Hello world,
TWO new blog posts in one evening? That can't be, you say! But college is a 24-hour business, and intellectually irksome conversations can happen at any time. For example, one could have a debate on the merits of Ayn Rand at 1:00 am.
Thus, I have been inspired by this theoretical debate to compose a list: The top ten reasons why I hated Atlas Shrugged. More specifically, the top ten reasons why I ripped my copy of Atlas Shrugged to shreds only moments after finishing it.
Yes, really. I have photogenic evidence:
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/photo.php?pid=30072980&op=33&o=global&view=global&subj=1380120386&id=1295660067
Note my glee at the book's demise.
If you're lucky enough not to have read Atlas Shrugged, here's some background:
Atlas Shrugged is an 1100-page "novel" detailing a scenario for the economic collapse of society. It is, for some reason, considered an economic authority. In fact, it has been noted that copies sold of Atlas Shrugged sky-rocket every time the economy takes a down-turn.
This is unfortunate.
It is my personal opinion that, in all seriousness, the book only gets its prestige from two factors: 1) It has a nifty title, I must admit, and 2) most people never actually finish all 1100 pages. Nor should they.
Also, to explain reason #6- the book begins with someone asking, "Who is John Galt?" In the society of the book, this question is something that people say to express a sense of futility or complacency- as in, "Oh dear, the trains are late again, but it's not as if anything can make them run on time. What to do? Who is John Galt?" Eventually, part of the book revolves around actually trying to find John Galt. It's not as exciting as it sounds.
But enough screwing around.
The Top Ten Reasons Why I Ripped Apart My (Dad's) Copy of Atlas Shrugged
1) It was falling apart. I would never rip apart a book in good condition, obviously. It had already lost a few dozen pages and was threatening to lose 50 more. Not that anyone would have missed them.
2) It's extreme to the point of being laughably unrealistic. Thus, the only people who treat it as an authority (assuming they've actually finished the book) are hopelessly fanatical believers in free capitalism.
3) I read it while I was on the Navajo Reservation, which is one of the most oppressed and neglected areas on American soil. The book makes a very strong arguement against any type of welfare system and pretty clearly implies that poor people are lazy and thus deserve their situation. Yeah, tell that to my host family with no running water.
4) This is more a problem I have with all Ayn Rand's books- all of her female characters enjoy being raped. I just find this weird.
5) Perhaps because she didn't expect anyone to actually read the entire book, Rand is extremely repetitive. After reading 600 pages over the course of two insomniatic nights, I discovered that some paragraphs seemed to be directly copied from earlier sections. Most insufferable was the 100-page speech towards the end, that repeats not only the rest of the book, but itself, endlessly. This speech took me literally ten days to finish because I simply could not stomach more than ten pages at a time. Either make the book shorter, or find something new to say.
6) "Who is John Galt?" I figured it out on page 413. Really. I even marked it in my journal, figuring that when Galt was revealed 400 pages later, I could gloat. He was revealed 500 pages later. I was right, but by then I was too eager for the book to end to do much gloating.
7) The story itself is completely transparent- rather than simply writing an essay to express her ideas, she created a loose story and spread the essay over 1100 pages.
8) Besides the story being an poorly-constructed backdrop to Rand's endless ideological rant, the characters themselves are so closely modeled after those of her previous book, The Fountainhead, as to be insulting to anyone who has read both books. The main characters have the same personality traits, similar professions, and the same initials. We all know how I feel about plagiarizing oneself.
9) Rand portrays destroying nature as man's great quest to realize his true domination of the world, and any attempts to conserve the environment as weak and (naturally, by extention) Communist. Granted, I haven't read all of her essays on this point, and I wonder if she'd feel differently given the information availible today. Still, it's silly and somewhat perverse.
10) It's just too long.
Since reading Atlas Shrugged, I have taken an economics class or two, and see that some aspects of the book were based in reality. The accusations that higher minimum wages cause unemployment, or that people have less incentive to work hard if they know they're subsidizing others, or that equality stifles innovation, all are at least partially true. I have also witnessed a global economic meltdown. None of this makes me an expert by any means, but I feel comfortable saying that greed is not, as Rand claims, a beneficial factors that stimulates markets. Markets reach a point of equilibrium naturally- that is, a point where companies are willing to provide goods at a price that consumers are willing to pay. This point is not, as Rand claims, necessarily the most beneficial point for society, nor are people best off by living in a free market system. If the economic crisis shows nothing else, it has highlighted the need for governmental monitors on large companies that have the hubris to think themselves above ethics. (Madoff, anyone?)
