Ayn Rand, neé Alice Rosenbaum, grew up in Soviet Russia.
Her early conditioning was intensely atheist. Hard to beat, I know - I too grew up in a leftist family who worshipped only "science."
Reading Atlas over a single weekend in my late twenties blew up, practically overnight, every economic idea I had been fed my entire life in a lefty state and at a lefty school.
I re-read Atlas every year for around 30 years since.
Instead of atheist I went agnostic for a very long time. But I eventually did find my faith...
And there's still nobody like Ayn to illustrate the fundamental error of collectivism.
I am in the more agnostic camp as I view atheism still as having ‘a belief’. I came late to Atlas Shrugged and Fountainhead p, not reading them until my late 40s. I was already instinctively on board with all the concepts the books described (except the adultery)
I'm not sure, but it might be because I think she believed in man's supremacy? (There is an org called The Atlas Society which might have some insight/ analysis into some of her positions)
The only 'beef' I had with her book/ views is the adultery.
I 'get' that she believed a person's own happiness should be supreme and is their own responsibility, which I do sorta agree with, but I disagree that it should come at the cost of harming another.
I think that's generally true, but I've never read anything about Rand that mentioned that she renounced atheism. She may have accepted God in her heart - we'll never know.
Atlas Shrugged was a masterpiece that exposed the destructiveness of Communist politics and economics. The Fountainhead (IIRC) also was a great expose of the Communist destruction of culture.
I love Ayn Rand's books, but after I read a biography of her, was disillusioned about some of her personal traits (as mentioned above, the atheism and adultery, also a domineering streak paired with some insecurity). But they don't at all invalidate her brilliant dissection of Communism. Few people are uniformly admirable in every aspect of life. (Charlie Kirk appears to have been a rare exception--from what we know of him, he was excellent all around. Even awesomely so.)
A friend if my mother whose husband wss a GM executive gave me that book to read when i was in high school. A good story. She later asked how i likd it. It was ok i said. Eventually i got a PhD in economics. But the book, good read that it was, offered a very stark 'cartoon-like' presentation. People so obsessed with self determination they were not admirable...to me. No fan of socialism here...and i live in nyc so good luck to me. Not surprsed by Ayn's private life. When nothing is taken in moderation and everything must conform to a central thesis well..
Capitalism so viewd can begin to look dictatorial. In his fine book capitalism and freedom, miton friedman hamners at the need filir charity. Capitalism is brutal. People are flawed. You cant treat all those who are less than successful as pikers or slackers. Charity us not socialism.
One day I would like to get around to reading some C.S.Lewis. I’m Jewish (non-observant) so it won’t convert me to Cathocism ( like it did Larry Kudlow on Fox Business I recently learned!) but I’d still like to read Narnia or some of his writings.
Narnia is a children's series (I've always loved reading some of the classics of them).
Lewis also wrote a trilogy of adult novels which I remember as s-f/fantasy. I probably have them floating around the house somewhere, thanks for reminding me of that, they would be a good re-read now.
09/30/25: I'm surprised. Has no one else besides myself seen the Obama "library" (money-laundering HQ) for what it is? It's a MAFIA 'BUST-OUT." Please look that one up. Now. Today. move the Federal Reserve into it (I don't care if it isn't finished). And they don't get to go home until Powell resigns and interest rates are cut.
Heck close to $750K for Valerie Jarrett is money laundering itself.
Look at the homes of Obama--these purchased before he "cashed out" with Netflix and lectures iirc. These pols cash in while in office and continue. Heck I hear the Clinton Foundation is still holding conferences.
Seems like the foreign gov'ts received a good payout, approval of selling domestic uranium, for ex. And in aftermath of the Haiti earthquake there was quite a payout of cell phone and other services.
Would even Dems got to Biden’s library?! He’s such an embarrassment. Obama’s looks like the hideous Brutalism architecture?? I think that’s the right term? Blocky and ugly. And wow, fitting with his policies, it’s a money pit. It’s the Obamacare of architecture.
