Asker of Questions Posted August 21, 2015 Report Share Posted August 21, 2015 I'n curious what Rand was like in her final days, when she knew she was dying. Does anyone know what her last words were? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dream_weaver Posted August 21, 2015 Report Share Posted August 21, 2015 Leonard Peikoff shared his experience with her passing when he delivered The Sanction of the Victims to the audience at the Ford Hall Forum in her stead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JASKN Posted August 23, 2015 Report Share Posted August 23, 2015 There are some detailed stories of her final years in "100 Voices: An Oral History of Ayn Rand": http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0451231309?vs=1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrictlyLogical Posted August 26, 2015 Report Share Posted August 26, 2015 Surely Rand's last words or her thoughts during her final days are not subject to copyright.... Anyone in the know care to share? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dream_weaver Posted August 27, 2015 Report Share Posted August 27, 2015 (edited) Paraphrased from track 5, about a 6 minute discourse starting about 2 minutes in. She was pretty ill from the end of January. She slept most of the time, but was lucid when she was awake. She spoke slowly, and not as articulately. At times she seemed to know it was near the end. Other times, when she felt stronger, she didn't seem to think that it was and talked about things she planned to do. She maintained her strength of integrity and character up until the end. Peikoff went to visit her on the Thursday evening prior to her passing on. She was at home at the time. She was extremely weak. The nurse got up her up in a chair. He said that a press release was due, and asked her if she would like him to handle it, or do she wanted to postpone the book for another 6 months. She said neither. He couldn't think of what a third alternative might be. She told him that she would do it. Thinking she might not have understood, he mentioned that it was a two page press release that needed approval by next day. She took the press release. The nurse got her glasses. She read about a paragraph and fell asleep. He took the release from her, and they gently roused her. He read it to her aloud, paying attention to ensure that she was still awake. When he completed it, she said it was fine. That was the last business act, the last professional decision she ever made. The last significant emotional event with her was later that evening. During the writing of his book, he had concluded just how right she was philosophically and why it was that altruism was destroying the world, He told her that had never seen it so clearly before, and he wanted to thank her. He didn't realize it was the last time he would get the opportunity to do so. She got a huge smile on her face, and fell asleep with it on her. Edited August 27, 2015 by dream_weaver StrictlyLogical 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
softwareNerd Posted August 27, 2015 Report Share Posted August 27, 2015 I think "last words" are extremely overrated. It is romantic to think of them as the last words of wisdom that a dying person wants to leave with us. They're going forever and it seems this is their last chance to think of the most important gem they wish to leave behind. Unfortunately, biology does not work that way. Most people age into death and begin to lose their wits with their other functions. Often, they're actually senile and it is easy to see that their real "whole life" self would disavow things they say in their last few days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrictlyLogical Posted August 27, 2015 Report Share Posted August 27, 2015 Paraphrased from track 5, about a 6 minute discourse starting about 2 minutes in. She was pretty ill from the end of January. She slept most of the time, but was lucid when she was awake. She spoke slowly, and not as articulately. At times she seemed to know it was near the end. Other times, when she felt stronger, she didn't seem to think that it was and talked about things she planned to do. She maintained her strength of integrity and character up until the end. Peikoff went to visit her on the Thursday evening prior to her passing on. She was at home at the time. She was extremely weak. The nurse got up her up in a chair. He said that a press release was due, and asked her if she would like him to handle it, or do she wanted to postpone the book for another 6 months. She said neither. He couldn't think of what a third alternative might be. She told him that she would do it. Thinking she might not have understood, he mentioned that it was a two page press release that needed approval by next day. She took the press release. The nurse got her glasses. She read about a paragraph and fell asleep. He took the release from her, and they gently roused her. He read it to her aloud, paying attention to ensure that she was still awake. When he completed it, she said it was fine. That was the last business act, the last professional decision she ever made. The last significant emotional event with her was later that evening. During the writing of his book, he had concluded just how right she was philosophically and why it was that altruism was destroying the world, He told her that had never seen it so clearly before, and he wanted to thank her. He didn't realize it was the last time he would get the opportunity to do so. She got a huge smile on her face, and fell asleep with it on her. Thank you so much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.