Blixa wrote:Possibly the most juvenile "theorist" of any ideologue in history. When someone says they "like" Ayn Rand it's usually a good indication that you are dealing with an conceptually illiterate asshole with astonishing levels of narcissism and entitlement.
Ouch!
I was raised around my Grandfather, from whom I learned my work ethic. He being of the generations that endured the Great Depression, and emerged from it as a very successful construction company owner. He did water and sewer pipelines, putting in a fair amount of the original infrastructures in SLC, Utah.
It was hard grueling work, of which I worked with him during the summers of my youth.
I remember the groups of "auditors" that would spend countless hours in his offices pouring over the books and how much he resented them. This is how I was raised, that it was good that by the sweat of our brows shall we earn our bread, and yet having a government hand constantly reaching in and taking larger and larger chucks of that bread.
I would suggest that the industrial revolution of the America's during this time, with the logarithmic growth of technology and quality of life in America, up through the baby boomer generation was a direct result of many men and women like my Grandfather. Those who had no concept of entitlement but instead went after the "American Dream" with a vengeance, and with much success.
I assume you can guess how my read of Atlas Shrugged went.
I know that I've always been narcissistic and unfortunately not well read, yes that fits … but entitlement … no just the opposite.