Dagny

Welcome Bencil! I am always glad to see international posters...shows how Objectivism is spreading. So far I've seen...Canada, UK, India, Mexico and Croatia. Enjoy the forum!

Well said Charles!! Great post.

I will refer to things written in the thread "Ayn Rand Characters in Real Life". I am assuming (you can correct me if am wrong) that Brian is referring to the responses of some people (including myself) as that is where he first wrote about dogmatics. I agree with the other responses here who say that one should be oneself and not try be exactly like the characters in the book. The reason I started the thread is because I thought it would be fun to find similarities in other people...not necessarily exact replicas. In my response as to being similar to Dagny, I took Ziggy's question to have been made jokingly and that was the way I answered it. Hence the smiley face at the end and the "maybes". I'm not seriously trying to be just like Dagny. The reason I chose that as my username is because I really couldnt think of any other. If I've learned anything in the last 23 years is that you should ALWAYS be true to yourself. I haven't really seen dogmatists on this forum as Brian is describing them. When I called my friend Howard Rourke it was more like he held his "sense of life" but by no means was he an architect or anything. It wasn't meant to be literal. As for my career plans....all I know for certain is that I want to get a Phd in Economics.

thanks John!

Brian, I too used to suffer from bouts of depression. Mostly it consisted of thoughts of suicide and hopelessness. Usually triggered by bad days and memories of a traumatic experience I had when I was a child. But also a lot of it was contradictions I had in my own life about my beliefs and values. Coming from a christian/catholic background I wondered why I had to give up my life to help others and then thought I was evil for not wanting to sacrifice my life for the bettering of the world/society. I used to try everything I could to make my parents happy instead of living for myself. My husband (boyfriend then) taught me to live my own life and then came Atlas Shrugged which explained everything else. I am the happiest I've ever been. I definitely believe logic can help you get through your problems and help you live a better life in general. I'm glad you got through your depression. I'm sure you'll be able to conquer the other problems. Isabel

Before I discovered Ayn Rand I think I was a mix of Dominique and Steven Mallory. I used to feel quite hopeless about the state of the world. To answer the other question about Ayn Rand characters in real life I shall quote something Ayn Rand herself said "I trust that no one will tell me that men such as I write about don't exist. That this book has been written-and published-is my proof that they do." I got it from the back of my Atlas Shrugged-in the About the Author section.

reminds me of that poem "The road not taken". good job!

I totally agree with you there. I first saw Poitiere in "Guess who's coming to Dinner" and thought his speeches had such eloquence and passion. Washington I saw in Malcolm X and while obviously not agreeing with the rhetoric in the movie I still thought he gave a great performance. Will Smith as an actor doesn't come close ...he should stick to comedies. I haven't seen "I, Robot". I did read the book a long time ago but the reason I haven't seen the movie is because I saw an interview in which Will Smith describes his character as "techno-phobic". I knew then they had butchered Asimov's philosophy and thought my money would be better spent elsewhere.

haha...one can only hope. she is the only female character in a book whom I would choose for a role model. although ...my grandfather, uncles and father were/are in the transport business....they have trucking companies not trains though. maybe someday i'll follow them and start my own...maybe even include trains...ya never know.

i feel for you if you have a mother like rearden's mom. my mother can sometimes be a bit overbearing too...but i think she's more like keating's mom when she tries to lay the guilt trips on me. she used to try to tell me what to do in every aspect of my life...but that changed when i turned 18.

Great poem Vern! Your journey to finding Reason is much the same one I took. I used to suffer from depression in my teens. One day my boyfriend (now my husband) sent me this poem to cheer me up. It still works even to this day and I read it whenever I have a bad day. Just ignore the line about God. My favorite line is "everywhere ...life is full of heroism". DESIDERATA BY MAXWELL Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble, it's a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

One of the reasons I loved Ayn Rand's books from the beginning was that the characters she created had personalities that were just like the personalities of people I'd met in real life. Everything from their behavior to their way of looking at life. Here are a few examples. (not using names) Catherine Halsey: I had a friend in high school who was Christian and would always try to get me to go to her bible study groups during lunch. She was always volunteering and talking about how God was in her life. She was really nice and everything but even back then I knew religion was definitely not for me. Recently I heard that she is working as an occupational therapist! Peter Keating: I've met plenty of these, but one guy from high school in particular stands out. He was upset that there was no valedictorian in our high school because he was sure he would have been picked. He invited the principal and various teachers out to lunch with the money he made playing the stock market. He used big words without knowing their meaning. He was annoying to be around and stuck up. Howard Roark: I knew a friend who was atheist in high school. He was my best friend (only friends..no romantic feelings involved). but he was really awesome. He was the most honest person I'd ever met. He didn't care was others thought of him. He stood up for his beliefs. He was rational and very smart. As far as I know I don't think he was an objectivist...but he certained followed the ideals of objectivism. Last I heard he was at uc berkely majoring in business. As for John Galt: I haven't met anyone like him in person but everyone on this forum seems like a John Galt to me.

