Atlas Shrugged: Part One

[Guile]

Atlas Shrugged: Part One will be out on DVD
this November 8th, and I,
having my Conservative connections,
was able to get my copy early, and
I must say, it was excellent!

Trailer available here.

But more importantly, what do you think of the message of Atlas Shrugged? Do you think hank Rearden and John Galt are right in their views of the world? Should those who produce and create be forced to carry the burden of the slovenly common man? Did any of you see this film, or do you have an opinion on it or Ayn Rand?

What about things like the Anti-Dog Eat-Dog Laws, or other governmental regulations on business to "even the playing field"?

[BDF]

I generally think what people earn, should be theirs, as long as it's earned by honest practice. Nothing else.

In the rare instance where one individual amasses so much power and money, that he dwarfs everyone around him, more severe action should be taken if he behaves irresponsibly with it.

If I was to win the EuroMillions tomorrow, I may feel or may not feel generous enough to give some of the money away to other people, charities etc. . However by no means do I believe I, or anyone else should be forced to do so, by any means whatsoever, if they be taxes, twisted regulations, or anything at all of the sort.

I believe everyone should be taxed the same amount. I get very annoyed at people who think that one individual should be forced by any means to be responsible for others, simply because one individual has more money. I grew up with a few friends like that in childhood (early teens). They either grew out of the stupid ideology, or we simply stopped being friends.

I may have more money than a beggar I walk past by on the street. Whether or not I choose to drop some money in the hat, should be a choice entirely up to me, and no one else. Nobody's business what I do with my money, and not my business what others do with theirs, so long as it doesn't affect me.

I don't know if this answers your question. My argument's a mess but owell...

[TigerTank77]

I think anyone who takes Ayn Rand seriously is delusional, but thats just me.

[dr2005]

I'm not entirely familiar with the text of the novel or the film (aside from the fact that it bombed, frankly), but I am aware of it and its general message. Overall, I think there is one particular flaw with the assertion being made in the film and to some extent by Rand's philosophy: those held up as being "creators" or "producers" (i.e. wealthy industrialists by all accounts) are only in the positions they are because of the help of numerous people working on their behalf to make their creations and products a reality. Much as - to give one example - Steve Jobs and Bill Gates were both very innovate thinkers, neither of them would have gotten off the ground in the early days without others to develop, and more importantly bankroll, their respective products, neither would their companies have developed as they have. It is a gross oversimplification of the market to claim, as appears to be the case, that only entrepreneurs and innovators are producing anything of value and that the state hinders them in this process - considering how much state funding is given to companies in the developed world, and in particular how many were bailed out in 2008, it's pretty wide of the mark. As such, the film and narrative argument don't do much for me really.

On the subjects of objectivism and laissez-faire capitalism, I don't know enough about the former to comment meaningfully and on the latter I can only say the fact that it has never been implemented in its truest form suggests it's something of a utopian vision of capitalism.