From what I have been seeing in the news, Biden may not even get to have a library. the donors haven't been ponying up. For all of his career in politics, he peddled his influence for money, through his brothers and his sons. Now, he has no more influence to peddle. And the donor class is done with him.
For as long as Biden was in politics he sure did suck at the grifting part. Actually, he sucked at pretty much everything he did. Compared to the average crooked politician he was small time.
It’s not too late to turn it into a (special) correctional facility for its namesake and fellow travelers. Just add a surrounding water feature with drawbridge.
A monstrosity is an appropriate memorial to the most monstrously destructive President this nation has ever had. As far as FJB’s “library” I suggest a large outhouse where people can sit and read all the autopen signed EOs.
I doubt FJB will have a library. WHO would be interested in donating to him?! He is FINISHED. He'll probably expire before library plans can be formulated.
IF plans for a FJB library were drawn up, all they'd need to build is a garage anyway.
I thought Zelenski was going to build his library and bribe center in downtown Kiev. It's main source of income will be the sales from the Hunter Art Gallery.
The first thing the O-man did - and maybe the most important thing to him - was tear down the beautiful things built on Lake Michigan by successful, capable and admired white guys. They hired other successful, capable and admired (Frederick Law Olmsted and crews in 1871) white guys to build something special for their Chicago neighbors and friends. In fact, it seemed he insisted that there be no remnant of that significant 19th century history in sight. No reference at all to any history, architectural or otherwise.
I predict it will not be finished and will never be used for its stated purpose. (Since it will house no physical records it was purposely designed to not be a “Library” of anything.) I predict it will remain a post-apocalyptic element foreshadowing whatever happens to Chicago after Johnson and Pritzker get done with it.
Wow! I’d read that over a thousand trees were cut down for the construction.
Also, when deciding where to locate the “monument”, one location was on the Southside, Washington Park, while offering better and less obstructive access, along with far lower associated costs, the area also bears the statistic of having one of lowest life expectancies in the country!!
“.’.. It will house no physical records…” Well where are ALL the classified documents Obammy took with him, on ‘loan’ from the archives, that were going to be scanned and sent back. Neither of which has happened yet. Maybe the FBI needs to go on a scavenger hunt ala Mar a Logo.
I'm thinking he'll do a golf course instead of a library. It could double as a prison. Comey would mow the Trumpsters grass. Brennan could rake the traps.
Oh heck no. DJT has EARNED a yuuuuge and majestic library after all the @#$%^&* that the enemy has put him through. Although including a golf course would be a nice touch. And I've heard he plans to locate it in Miami where he already has a hotel and golf course. Maybe he can co-locate his library there so it's an all-inclusive TRUMP experience. 😊 I'm SURE DJT ALREADY has plans, at least in his head, for what his library will look like, and I imagine it will resemble the buildings in DC like the Supreme Court, Library of Congress, etc. Lots of white marble, huge golden (highly polished brass) doors, grand majestic stairs and columns. ❤️ Brennan, Comey & co can be put to work polishing the brass doors.
The Hussein House of Worship will reflect the Kenyan’s term. Ugly and expensive. It will be as beautiful as Cabrini Green. You can almost smell it being constructed.
A Tale of two Towers: Gems, Don, your columns are gems, and when I am not admiring their beauty, I am constantly saying to myself: I did not know that; That is so important; How can I have forgotten? And How very interesting. Clearly, Don, you are the greatest gem of all.
Builders vs destroyers...
I feel like they have never read Atlas Shrugged....
I just re-read that last year to confirm how accurate it was/is.
It's eerie how Ayn Rand totally nailed leftists/ globalists/ communists.
The only thing I didn't understand about Rand is how could she be an atheist.
Ayn Rand, neé Alice Rosenbaum, grew up in Soviet Russia.
Her early conditioning was intensely atheist. Hard to beat, I know - I too grew up in a leftist family who worshipped only "science."
Reading Atlas over a single weekend in my late twenties blew up, practically overnight, every economic idea I had been fed my entire life in a lefty state and at a lefty school.
I re-read Atlas every year for around 30 years since.
Instead of atheist I went agnostic for a very long time. But I eventually did find my faith...
