line.

I agree that Victor always has his “legal” explanation for his ruthless illegal side, and he does occasionally get caught, but considering the regulatory climate and the ability of his opponents to bribe officials, does anyone else think the character Victor is the portrayal of an Objectivist?

Semper cogitans fidele,

Peter Taylor

I don't agree, from the bits and pieces I've seen of the show (my mother watches it almost every day). I think he's too greedy for power--that is, he tries to control other people for the sake of controlling them; he has a tendency not to give people the respect they deserve for their actions. His willingness to do illegal and unfair things is more than a simple ability to disregard arbitrary regulations, etc. Nor do I have the sense that he takes pride in a Rearden/Taggart sort of way in the product his company produces. It's just a way to make money for him, which is not what it was for Hank and Dagny--or, to take an example from within the Y&R universe--what the perfume company (Jebou?) is for Jack Abbott.

Jeffrey S.

[Peter]

Jeffrey wrote:

I think he's too greedy for power--that is, he tries to control other people for the sake of controlling them; he has a tendency not to give people the respect they deserve for their actions. His willingness to do illegal and unfair things is more than a simple ability to disregard arbitrary regulations, etc. Nor do I have the sense that he takes pride in a Rearden/Taggart sort of way in the product his company produces. It's just a way to make money for him, which is not what it was for Hank and Dagny--or, to take an example from within the Y&R universe--what the perfume company (Jebou?) is for Jack Abbott.

End quote

I thought they were saying, "Javeau."

So your Mom and you agree with my wife. Your Mom and my wife definitely sound knowledgeable, since they watch it all the time.

I just did not pick up on the nuances you suggest. Jack Abbott sounds more objective. I remember watching the show when another actor was playing Jack Abbott, and I remember nicknaming him “Jack Rabbit” for constantly pursuing different women. I will watch his character more closely now that I am retired.

I definitely do not admire people who do not give people the respect and glory they deserve for the work they do.

I watched the show on recorded video, way back when, more closely when Nikki was a stripper and she and Victor were an item.

I like the actor’s portrayal of Victor. I remember seeing him for the first time in a movie called, “Colossus: the Forbin Project,” which was a precursor in concept, to the terminator movies.

Thanks for answering. It doesn't look like this will be a hot topic.

Peter

From Wikipedia:

Dr. Charles A. Forbin is the chief designer of a secret government project. He and his team have built a gigantic and fantastically fabulously advanced supercomputer, called "Colossus", to control all of the United States and Allied nuclear weapons systems.

Colossus is built to be impervious to any attack, encased within a mountain and powered by its own nuclear reactor. When it is activated, the President of the United States announces its existence, proudly proclaiming it a perfect defense system that will ensure peace.

Almost immediately after the broadcast ends, Colossus displays a cryptic warning: "There is another system."

It is revealed that Colossus is referring to a Soviet project very similar to Colossus; a supercomputer called "Guardian" that controls Soviet nuclear weapons. Both computers promptly demand a link to allow them to communicate with one another.

Such a link is set up, whereupon the computers exchange messages of simple mathematics. Scientists and officials of both sides monitor the activity on video screens. The communications become increasingly complex, eventually extending into a math formerly unknown to mankind. Then the two machines begin communicating in a binary language that the scientists can't interpret.

This alarms the President and the leader of the Soviet Union, who agree to disconnect the link. Colossus and Guardian insist that the link be restored or "action will be taken." When this threat is ignored, Colossus and Guardian each launch a nuclear missile.

The U.S. and U.S.S.R. quickly restore the link. Colossus successfully intercepts the Soviet missile before it strikes.

However, the link is restored too late for the American missile to be stopped, and a Soviet oil complex and neighboring town are destroyed.

All that the scientists and officials can then do is watch helplessly as the two computers exchange information without limitation. The computers soon announce they have joined forces.

Colossus examines humans and finds them flawed and illogical. It was designed to look after man. Therefore it decides that man must be guided, must be controlled. For its own good.

Working by direct personal contact, the scientists and governments attempt to fight back, first by attempting to overload the computers. This attempt fails and Colossus identifies the individuals responsible, ordering their immediate executions.

Realizing that the computers were themselves impervious to attack (as originally intended), the governments undertake a plan to covertly disarm the nuclear missiles, one by one — a process which, using the normal maintenance and servicing schedules, will take three years. Unfortunately for them, Colossus detects this plot and responds by detonating two missiles in their silos.

In the end, Colossus broadcasts a speech to all countries, declaring itself the ruler of the world. Under its authority, war will be abolished and problems such as famine, disease and overpopulation will be solved. "The human millennium will be a fact."

In a final remark, addressed to Dr. Forbin, the all-powerful Colossus predicts: "In time, you will come to regard me not only with respect and awe, but with love." Dr. Forbin replies: "Never."

[edit] Cast

Eric Braeden as Dr. Charles Forbin

Susan Clark as Dr. Cleo Markham

Gordon Pinsent as The President

William Schallert as CIA Director Grauber

Leonid Rostoff as Russian Chairman

Georg Stanford Brown as John F. Fisher

Willard Sage as Dr. Blake

Alex Rodine as Dr. Kuprin

Martin E. Brooks as Dr. Jefferson J. Johnson

Marion Ross as Angela Fields

Dolph Sweet as Missile Commander

Byron Morrow as Secretary of State

Paul Frees (uncredited) as the voice of Colossus

Sid McCoy as Secretary of Defense

[edit] Critical reception

When the film was released, Vincent Canby, film critic for The New York Times, gave the film a positive review, writing, "Early in The Forbin Project, Colossus, a supercomputer that controls the United States's military defense system, goes into an unprogrammed rage and launches a missile toward the Soviet Union. The President of the United States turns to Forbin, the man who invented Colossus, and gives him a petulant look that seems to say: 'There goes the stock market . . . . the urban vote . . . . my golf game . . . .my image. You've made a fool out of me.' It's one of the appealing things about The Forbin Project, an unpretentious science fiction film with a satiric point of view, that when the world is about to blow up, the President of the United States can only bring to the occasion something akin to embarrassment. The film ...is no Dr. Strangelove, but it's full of surprising moments of humor and intelligence, a practically perfect movie to see when you want to go to a movie and have nothing special in mind."[3]

[edit] Awards

Wins

Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films: Golden Scroll of Merit, Stanley Chase, for theatrical motion picture production; 1979.

Nominations

Hugo Awards: Hugo, Best Dramatic Presentation; 1971.

[Peter]

From “Goddess of the Market, Ayn Rand and the American Right,” by Jennifer Burns page 277:

In the aftermath of Frank’s death, Rand had few projects and almost no energy. She became obsessed with Hans Gudagast, a German born movie actor who resembled Frank. While writing the Atlas script she had envisioned him playing the role of Francisco D’Anconia. Then Gudagast, now using the name Eric Braeden, grew a mustache, ruining his resemblance to Frank. Ayn pined for a photo of him without facial hair. When she discovered one in a magazine she had the idea to derive a full sized photo from the small thumbnail. Ignoring the pleas of her solicitous house keeper, Eloise, Rand plunged out into the rain to a photo studio in Times Square. Without a coat or umbrella she was caught in a downpour on her way back home. She fell ill with a cold, a dangerous malady for a woman of seventy-six with a history of lung cancer.

End quote

A few weeks later in February 1982, Ayn Rand died, but I do not mourn her. Instead, I celebrate her life.

Eric Braeden, as you undoubtedly know, later became Victor on “The Young and the Restless. “

Semper cogitans fidele,

Peter Taylor