0004133373@mcimail.com (Donald E. Kimberlin) (06/26/91)
something concise and cogent to say about the Digest's several threads
on matters of privacy:
"Civilization is the progress toward a scoiety of privacy."
Depending on how you read those several threads, we're either
working like the dickens on building a civilization, or we're busy
destroying the one we had.
[Moderator's Note: I am ambivilent toward Ms. Rand's philosophy, known
as 'objectivism'. When I was in high school in 1957, her (then) new
book 'Atlas Shrugged' was just being published and she was on a tour
promoting the book. As captain of the debate team, I convinced the
debate teacher Arthur Erickson to convince the principal to invite her
to speak at a school assembly. Afterward, Arthur took Ms. Rand and I
to dinner on the way to getting her back to Ohare Airport for a trip
to wherever she was going next. I remember very little from that night
34 years ago except that after dinner we sat there smoking cigarettes;
Ms. Rand with her cigarette holder which she waved about from time to
time to emphasize something, Arthur with a Viceroy hanging out of his
lips, and me with a Pall Mall to show I was just as sophisticated and
glamorous as my adult friends. One of her comments sticks in my mind:
staring intently at me, she said, "You are such a smart, intelligent
boy! You are too intelligent to believe in Gott! Why do you believe in
Gott?" And she got a tremendous laugh when Arthur replied that even
confirmed athiests like himself enjoyed reading the {Christian Science
Monitor} every day. PAT]Rick Smith <smith@sctc.com> (06/27/91)
0004133373@mcimail.com (Donald E. Kimberlin) writes: > "Civilization is the progress toward a society of privacy." Probably one of her better lines. A favorite of mine, for the wrong reasons of course, is (in paraphrase) "When the choice is between food and poison, there is only one rational decision." She probably said this while smoking a cigarette. :-) I spent an early part of my undergraduate experience reading all of Rand's stuff. I think Steve Martin unintentionally sums her up best when he intones: "Let us now all repeat the Individualist's Oath..." I know this has nothing to do with Telecom, but I thought you might appreciate the comment. Rick smith@sctc.com Arden Hills, Minnesota.
Mike Van Pelt <mvp@hsv3.uucp> (06/28/91)
In article <telecom11.493.6@eecs.nwu.edu> TELECOM Moderator noted: > One of [Ayn Rand's] comments sticks in my mind: staring intently at > me, she said, "You are such a smart, intelligent boy! You are too > intelligent to believe in Gott! Why do you believe in Gott?" I hear she used the same line on William F. Buckley when she appeared on "Firing Line". I'd like to see the tape of that one; I believe some verbal pyrotechnics ensued. Mike Van Pelt Headland Technology/Video 7 ...ames!vsi1!hsv3!mvp mvp@hsv3.lsil.com