Awhile back Ayn Rand returned to mind as I was watching Rush's Exit...Stage Left DVD. Rush drummer Neil Peart is probably the highest-profile celebrity to espouse Ayn Rand's "Objectivist" philosophy like Tom Cruise spouts Scientology. The same evening I watched a Simpsons episode where she was also referenced. So I went You Tubing to see if any video of her existed.

Over a decade ago I bought her book The Virtue of Selfishness and it seems like I might have another title of hers around (but no, no Atlas Shrugged or The Fountainhead. I'm a non-fiction, essay-type guy). Many, many conservatives, both unabashed Republicans as well as so-called Libertarians (a.k.a. Republicans who want to smoke dope) point to her as a wellspring of insight and enlightenment, though at the time I read her books I didn't make the conservative connection at all, I just thought it was a compendium of interesting opinions. And would the same Republicans who point to her as a philosopher after their own hearts be surprised to hear her say she thinks religion is superstition for the weak-minded as she does here?

I came across a series of videos of her from Donahue, 1980. Immediately I realized why Phil Donahue was blown off the air by Oprah, to rarely ever return. Who in their right mind books an hour with an author only known to a smattering of college students to talk metaphysics at tea time? That's sure not what the average woman wants to see at 4 p.m. How about New Age-y books on "being the best you" or some such pop psychology claptrap? Hindsight is 20/20, I guess. TV was sure different in 1980.

Back to Rand: Donahue sure has his way with her in this interview. The pinnacle is when he discusses the world oil situation (this part sounds like it was taped this afternoon), and turns Ayn Rand's own philosophy back around on her. So we gave the Saudis the technology to get the oil out of the ground, and now they charge us and everyone else out the ass for it. Isn't that their right as property owners? Doesn't the free market decide? Why should they give us a break just because we're the ones who made it possible; business is business, right? Rand can only offer up the weak rationalization that, "If they're not doing anything with it then they have no right to it!," and actually thinks the Middle Eastern oil rightfully belongs to America, somehow.

The woman who claimed that reason should rule over emotion also demonstrates how petty and full of herself she could actually be as she nearly loses her mind when an audience member dares to disagree with her in the slightest. Some interesting ideas, but no more so than any old bag might offer up, and most other old bags are more pleasant personalities.

Get started on this five-part series here, with Part One:

2 Comments:

 Anonymous said...

Just in case you think none of your loyal readers gave a damn about Ayn Rand, I thought I'd let you know I read and watched this. Only the first segment, although I could easily spend my remaining free time watching the rest... falling prey to the ever-present curse known as "anything to keep from writing."

I've never even read anything of Ayn Rand's, although I know who she is. It's usually so disillusioning to see "great" writers in the flesh. They turn out to be regular old people... sometimes nutty... and never as brilliant as they seemed on a page.

11:40 AM, December 31, 2007  

 Art said...

I thought for sure William Smythe would have comments on this, and Rankin' Rob, too. Guess Ayn Rand was just too high brow for them. HA!

8:34 PM, January 01, 2008  

Post a Comment

<< Home