As much as I despised everything about Atlas Shrugged, I only read it in the first place because I'd so greatly enjoyed Rand's previous book, The Fountainhead. At "only" 700 pages, the story has some actual substance and the thesis is centered more on human potential than on crazy economic scenarios. The female character in The Fountainhead also enjoys being raped, which I still think is weird, but somehow it didn't bother me as much. I really do recommend that book.
If you had not read Atlas Shrugged before reading this post, you're welcome! I just saved you the pain of 1100 pages of insanity.
If you had, feel free to debate me on anything here. I glossed over the specifics of the book, but I'm happy to defend my hatred of Rand any time.
Oh, and for the record- I bought my dad a beautiful new copy of the book to replace the one I sacrificed. It's now sitting in our home in Texas, hopefully never to be opened again.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Back to Earth
Hello All,
As promised, tonight I will post something legit, i.e. something that requires some thought on my part to write. Hopefully it will not require too much thought on your part to understand, unlike the speech I attempted to give at the UVA Jefferson Literary and Debate Society last week. I talked about art. They claimed I had no thesis.
It made sense in my mind.
Anyway, I thought tonight I'd take a few steps back and re-address the irksome issue that inspired me to create this blog in the first place: The Palestinian/Israeli crisis (or the occupation of Palestine, or the attempt of the Palestinians to destroy Israel, depending on who's talking.)
I realized that, in spite of the three or so posts I spent ranting on the issue, I never actually got to the big finish- offering my solution to the issue.
For those of you who I more recently guilted into looking around here, you may want to go back and investigate what on earth I'm talking about. But only if you feel like it.
My solution is simple- not because I think the issue will be easily solved, but because I'm so pessimistic about the whole thing that I'm now convinced that it's either a simple solution or no solution. I'm not sure what no solution would look like, but I can envision some pretty unfortunate scenarios that I'd rather not focus on quite yet.
The first and most important step to my solution is giving Jerusalem special status as an international city. So many nations and religions have owned Jerusalem at one time or another that it legitimately occupies a sacred place in many collective hearts and minds. Does it really matter who was there first, or who deserves it more? Splitting it has never worked; everyone wants all or nothing. So, nothing it must be.
The British actually suggested this idea in 1948 when the original state lines for Israel and Jordan were being partitioned, using this very logic. They suggested that it be owned and governed by the UN, and designated a "corpus seperatum." I'm not sure that the UN would be the ideal governing body at this point- since 1948 the UN has proved pretty inept at dealing with any real conflict (anyone who's seen "Hotel Rwanda" knows what I mean) and seems best resigned to distributing mosquito nets to children in malaria-stricken countries. I'd say that it would be better served by a joint religious council of the three Abrahamic traditions (Jews, Christians, Muslims) and guarded by an army set up only for that task. Because realistically, you'll need an army. Even if you somehow managed to get leaders from these said traditions (not to mention the entire Arab world and all the Jews in Manhattan), there's no way the Holy City would be relinquished without a fight.
Clearly, removing Jerusalem from the picture would be enough to solve a conflict that has gone on since, literally, biblical times. I just don't think that you have a prayer (pun?) of resolving the conflict with Jerusalem in the picture.
Besides this major point, there aren't really any specific measures that I think would otherwise be necessary for peace. The transformation that must take place is more ideological than political, and is thus much more difficult than re-drawing lines on a map. You could argue that more balanced cultural education on both sides would improve things, and that's probably true- but how on Earth do you plan on convincing Hamas and Hasidic rabbis that their children should really learn more about their mortal enemies? On the bright side, there have been some encouraging movements recently, as moderate Palestinians and Israelis are beginning to ignore their respective leaders' rhetoric and realize that they all want more or less the same things.
Several months ago, two members of One Voice, an organization promoting this type of bipartisan efforts, came to speak at UVA. Their message was encouraging, but also held a warning: "The time to make peace is now," said the Israeli member, "If we don't take advantage of the support now, the violence will be worse when it starts again." His Palestinian companion agreed, "If we don't make a tangible deal within the next year, and let this slip, we may not get another chance for this generation."
It sounds melodramatic, but then again life is pretty melodramatic in Israel, where sometimes your friends never come back from the pizza place they went to, or your brother is trampled under a tank "by accident." If it weren't so melodramatic, we'd have solved it by now.
My hope is that by removing Jerusalem from the negotiations, the whole process might become just a little more rational. Political negotiations aren't just strategies when you're competing for the holiest city in the universe; they're a cosmic negotiation. Let's bring the fight back to earth, at least.
