msl@bu-cs.UUCP (Melissa Leffler) (06/25/85)
I read ATLAS SHRUGGED when I was about 12 years old, and it really made me think (though it sure took a helluva long time for a 12-yr-old :-) ).I can understand the complaints about the extremist attitudes she presents (i.e. the collapse of the railroads), but I do not see that as negative. By presenting her viewpoints in such a strong manner, the conflict really comes alive for me. There are some books that present issues which are quite comprehensible, but that don't force me to come to a decision on the issue(s), weighing out sides and taking a position. I think Rand writes in a style that definitely brings the readerinto the the conflict, whether he/ agrees. As an aside, I do not think her writing style was formed to purposefully have this affect; I believe she writes so forcefully because of the strength of her beliefs. (BTW, I believe she was born in the Soviet Union; it is interesting to keep this in mind if one reads WE THE LIVING). Question: Does anyone know why her "philosophy" is called Objectivism? -- UUCP : ...!harvard!bu-cs!msl ARPA : msl%bu-cs.csnet@csnet-relay.arpa BITNET: stdtmsl@bostonu ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When it comes, the Landscape listens - Shadows - hold their breath - When it goes, 'tis like the Distance On the look of Death - excerpt from '66' - Emily Dickinson ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~