Posted by trouble on March 31, 2002, at 1:39:10
In reply to Re: Wow! A Peter Breggin / Ayn Rand Link!! » fachad, posted by jay on March 28, 2002, at 6:25:35
Hi fellahs,
I too must fess up, I did Ayn Rand during my early twenties, wearing gold-plated dollar-sign earrings and the whole silly nine yards.
But I love her today as much as ever, and for the right reasons this time. I think.
I did read Judgement Day, and it blew me away, I had no idea how completely insane she was during her later years. Sad.
The funniest book on her I read is It Usually Begins With Ayn Rand, a hilarious and naughty-mean inside scoop. Said she got to the point of charging her disciples a nickel per idea, had a coin box and everything.If I can share one of my favorite anecdotes from the book, it went something like this:
During one of the indoctrination sessions at the Branden home, Barbara Branden, mousy little non-person, boldly mentioned that she believed in religion, in God. Ayn totally freaks and hands Barbara a sheaf of essays, then banishes her into a little room (cloistered!) to study them.Hours later when Barbara reappears, Ms. Rand goes "Vell?" And Babs stammers that she can't just change her beliefs in ONE day, religion being a part of her all her life and Rand screams "YOU HAVE READ ZE PAPERS AND YET YOU CONTINUE TO VALLOW IN ZIS MINDLESS MYZTICISM??!!" Poor Nathan, can't take his third rate wife anywhere.
BTW Did you happen to see Ms. Rand on the Phil Donahue show? That's why I love her, cried rivers upon witnessing that glorious ...apparition...I'm sure the transcript's around here somewhere, if interested I could email the good parts...
Man I miss Phil Donahue. Has our culture gone to hell in handbasket or what?
toodles,
trouble
poster:trouble
thread:99751
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020327/msgs/101059.html