speaking for myself,personally, i think sports are great. what i got out of objectivism is that unlike mysticism...it supports the idea of the mind and body as a whole. thus "healthy body,healthy mind". i enjoy soccer, cross country running, swimming and dancing. while doing a search for objectivism websites i found this one from a bodybuilder. i thought it was interesting as it was the first from a sports figure that i'd ever seen. Max Contraction

Welcome to the forum! This place is great to learn more about Objectivism and the views on current issues. The people here really know their stuff. Although I recommend you read some of Ayn Rand's non-fiction books as well. ayn rand non-fiction "Philosophy: Who Needs It" would be a good place to start.

i'm double majoring in math and economics. while i have not read The Principia by Newton...i understand where you are coming from. since i began studying objectivism and logic ...doing calculus proofs is a WHOLE lot easier. its nice to understand the concept behind the mechanical... and not have a blank stare on my face like half the class.

my husband, who's british, introduced me to Monty Python...my favorite is "life of brian". i also like "keeping up appearances" and watch it when i can. hyacynth reminds me of an aunt i have. someone highly recommended "The Office" as the funniest show on tv...but i havent watched it as i dont have BBC America. one of my favorite movies is Trainspotting. from all the british shows/movies i've seen...and from knowing my husband...british humor is certainly more witty and sarcastic. as he likes to say "sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, but the highest form of intelligence".

i never got into star trek, although i had plenty of friends who liked it. i think i got turned off it because in the first episode i watched they brought someone from our time to theirs and the guy asked them where he could buy food and the captain (patrick stewart) tells him they abolished the need for commercial goods a long time ago and that now everything was free to everyone. it was a long time ago so i'm not sure about the details. i was not an objectivist back then...but thought that the idea about not having to pay for commercial goods to be too unrealistic. also i always thought the aliens looked too human-like. that said...i have nothing against trekkies or anything. my high school chem professor (my fave teacher) used to come dressed as a different star treck character every hallowen and knew klingon. i was always more into the spy genres ...currently i'm a fanatic of Alias. p.s. i found a website that has a paragraph about the man i mentioned, guess he was trying to check his portfolio. http://www.stardestroyer.net/Empire/Essays/Trek-Marxism.html

1. Ayn Rand (100%) Click here for info 2. Nietzsche (73%) Click here for info 3. Cynics (72%) Click here for info 4. David Hume (71%) Click here for info 5. Stoics (65%) Click here for info 6. Thomas Hobbes (65%) Click here for info 7. Jean-Paul Sartre (59%) Click here for info 8. Aristotle (57%) Click here for info 9. Kant (53%) Click here for info 10. Plato (47%) Click here for info 11. Aquinas (45%) Click here for info 12. John Stuart Mill (45%) Click here for info 13. Jeremy Bentham (43%) Click here for info 14. St. Augustine (42%) Click here for info 15. Spinoza (41%) Click here for info 16. Epicureans (37%) Click here for info 17. Nel Noddings (30%) Click here for info 18. Prescriptivism (27%) Click here for info 19. Ockham (23%) Click here for info Quiz Answers 1) a -high 2) d -high 3) f- high 4) d-high 5) b-high 6) a-high 7) a-high 8) c-high 9) e-high 10) c-high 11) c-high 12) b-high haha..feels like i just wrote a cheat-form on how to get 100% Ayn Rand. now i'm wondering about those who managed to get aristotle right after ayn rand.

Bienvenidos al forum! Entiendo muy bien tu situacion ya que yo naci en Peru. Actualmente vivo en Los Angeles. Me da gusto ver que te estas proponiendo a promover la filosofia de Ayn Rand, muchos otros paises latinos tambien lo necesitan ya que el misticismo/religion juega tan gran parte en la vida de sus ciudadanos. ***for those who don't know spanish*** Welcome to the forum! I understand your situation very well as I was born in Peru. I currently live in Los Angeles. I'm glad to see that you're promoting Ayn Rand's philosophy, many other latin countries need it as well, as mysticism/religion plays such a great role in the lives of its citizens.

****WARNING SLIGHT SPOILER****** i didnt expect to get anything philosophical out of this movie...although i did feel like punching aunt may when she was saying her annoying speech...and the serving mankind speech was dumb too... but i thought overall it was pretty good. i liked the fighting scenes and i thought spidey's character is seen more in depth. i was reminded of hitchcock a bit because of the different camera angles and the surgery room scene...wasnt actually gory ...but it played on your imagination which is always worse. as for the ending...well isnt it a cliche that the hero ALWAYS gets the girl? P.S. did anyone else come out humming the spidey song...?

interesting article at http://www.reuters.com/financeNewsArticle....storyID=5544527 notice what the guy says about Greenspan! ..i'm taking it as a small support for the Francisco Theory. p.s. just read the forum rules...hope this isnt too long. While offering a tempered critique of Fed policy, Meyer, an award-winning economic forecaster, expresses admiration for Greenspan's ability to divine the economy's inner workings. "Yes, I did have my differences with the chairman ... but the point is that we were all learning together as the world's economies whipsawed about," Meyer writes. Meyer credits Greenspan with being the first to recognize that the pace of U.S. productivity growth had picked up appreciably in the mid-1990s, allowing the U.S. economy to grow faster without igniting inflation. "Like a scientist silently at work, he sought to uncover inconsistencies between the data and what he saw in the real world," Meyer says of the Fed chief. "His call on the productivity acceleration was truly a great one." However, as have others before him, Meyer expresses frustration at what he calls "the disproportionate power" Greenspan wields over Fed policy. He describes a relationship with the chairman one might call remote. "I think he actually savored his distance from the rest of us," Meyer says of Greenspan. The book as a whole offers a picture of a policy-maker laboring in isolation. "I have to tell you that, for most of the time, it was a rather lonely place to work."

