Ayn Rand

[asterroc]

I haven't ever read Ayn Rand, and I have no intention of doing so. However, I am told that the author of the series I am currently reading, Terry Goodkind, is heavily influenced by her works, and her concepts of "objectivism" and "enlightened self interest." Anyone care to explain these concepts to me in shorter form?

Comments

[zandperl.livejournal.com]

Well then, "The Faith of the Fallen" is an outright homage to "The Fountainhead" then. In the climax of the novel the main character has been acting as a stonemason to carve hideous sculptures dictated by the rulers, but decides the only way to be true to himself is to throw off those bounds and carve a thing for beauty for himself. It is set upon a backdrop of thick bureaucracy where his employers aren't able to get enough steel to build a palace b/c the bureaucrats say it's unfair for certain movers to carry more steel than others even though the others don't have a working cart, and it's unfair for certain producers of steel to sell more than others even though the other producers don't have any, and so on. In the end the beautiful sculpture that the main character creates inspires the populace to revolt against their masters.

I did think this situation was ridiculously unrealistic; knowing it's copied from someone else makes me like it even less.

[seekingferret.livejournal.com]

Wow... it sounds like not only did he rip off "The Fountainhead", he delivered its central message in an even cruder way than Rand did. And that's no easy thing to do.