my lesson of today

[mooseman]

Everyday , and I mean everyday I try and mostly succeed to learn something new.
I like meeting new people and I see every meeting with another human being as an opportunity to see or hear something previously unknown to my senses my understanding of the place I hold in the day.

Today a man entered my shop looking for a bumper sticker provoked no doubt by the Trump decoration I have applied to my shop facade.
An older gentleman perhaps in his late 70's or more, soft spoken, unassuming but troubled in a confusing way. As you might expect, spawned from the Trump stuff I show, a like minded conversation took place or should I say I mostly talked and he politely listened.
He heard my displeasure with out two party system, my view of the state of our government and my hope that that some day a greater wave of laissez faire might wash our country.

When I finally stumbled off my soap box he spoke only a few words and left me with the same feeling of his troubled sense and these departing three words...."Google John Galt" then he was gone.

The name John Galt was completely unknown to me but the Google search he suggested ultimately lead to a couple of hours of YouTube
education and an introduction to Ayn Rand and most powerfully a speech by her character Galt.

A truly thought provoking education and a somewhat frightening sense that Ms. Rand is more a prognosticator than author.
mooseman

 

[blue moon]

fantastic book, one of my all time favorites. I reread every few years. 'watched the movies several times too and could not wait for the parts 2 and 3 to come out.

Ayn was born in USSR and experienced the corruption and dysfunction of that system. Her ideas for the civilized capitalist society are fantastic, but unfortunately unobtainable. To make matters worse, USA is closest to her ideals, and it is shifting further and further away.

pierre

[mooseman]

fantastic book, one of my all time favorites. I reread every few years. 'watched the movies several times too and could not wait for the parts 2 and 3 to come out.

Ayn was born in USSR and experienced the corruption and dysfunction of that system. Her ideas for the civilized capitalist society are fantastic, but unfortunately unobtainable. To make matters worse, USA is closest to her ideals, and it is shifting further and further away.

pierre

I agree completely, I was amazed of how her work from the early 50's makes so much sense today......
mooseman

[SPX]

Atlas Shrugged and Fountainhead are basically books on how the world corrupts exceptional people and businesses. Lots of Ayn Ranting in Atlas Shrugged.  Exclusion books for the top elitist people.  Being dumb is equal opportunity from being born rich or poor.  Some people think they at the top but are not.
 
I like her book Fountainhead better.   Shorter book length and better read.

Both books are good if you look down on people, not everyone is exceptional especially in these times of essential workers.  If you are really good at something there is inspiration to draw on but don't take it too far. 

I really liked her books at first but life experience changes things.  I still think some ideas are good but others are way too extreme.

Would you say the guy who walked into your business was exceptional?

[mooseman]

Atlas Shrugged and Fountainhead are basically books on how the world corrupts exceptional people and businesses. Lots of Ayn Ranting in Atlas Shrugged.  Exclusion books for the top elitist people.  Being dumb is equal opportunity from being born rich or poor.  Some people think they at the top but are not.
 
I like her book Fountainhead better.   Shorter book length and better read.

Both books are good if you look down on people, not everyone is exceptional especially in these times of essential workers.  If you are really good at something there is inspiration to draw on but don't take it too far. 

I really liked her books at first but life experience changes things.  I still think some ideas are good but others are way too extreme.

Would you say the guy who walked into your business was exceptional?

Actually I don't think I used that term to characterize the gentleman.
mooseman

[mooseman]

On second thought the man was not exceptional...the fact that he walked into my shop when and how he did I think was something that transcends exceptional........................................

[blue moon]

Atlas Shrugged and Fountainhead are basically books on how the world corrupts exceptional people and businesses. Lots of Ayn Ranting in Atlas Shrugged.  Exclusion books for the top elitist people.  Being dumb is equal opportunity from being born rich or poor.  Some people think they at the top but are not.
 
I like her book Fountainhead better.   Shorter book length and better read.

Both books are good if you look down on people, not everyone is exceptional especially in these times of essential workers.  If you are really good at something there is inspiration to draw on but don't take it too far. 

I really liked her books at first but life experience changes things.  I still think some ideas are good but others are way too extreme.

Would you say the guy who walked into your business was exceptional?

I will have to disagree here. The msg of the book is that ppl who willing are often held back by others. Maybe living in a socialist country for 17 years (ages 4-21) and seeing how little has changed in 30 years makes it resonate with me more than the others. I've never put others down and don't think any less of other ppl, but I get real pissy when somebody starts telling me what i can and can't do without a good reason.

pierre

[Sbrem]

Read the book, the movies were badly done. I've never seen her work as elitist, looking down on people, I'm not sure how one gets that, but it probably has something to do with being predisposed. The golden rule is what I go by. The elitists I see KNOW they are the smartest person in the room, and it's their way or the highway, because the rest of us are just stupid...

Steve

[mooseman]

Read the book, the movies were badly done. I've never seen her work as elitist, looking down on people, I'm not sure how one gets that, but it probably has something to do with being predisposed. The golden rule is what I go by. The elitists I see KNOW they are the smartest person in the room, and it's their way or the highway, because the rest of us are just stupid...

Steve

I agree the movies were pretty lamo especially the last one........would like to read the book but most likely could not sit still long enough to get through it.
Going to look for an audio version.
mooseman

[balloonguy]

I agree the movies were pretty lamo especially the last one........would like to read the book but most likely could not sit still long enough to get through it.
Going to look for an audio version.
mooseman
[/quote]
Get the auido book and listen while driving or when do some mindless task. It is written in a different style from today but still a great read/listen.

[mooseman]

I agree the movies were pretty lamo especially the last one........would like to read the book but most likely could not sit still long enough to get through it.
Going to look for an audio version.
mooseman

Get the auido book and listen while driving or when do some mindless task. It is written in a different style from today but still a great read/listen.
[/quote]
Yes I am hooked definitely want to hear the "written"story
mooseman

[Nation03]

I've grown fond of listening to audiobooks while printing. I'll have to check out this book! Re-listening to 1984 is getting depressing, especially since we seem to be inching closer to that type of dystopian world lol.

[Sbrem]

I've grown fond of listening to audiobooks while printing. I'll have to check out this book! Re-listening to 1984 is getting depressing, especially since we seem to be inching closer to that type of dystopian world lol.

Oh my God, I hope they don't do the Principles of Newspeak on the audio...

Steve