Book Review - Altas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

I first read Atlas Shrugged when I was about 17 years old. It was recommended to me by the manager of a Denny’s Restaurant during a job interview. I still find a certain amount of irony in that but I am forever grateful for his recommendation (even through I can’t remember his name).

Atlas Shrugged and Ayn Rand’s other book, The Fountain Head, really shaped my thinking about my purpose in life and capitalism. You might also be interested in knowing that Alan Greenspan, the former fed chairman, was a close friend of Ayn Rand and author of articles published in her books and magazines. My own personal view is that this should be required reading before anyone could register to vote. Fat chance but I can dream can’t I?

Ayn Rand had a unique place in history that, in my opinion, provided her with some interesting insight into political and economic systems. She was born in czarist Russia. As a teenager she was an eyewitness to the Kerensky and Bolshevik Revolutions. In her early twenties, she lived under communism in Crimea. After that, she moved to America.

The Objectivism Reference Center provides a good summary of the book. Rather than create my own, I have noted their summary:

“The plot is framed as a mystery story, but with strong elements of romance and science fiction, as well as Rand's trademark philosophical ideas. There are actually two mysteries: one about why so many of the world's most productive minds are disappearing, the other about who invented a revolutionary new kind of motor. As you might guess, the solutions to the two mysteries are closely related. Readers follow the struggles of Dagny Taggart, a railroad executive, and Hank Rearden, a steel magnate, as they attempt to answer both of these questions and stave off the collapse of an increasingly irrational and collectivist society.”

The book really does have an interesting story line but it can be a bit heavy with Ms. Rand’s discourses on her philosophy. I’ll confess that I skimmed over these parts. Just understanding the plot, enables you to understand this philosophy, Objectivism, well enough. For a first read, I wouldn’t focus too much on trying to fully understand Objectivism. If you are looking to understand this better, I suggest you go to The Ayn Rand Institute web page which includes Ayn Rand’s discussion on Objectivism in her own words. She said that Objectivism, holds that:

1. Reality exists as an objective absolute—facts are facts, independent of man's feelings, wishes, hopes or fears.
2. Reason (the faculty which identifies and integrates the material provided by man's senses) is man's only means of perceiving reality, his only source of knowledge, his only guide to action, and his basic means of survival.
3. Man—every man—is an end in himself, not the means to the ends of others. He must exist for his own sake, neither sacrificing himself to others nor sacrificing others to himself. The pursuit of his own rational self-interest and of his own happiness is the highest moral purpose of his life.
4. The ideal political-economic system is laissez-faire capitalism. It is a system where men deal with one another, not as victims and executioners, nor as masters and slaves, but as traders, by free, voluntary exchange to mutual benefit. It is a system where no man may obtain any values from others by resorting to physical force, and no man may initiate the use of physical force against others. The government acts only as a policeman that protects man's rights; it uses physical force only in retaliation and only against those who initiate its use, such as criminals or foreign invaders. In a system of full capitalism, there should be (but, historically, has not yet been) a complete separation of state and economics, in the same way and for the same reasons as the separation of state and church.

While I don’t subscribe fully to Objectivism, the points about every man being an end in himself and capitalism as the ideal political-economic system made so much sense to me as I absorbed the story of Atlas Shrugged. The book discusses many headlines of the day. As you read the headlines in the book you might be amazed at how they mirror the headlines of today. In my opinion, Atlas Shrugged also makes it easy to see how government interference can result in negative consequences.

I recently reread this book as I was concerned that it’s “me” focus was inconsistent with my faith. I found that it really wasn’t. I think that as you focus on doing what is right for yourself, you also end up doing right by others. Take my life as an example. I came out of college hell-bent on making money. And, to be honest, it was my singular focus for many years. During this time, I never lost sight of my personal values and once I achieved my goals, I started to focus on how I could give back to society. I think I have contributed more to society by focusing on my own goals first.