And that's tonight's word.
As promised, tonight I will post something legit, i.e. something that requires some thought on my part to write. Hopefully it will not require too much thought on your part to understand, unlike the speech I attempted to give at the UVA Jefferson Literary and Debate Society last week. I talked about art. They claimed I had no thesis.
It made sense in my mind.
Anyway, I thought tonight I'd take a few steps back and re-address the irksome issue that inspired me to create this blog in the first place: The Palestinian/Israeli crisis (or the occupation of Palestine, or the attempt of the Palestinians to destroy Israel, depending on who's talking.)
I realized that, in spite of the three or so posts I spent ranting on the issue, I never actually got to the big finish- offering my solution to the issue.
For those of you who I more recently guilted into looking around here, you may want to go back and investigate what on earth I'm talking about. But only if you feel like it.
My solution is simple- not because I think the issue will be easily solved, but because I'm so pessimistic about the whole thing that I'm now convinced that it's either a simple solution or no solution. I'm not sure what no solution would look like, but I can envision some pretty unfortunate scenarios that I'd rather not focus on quite yet.
The first and most important step to my solution is giving Jerusalem special status as an international city. So many nations and religions have owned Jerusalem at one time or another that it legitimately occupies a sacred place in many collective hearts and minds. Does it really matter who was there first, or who deserves it more? Splitting it has never worked; everyone wants all or nothing. So, nothing it must be.
The British actually suggested this idea in 1948 when the original state lines for Israel and Jordan were being partitioned, using this very logic. They suggested that it be owned and governed by the UN, and designated a "corpus seperatum." I'm not sure that the UN would be the ideal governing body at this point- since 1948 the UN has proved pretty inept at dealing with any real conflict (anyone who's seen "Hotel Rwanda" knows what I mean) and seems best resigned to distributing mosquito nets to children in malaria-stricken countries. I'd say that it would be better served by a joint religious council of the three Abrahamic traditions (Jews, Christians, Muslims) and guarded by an army set up only for that task. Because realistically, you'll need an army. Even if you somehow managed to get leaders from these said traditions (not to mention the entire Arab world and all the Jews in Manhattan), there's no way the Holy City would be relinquished without a fight.
Clearly, removing Jerusalem from the picture would be enough to solve a conflict that has gone on since, literally, biblical times. I just don't think that you have a prayer (pun?) of resolving the conflict with Jerusalem in the picture.
Besides this major point, there aren't really any specific measures that I think would otherwise be necessary for peace. The transformation that must take place is more ideological than political, and is thus much more difficult than re-drawing lines on a map. You could argue that more balanced cultural education on both sides would improve things, and that's probably true- but how on Earth do you plan on convincing Hamas and Hasidic rabbis that their children should really learn more about their mortal enemies? On the bright side, there have been some encouraging movements recently, as moderate Palestinians and Israelis are beginning to ignore their respective leaders' rhetoric and realize that they all want more or less the same things.
Several months ago, two members of One Voice, an organization promoting this type of bipartisan efforts, came to speak at UVA. Their message was encouraging, but also held a warning: "The time to make peace is now," said the Israeli member, "If we don't take advantage of the support now, the violence will be worse when it starts again." His Palestinian companion agreed, "If we don't make a tangible deal within the next year, and let this slip, we may not get another chance for this generation."
It sounds melodramatic, but then again life is pretty melodramatic in Israel, where sometimes your friends never come back from the pizza place they went to, or your brother is trampled under a tank "by accident." If it weren't so melodramatic, we'd have solved it by now.
My hope is that by removing Jerusalem from the negotiations, the whole process might become just a little more rational. Political negotiations aren't just strategies when you're competing for the holiest city in the universe; they're a cosmic negotiation. Let's bring the fight back to earth, at least.
And that's tonight's word.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Stopping for the Bus on a Snowy Evening
Hello from the frozen wasteland formerly known as Virginia!
It has been one of those days. At first, I tried to get something done. Failing to work up any motivation to do this, I tried to go somewhere where I might be more encouraged to get something done (namely, a library). Couldn't make it happen. Somehow I got to class.
I blame the weather. The four feet of snow in two weeks, plus this new driving wind that started a few days ago, has all convinced me that I am actually in Chicago and this has all been an elaborate hoax.