i agree with those who're say immigrating here illegally is not immoral. as has been said before, everyone does have the right to pursue happiness and the right to reach their dreams and goals. i've always thought of the United States as a country partly built on the backs of immigrants...and that it is one the reasons why this country has been so successful. immigrants as a whole don't come to united states thinking "oh great here's a country i can go to to exploit its welfare system". for both illegal and legal immigrants the financial and emotional costs are high -to just get up and go and leave the rest of your family behind or to bribe officials, pay plane tickets, pay coyotes,etc. but they wouldn't do it if their desire was not great. the passage illegal immigrants have is a perilous one that for many ends in death. NOBODY in their right mind would do it unless they were that desperate for work and a better life for their families. in a way, the united states is really lucky for all the immigrants its attracted. it filters out the moochers of the world...who stay in their socialist governments...and only attracts those who actually see the great benefits of capitalism. myself included ...as i am an immigrant and proud citizen of this country. p.s. i am against all forms of socialism...including welfare...and would be quite happy to see it eliminated.

was just reading other introductions and realized i didnt really say much about myself in my intro. let's see... 1) i was born in Peru (south america), but came here with my family when I was 4 because, as my parents put it "there are no jobs or future in Peru". i've only gone back once, when i was 13...hated it. the poverty and hopelessness there is huge and the whole thing was very depressing. what i do love about my birth country is the food (great chicken) and dancing. since then, i had always wondered what made some countries rich and others poor. 2) that said, i love the united states. from a young age, i was told this was the country where if you work hard enough you can make something of yourself. for that reason, i always worked hard at school and was a typical straight A student. culminating in being accepted into the California Academy of Math and Science High School. 3) at said high school, i was introduced for the first time to everything from Atheists to Fundemental Christians. never being religious myself i actually was better friends with atheists...though at the time i still believed in God. it was great to argue and debate with intelligent people. 4)however, by the age 18, when I was accepted into UCLA i began to search for a philosophy i could call my own. i took classes that taught me the history of judaism, christianity, and islam. i read books about buddhism. i took a philosophy class where i was introduced to Descartes (didn't like his theories). read about communism, libertarians, democratic party, republicans, etc. All of this making me feel more confused and lost than ever as i didnt seem to agree with any of those groups. 5) I dropped out of UCLA cause I hated my whole experience there. i wasn't sure about my major or career goals either...i didnt want to spend $6k a year when i didnt know what the hell i was doing. skip to 3 years later, and i come across a scholarship essay contest for Atlas Shrugged. they didnt have A. S. at the library so i read the Fountainhead instead...out of curiousity. (i'd read great reviews for it online). then i read A.S. and...well here i am...an objectivist. the hardest was realizing that i had stopped believing in God a long time ago. everything i read in Ayn Rand's books was stuff that i had held as my own views all my life. also, she answered that question about why some countries are rich and others aren't.

glad to see i'm not the only person on this forum who likes Fight Club. i always thought it was a theme about individualism, saying that not everyone has to conform to a 9-5 white-collar job...if they dont want to. the fighting in the story i thought was a way for people to release all the frustation they had in their lives (a result of them not thinking for themselves and conforming). no one gets hurt except those who volunteer for it. although some are scared into thinking they are about to have their balls cut off. i thought of this as a dark comedy, because its funny how easily people are convinced into cult-like groups who follow everything their leader tells them. it gets so bad for the leader (edward norton) that its beyond even his control. also, in the end i think he realizes everything he'd been saying was wrong, thus he doesn't need Tyler (brad pitt) anymore. hence he says to Marla "I'm sorry...you met me at a very strange time in my life"...i.e. regretting everything he'd done. apart from that, i loved the clever dialogue, the acting, and plot twists. this was one of the few movies i've seen that really made me think as opposed to just sitting for 2 hours staring blankly at the screen. some of my other favorites: Trainspotting : "choose life" -what more can i say Life is Beautiful: makes you laugh, makes you cry... Notorious (Hitchcock): Bergman, Grant at their best, first Hitchcock movie i saw. Spellbound (Hitchcock): clever psychiatrist uses reason to solve mystery Rebecca (Hitchcock): scared the hell out of me, watched it at 1am in the morning Inherit The Wind: Spencer Tracy has great oratorical skills... The Philadelphia Story: idealist woman living in a non-idealist world... Adam's Rib: tickles the funny bone Count of Monte Cristo: (with Jim Caviezel, who i think would make a GREAT Francisco) great book, great film Guess Who's Coming to Dinner: again, good speech by Tracy Iron Monkey: i love foreign fighting films...