And there's still nobody like Ayn to illustrate the fundamental error of collectivism.
09/30/25: Thank you, Steph. That must have been one helluva wake-up call.
I am in the more agnostic camp as I view atheism still as having ‘a belief’. I came late to Atlas Shrugged and Fountainhead p, not reading them until my late 40s. I was already instinctively on board with all the concepts the books described (except the adultery)
I'm not sure, but it might be because I think she believed in man's supremacy? (There is an org called The Atlas Society which might have some insight/ analysis into some of her positions)
The only 'beef' I had with her book/ views is the adultery.
I 'get' that she believed a person's own happiness should be supreme and is their own responsibility, which I do sorta agree with, but I disagree that it should come at the cost of harming another.
Maybe .05% of me is lefty. 🤪
The Golden Rule. It seems to have taken a back seat in the name of personal happiness.
Lots of people claim to be atheist until their life is in imminent danger.
I think that's generally true, but I've never read anything about Rand that mentioned that she renounced atheism. She may have accepted God in her heart - we'll never know.
DEM's hate that book. After I read it, I gave it to my girlfriend (now my wife) - first book I gave her.
Of course Dems hate it!
Because....
How do you piss off a conservative?
>> Lie to him.
How do you piss off a leftist?
>> Tell him the truth.
Excellent!
Atlas Shrugged was a masterpiece that exposed the destructiveness of Communist politics and economics. The Fountainhead (IIRC) also was a great expose of the Communist destruction of culture.
I love Ayn Rand's books, but after I read a biography of her, was disillusioned about some of her personal traits (as mentioned above, the atheism and adultery, also a domineering streak paired with some insecurity). But they don't at all invalidate her brilliant dissection of Communism. Few people are uniformly admirable in every aspect of life. (Charlie Kirk appears to have been a rare exception--from what we know of him, he was excellent all around. Even awesomely so.)
Yep, would't want to have been married to her but I am grateful for the thoughts she injected into the human culture.
Maybe it was Ayn’s relationship with Alan Greenspan that ruined her. lol 😂😂😂👍🇺🇸
Remember she was Russian and it comes through though brilliant. Changed my life in college when a boyfriend shared it!
A friend if my mother whose husband wss a GM executive gave me that book to read when i was in high school. A good story. She later asked how i likd it. It was ok i said. Eventually i got a PhD in economics. But the book, good read that it was, offered a very stark 'cartoon-like' presentation. People so obsessed with self determination they were not admirable...to me. No fan of socialism here...and i live in nyc so good luck to me. Not surprsed by Ayn's private life. When nothing is taken in moderation and everything must conform to a central thesis well..
Capitalism so viewd can begin to look dictatorial. In his fine book capitalism and freedom, miton friedman hamners at the need filir charity. Capitalism is brutal. People are flawed. You cant treat all those who are less than successful as pikers or slackers. Charity us not socialism.
. RAB
When your goal is eliminating seven billion people you don't have time to read Atlas Shrugged... Or the Bible.
Ha. Maybe that is why the Communist Manifesto is so short! 🤣
Shrug....
A great friend encouraged me to read both Atlas and Fountainhead when I joined the Navy as well as St Thomas. All have influenced by life greatly.
I’d like to add that there was another story that I read many times as well, continually comparing and contrasting it to Atlas.
It was the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis.
So I am now an odd combo of fierce anti-Communism and very new Christian faith.
And somehow it all makes sense. ☺️
One day I would like to get around to reading some C.S.Lewis. I’m Jewish (non-observant) so it won’t convert me to Cathocism ( like it did Larry Kudlow on Fox Business I recently learned!) but I’d still like to read Narnia or some of his writings.
Narnia is a children's series (I've always loved reading some of the classics of them).
Lewis also wrote a trilogy of adult novels which I remember as s-f/fantasy. I probably have them floating around the house somewhere, thanks for reminding me of that, they would be a good re-read now.
I’m sure they haven’t! Or any good economic books!
.......Or, am I a wrecker
Who stalks the town,
Content with the labor of
Tearing down.