So tonight, as a sort of warm-up for the legit post I plan on writing tomorrow about either vegetarianism or Jerusalem (decisions, decisions), I thought I would share a few of my favorite motivational quotes. I keep a notebook where I write funny/inspirational quotes that I come by in literature, day-to-day life, or facebook walls. It has been most helpful, though not today. Nothing can beat a blizzard-induced coma, I supposed.
Anyway, prepare to have your mind blown.
"This whole earth we inhabit is but a point in space"
-Thoreau
"Not everyone is born a witch or a saint...We are a fountain of shimmering contradictions, most of us. Beautiful in concempt, but often tedious and regretable as we flesh ourselves out."
-Gregory Maguire, Son of a Witch
"Sanity is not statistical"
-George Orwell, 1984
“Strange is our situation here upon earth. Each of us comes for a short visit, not knowing why, yet sometimes seeming to a divine purpose. From the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we do know: That we are here for the sake of others...for the countless unknown souls with whose fate we are connected by a bond of sympathy. Many times a day, I realize how much my outer and inner life is built upon the labors of people, both living and dead, and how earnestly I must exert myself in order to give in return as much as I have received.”
-Albert Einstein
"A Small But Noteworthy note: I've seen so many young men over the years who think that they're running at other young men. They are not. They are running at me."
-Death, The Book Thief
"All bodies have the same fate; all voices don't have to."
-Poet Li Young Lee
"Illusions mistaken for truth are the pavement under our feet. They are what we call civilization."
-Barbara Kingsolver, The Poisonwood Bible
"If I'd asked my customers what they wanted, they'd have said a faster horse."
-Henry Ford
"The beginning of wisdom is to understand that it is our challange and our responsability to act like Noah- to create arks, not floods."
-Thomas Friedman, Hot, Flat, and Crowded
"It is the unknown that we fear when we look upon death and darkness, nothing more."
-Albus Dumbledore
"What is the body?
Endurence.
What is love?
Gratitude.
What is hidden in our chests?
Laughter.
What else?
Compassion."
-Rumi
And a personal favorite:
Silence is golden, but duct tape is silver.
Author unknown
;-)
It has been one of those days. At first, I tried to get something done. Failing to work up any motivation to do this, I tried to go somewhere where I might be more encouraged to get something done (namely, a library). Couldn't make it happen. Somehow I got to class.
I blame the weather. The four feet of snow in two weeks, plus this new driving wind that started a few days ago, has all convinced me that I am actually in Chicago and this has all been an elaborate hoax.
So tonight, as a sort of warm-up for the legit post I plan on writing tomorrow about either vegetarianism or Jerusalem (decisions, decisions), I thought I would share a few of my favorite motivational quotes. I keep a notebook where I write funny/inspirational quotes that I come by in literature, day-to-day life, or facebook walls. It has been most helpful, though not today. Nothing can beat a blizzard-induced coma, I supposed.
Anyway, prepare to have your mind blown.
"This whole earth we inhabit is but a point in space"
-Thoreau
"Not everyone is born a witch or a saint...We are a fountain of shimmering contradictions, most of us. Beautiful in concempt, but often tedious and regretable as we flesh ourselves out."
-Gregory Maguire, Son of a Witch
"Sanity is not statistical"
-George Orwell, 1984
“Strange is our situation here upon earth. Each of us comes for a short visit, not knowing why, yet sometimes seeming to a divine purpose. From the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we do know: That we are here for the sake of others...for the countless unknown souls with whose fate we are connected by a bond of sympathy. Many times a day, I realize how much my outer and inner life is built upon the labors of people, both living and dead, and how earnestly I must exert myself in order to give in return as much as I have received.”
-Albert Einstein
"A Small But Noteworthy note: I've seen so many young men over the years who think that they're running at other young men. They are not. They are running at me."
-Death, The Book Thief
"All bodies have the same fate; all voices don't have to."
-Poet Li Young Lee
"Illusions mistaken for truth are the pavement under our feet. They are what we call civilization."
-Barbara Kingsolver, The Poisonwood Bible
"If I'd asked my customers what they wanted, they'd have said a faster horse."
-Henry Ford
"The beginning of wisdom is to understand that it is our challange and our responsability to act like Noah- to create arks, not floods."
-Thomas Friedman, Hot, Flat, and Crowded
"It is the unknown that we fear when we look upon death and darkness, nothing more."
-Albus Dumbledore
"What is the body?
Endurence.
What is love?
Gratitude.
What is hidden in our chests?
Laughter.
What else?
Compassion."
-Rumi
And a personal favorite:
Silence is golden, but duct tape is silver.
Author unknown
;-)
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