Help Us Ayn Rand!

Want to read a scary book? Don't read anything by Stephen King. Read "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand. Then read the news. Read this article by Pejman Yousefzadeh. Then read this article by John Hinderaker of Powerline. Alright... keep going... read this article on the inheritance tax at Ankle Biting Pundits.

OK... if you haven't read "Atlas Shrugged", read it. It's a long, and very good, book. The story is great, and its ability to make one think is outstanding. However, for the moment, if you haven't read the book, what you need to understand about it is that it is a vision of what would happen to the world if "progressive" thinking ruled the day. It's written from the point of view of the most productive, highest acheivers in the society, and what happens to them, and to society in general, when the "looters" gain control. More and more is taken from the most productive in society and given to the least productive, and the most productive people are not thanked or even acknowledged for the extra burden they are willing and able to bear for the benefit of their fellows. Instead they are denigrated and declared to be evil for having acheived so much (unsaid: "more than they deserved"-- despite the fact that it was their effort and creativity that resulted in the achievement). The government became corrupt as it convinced people that it alone knew what was in the public interest and convinced people that they were helpless. An elite few controlled the country, and, as the elite few are good at producing fancy theories, but not so good at creating products, or running companies, or adapting to the chaos that is the marketplace, everything fell apart. Sorta like socialism.

What I found extremely powerful was the brutal honesty of calling the people "looters" who kept stripping money and ownership and opportunity to expand away from the successful people. And how one of the requirements for doing it was to make people believe that there was something wrong with achievement, so the achievers deserved to be looted. Including convincing the acheivers themselves that they don't deserve what they've earned (how often do you hear someone who has acheived something great say, "I was very fortunate...", rather than, "Yeah, I worked my ass off for it!") When is the last time you heard a business person acclaimed for his or her achievement?

For example, Bill Gates is acclaimed, not for the jobs he's created, the entire industry he's contributed to enormously, to the way the world has literally changed in very convenient and productive ways due in large measure to his efforts, but when he gives his money away. This is as it should be, IF what was said was, "Mr. Gates has earned every penny he has and deserves it for his effort, his creativity, his vision, and his ability to shape reality with his mind and his effort. And, incidentally, he has chosen to give some of what he has earned and has every right to possess and to celebrate owning, to others. May it inspire someone to his level of acheivement!" Instead, what is said or thought is more like, "He's kind of a dweeb who got lucky, and his company is this evil monopoly, so to assuage his guilt and the self-loathing he has earned, he has given huge amounts of money away. No doubt he realizes he doesn't deserve it."

People had a "right" to a job and a good living, whether they were productive or not. In fact, it is the fact that they are in need that somehow makes them worthy and right. Those who achieve, or are productive have an obligation to provide for those of less talent, ability, or productivity. What happened? Showing ability and talent meant only that you were to become a slave of those who had no talent or ability, who weren't productive, but still had needs. Obviously, being needy was a more favorable position than working hard for no payoff.

The parallels between "Atlas Shrugged" and today's "progressive" agenda are more frieghtening than anything Stephan King ever wrote. We need as many people as possible to read it and understand.