09/30/25: I'm surprised. Has no one else besides myself seen the Obama "library" (money-laundering HQ) for what it is? It's a MAFIA 'BUST-OUT." Please look that one up. Now. Today. move the Federal Reserve into it (I don't care if it isn't finished). And they don't get to go home until Powell resigns and interest rates are cut.
I have heard the money laundering accusation and wouldn't put it past him/they/them
Heck close to $750K for Valerie Jarrett is money laundering itself.
Look at the homes of Obama--these purchased before he "cashed out" with Netflix and lectures iirc. These pols cash in while in office and continue. Heck I hear the Clinton Foundation is still holding conferences.
Boy , there's a bunch of suckers on the Left . They must not understand the concept of Return on Investment ; especially in Shrillary's case 🙄 .
Seems like the foreign gov'ts received a good payout, approval of selling domestic uranium, for ex. And in aftermath of the Haiti earthquake there was quite a payout of cell phone and other services.
A bust-out was illustrated well in The Sopranos.
Would even Dems got to Biden’s library?! He’s such an embarrassment. Obama’s looks like the hideous Brutalism architecture?? I think that’s the right term? Blocky and ugly. And wow, fitting with his policies, it’s a money pit. It’s the Obamacare of architecture.
Not exactly "brutalism", bc I think it's concrete clad in stone as opposed to having concrete surfaces.
But certainly in the spirit of brutalism: hulking, massive, thick, chunky, graceless, anti-human.
No need to worry, Alice. The only way it'll be built is with his own money. And that's when hell freezes over.
I imagine BO is still their Messiah.
BO will always be their Messiah - they have no one else. They worship that fraud.
A little deoderant can fix that...
We should just donate the HUD building in L'Enfsnt Plaza in DC. It looks like a prison.
Or the FBI HQ. That fugly monstrosity would have been so appropriate as a building to represent Obama.
Any federal prison
Biden's Library will be housed in a Home Depot shed.
Actually that's too big. More like https://live.staticflickr.com/328/19940580129_df538d0dc4_b.jpg
Harsh but true.
I love it.
LOL
It will featue a self reading talking book with some animation and sound effects to keep people engaged. Msybe an exhibit featuring otto the pen!!!
Thinking of liberal libraries, remember that the Clinton library looks like a single wide.
Appropriate for trailer trash.
Rush referred to it as the Bill Clinton Library and Massage Parlor. Another architectural monstrosity.
I miss Rush🥲
“It’s the Obamacare of architecture.” 😂Spot on.
Thx!
From what I have been seeing in the news, Biden may not even get to have a library. the donors haven't been ponying up. For all of his career in politics, he peddled his influence for money, through his brothers and his sons. Now, he has no more influence to peddle. And the donor class is done with him.
How sad ////sarc
After having to pony up 10% to the big guy, they want the rest of the graft for themselves.
For as long as Biden was in politics he sure did suck at the grifting part. Actually, he sucked at pretty much everything he did. Compared to the average crooked politician he was small time.
It’s not too late to turn it into a (special) correctional facility for its namesake and fellow travelers. Just add a surrounding water feature with drawbridge.
It does give off that "SuperMax" vibe, doesn't it.
Very much so!
Obama’s Library is an obamination, don’t you think?
GMTA. I always enjoy a play on words, and you took them right out of my mouth😃
This horror is a testament to DEI and obooboo’s “legacy” as well. I pity the people who are forced to look upon it every single day.
Just like Hussain’s presidency.
A monstrosity is an appropriate memorial to the most monstrously destructive President this nation has ever had. As far as FJB’s “library” I suggest a large outhouse where people can sit and read all the autopen signed EOs.
I doubt FJB will have a library. WHO would be interested in donating to him?! He is FINISHED. He'll probably expire before library plans can be formulated.
IF plans for a FJB library were drawn up, all they'd need to build is a garage anyway.
A GARAGE!! How PERFECT!! Since that’s where he tossed all those classified docs! Hahaha! Excellent!! 🤣🤣👍
But it could be used as an art museum for Hunter’s art. 😂😂😂😂👍
I thought Zelenski was going to build his library and bribe center in downtown Kiev. It's main source of income will be the sales from the Hunter Art Gallery.
The Obama project is taking so long because they haven’t figured out where to put the call to prayer tower and speakers.
Maybe they should have built it in Detoilet or Deerbornistan.
Lmao 😂😂👍🇺🇸🙏☕️🍷
Don’t forget 🥃.
The first thing the O-man did - and maybe the most important thing to him - was tear down the beautiful things built on Lake Michigan by successful, capable and admired white guys. They hired other successful, capable and admired (Frederick Law Olmsted and crews in 1871) white guys to build something special for their Chicago neighbors and friends. In fact, it seemed he insisted that there be no remnant of that significant 19th century history in sight. No reference at all to any history, architectural or otherwise.
I predict it will not be finished and will never be used for its stated purpose. (Since it will house no physical records it was purposely designed to not be a “Library” of anything.) I predict it will remain a post-apocalyptic element foreshadowing whatever happens to Chicago after Johnson and Pritzker get done with it.
It is placed in such a lovely and picturesque location, where suddenly you come upon this looming and shocking tower of doom!
I’d love to see pics of what was there before they tore it all down. Do you know of any?
This is a story I found just now. Just one aerial comparison. I’m sure there are others.
https://southsideweekly.com/remembering-the-jackson-park-trees-a-photo-essay/
Wow! I’d read that over a thousand trees were cut down for the construction.
Also, when deciding where to locate the “monument”, one location was on the Southside, Washington Park, while offering better and less obstructive access, along with far lower associated costs, the area also bears the statistic of having one of lowest life expectancies in the country!!
Chiraq, indeed.
Just wow.
The so-called "green party" showing zero appreciation for nature.
Good link with the "Before" pics.
“.’.. It will house no physical records…” Well where are ALL the classified documents Obammy took with him, on ‘loan’ from the archives, that were going to be scanned and sent back. Neither of which has happened yet. Maybe the FBI needs to go on a scavenger hunt ala Mar a Logo.
Don’t forget it has a regulation sized NBA basketball court. How appropriate.
My prediction is that TRUMP WILL FINISH HIS LIBRARY BEFORE BO gets his finished!
And for lower cost!!
I'm thinking he'll do a golf course instead of a library. It could double as a prison. Comey would mow the Trumpsters grass. Brennan could rake the traps.
Oh heck no. DJT has EARNED a yuuuuge and majestic library after all the @#$%^&* that the enemy has put him through. Although including a golf course would be a nice touch. And I've heard he plans to locate it in Miami where he already has a hotel and golf course. Maybe he can co-locate his library there so it's an all-inclusive TRUMP experience. 😊 I'm SURE DJT ALREADY has plans, at least in his head, for what his library will look like, and I imagine it will resemble the buildings in DC like the Supreme Court, Library of Congress, etc. Lots of white marble, huge golden (highly polished brass) doors, grand majestic stairs and columns. ❤️ Brennan, Comey & co can be put to work polishing the brass doors.
"Brennan, Comey & co can be put to work polishing the brass doors" - I think they'd be better suited for cleaning the toilets.
And courtesy of CBS, ABC, and YouTube.
The Hussein House of Worship will reflect the Kenyan’s term. Ugly and expensive. It will be as beautiful as Cabrini Green. You can almost smell it being constructed.
I'm guessing the Biden library won't have any stairs.
It’ll just be an ice cream stand.
I heard even ice cream cant stand Dr Jill.
🤣
A Tale of two Towers: Gems, Don, your columns are gems, and when I am not admiring their beauty, I am constantly saying to myself: I did not know that; That is so important; How can I have forgotten? And How very interesting. Clearly, Don, you are the greatest gem of all.
There is no truth to rumor that The Obama Tower has been attacked by a B2 Bomber. It was designed to look like it was.
Ha!
It’s does appear that the Obama Tower will remain as empty as The Ex-President’s suit
😄
Trump's is architectural.
Obama's is your brain on drugs.
This thing is going to end up like the Ryugrang hotel in North Korea. A giant propaganda machine that’s empty and dead inside.
Say, Barack, do you remember what they say about Karma?