interesting conversation in The Fountainhead

Was just reading a little tonight in Ayn Rand's Fountainhead. I thought a conversation between Ellsworth Toohey and some of his followers, a group of educated and cultured men and women who like to sit around commentating on society and how great they think they are, was pretty interesting. One in the group refers to them all as 'liberal businessmen'. I became confused and disoriented as to whether I was still reading the book or had magically and secretly transported to a meeting held by Obama and the liberal empire in Washington. Some quotes from the conversation:

"The basic trouble with the modern world is the intellectual fallacy that freedom and compulsion are opposites. To solve the gigantic problems crushing the world today, we must clarify our mental confusion. We must acquire a philosophical perspective. In essence, freedom and compulsion are one. Let me give you a simple illustration. Traffic lights restrain your freedom to cross the street whenever you wish. But this retrain gives you the freedom from being run over by a truck... Whenever a new compulsion is imposed upon us, we automatically gain a new freedom. The two are inseparable. Only by accepting total compulsion can we achieve total freedom."

"People make too damn much fuss about freedom...I'm not even sure it's such a blessing. I think people would be much happier in a regulated society that had a definite pattern and a unified form- like a folk dance. You know how beautiful a folk dance is...That's because it took generations to work it out and they don't let just any chance fool come along to change it."

"What makes people unhappy is not too little choice, but too much...Having to decide...torn every which way all of the time. Now in a society of pattern, man could feel safe..."

"No intelligent person believes in freedom nowadays. It's dated. The future belongs to social planning. Compulsion is a law of nature..."

"Everybody can't be as competent as you...We must help the others. It's the moral duty of the intellectual leaders. What I mean is we ought to lose that bugaboo of being scared of the word compulsion. It's not compulsion when it's for a good cause...But I don't know how we can make this country understand it. American's are so stuffy."

"It's stupid to talk about personal choice. It's old-fashioned. There's no such thing as a person. There's only a collective entity..."

"Something's got to be done about the masses. They've got to be led. They don't understand what's good for them... I can't understand why people of culture and position like us understand the great ideal of collectivism so well and are willing to sacrifice our personal advantages, while the working man who has everything to gain from it remains so stupidly indifferent..."

"No, you would never be able to match Gail ('evil' self-made capitalist) Wynand's career. Not with your sensitive spirit and humanitarian instincts. That's what's holding you down, not your money. Who cares about money? The age of money is past. It's your nature that's too fine for the brute competition of our capitalistic system. But that, too, is passing."

Rand wrote this in 1943 and now people with the same mindset as those in this fictional group are running the country. Capitalism is evil, we must teach the masses the correct way, we are so much more enlightened, we must force people to rejoice in collectivism, we must bring CHANGE to this old-fashioned society. Sound familiar?
Kind of eerie.

Change one word in this sentence from above and you have the theme of a cover article from Newsweek since Obama was elected: 'What I mean is we ought to lose that bugaboo of being scared of the word socialism'.

No thanks. Compulsion and freedom aren't the same. Is this the change people believed in and voted for, honestly?

well said, jon voight

I heard some of this speech and had to go listen to the whole thing. I haven't written about politics or 'The Messiah' for a while- I don't know what to say, there is too much. I'll let my friend Jon Voight say things for now. I think he does a pretty great job of laying it out and describing our current situation to the T.



I love his descriptions of Obama. It's not often that people (on tv, news, from hollywood, from hawaii, etc, etc) look at him critically, realistically, logically or with any degree of common sense. The blind faith, obedience and unfounded trust of his followers is scary and frustrating, as I have gone on and on about before...

It is refreshing to hear someone who is well known speak critically of His Highness. Thanks Jon.

let us mourn on earth day

"...bring me to this rock, that has the most incredible life..."

-i know that inspired me to be a better human.

no more nukes! no more nukes!

weird. even SLATE agrees that Obama wanting to disarm the U.S. to help transform the world into a place of peace and tranquility without nuclear weapons is unrealistic. To live in a Utopia sounds nice, that's why he sends chills through you when he describes the world he's going to create. But the real world we live in doesn't function the way it does in his dreams. and to pretend it does, or that he has the power to change it into his idyllic vision, is not only unrealistic but dangerous for the rest of us.

presidential update

I hate to waste energy dwelling on this stuff, but our President is doing too much good in the world to ignore.
The Obamas went to Europe for the G-20 recently - where some fans in the streets still cheered as they did before his election, but many world leaders weren't quite as in love. He asked for other countries to pour money into their economies to bail out banks and other hurting companies/ industries, preaching what he does here, that the government is the answer (and also that the key fixing a huge deficit is to increase it). Some European (Germany, France, etc)countries' leaders said no thanks, they've been there before.
Funny how Obama dreams of making the U.S. more European while much of Europe becomes more conservative and less like the Europe Obama romanticizes about. He's still convinced socialism is the solution. Meanwhile countries that have been down that road are now turning away from it.

Obama's trip has turned into an apology tour, telling the world he's sorry for the U.S. being a superpower, sorry for the last 8 years, sorry for being so bossy and independent. And then he goes around saying how the U.S. and the world needs to get rid of nuclear weapons and will quit being so annoying and pushy. We'll quit trying to lead the world and just work towards a one world government where our constitution is replaced with a panel of leaders from around the world representing different cultures.

I think he looks weak and naive and is making the U.S. look pathetic.

Now a word about Obama making himself the CEO and head car designer of GM and Chrysler.
I already wasn't into most American cars due to there ugliness and my belief that other car companies like Honda or Subaru make better cars. Thus, I (along with many, many Americans) wasn't planning on buying one from them. That's why they're failing (that and labor unions, also something Obama won't let go away)! Obama somehow thinks that by the government taking over these car companies and then dictating what type of car they should make, people like myself will suddenly buy a GM. I actually am now even more, far more, inclined to avoid buying from these companies because of this. I think Obama's vision will fail and companies that continue to do their own research and development and make cars accordingly will succeed. Obama will probably tax us all if we buy a non Obama-motors car so we slowly all must obey, at which time I'll move to New Zealand.

A caller on the radio made this comparison: it's like sending a package to someone. You know the Post Office is probably the cheapest, but FED Ex or UPS is probably faster and will get the package there more reliably. That's the nice thing about having choices. The government does some things that are fine, but often times private companies do the same things better and more efficiently. Imagine your car being designed and made by government employees now. No incentive to be inventive or excel beyond the minimal requirements. Sound good? I'm just afraid that by using taxes, Obama will try to MAKE it sound good.

I enjoy and take seriously the power I have as a buyer and consumer (and want to write posts on the subject more, what items i like, which business deserve our business, etc). I know that we are the backbone of a capitalist economy. If stores sell things we want at the price we want, they succeed. If not, they fail and disappear. Obama and his minions, as the elite humans they are, believe their opinions and preferences have more weight than we the buying public. They, for some reason, think they have the power to take companies over, tell CEOs they don't like to quit, and then tell those companies how to do business. That is not capitalism, that's not even constitutional, as far as i can tell.

New polls show Obama is already one of the most divisive presidents in history, shown by the huge numbers of approval by Democrats and huge disapproval numbers by Republicans. He said he was beyond partisanship, he was going to be a uniter! But we've quickly learned it's his way or the highway and his way is just as extreme as some of us feared. His followers in the Democratic party fell in love with his image and his promises of change, even though he never really outlined what the change would be. Strangely, now that we see him taking the country to a place it shouldn't be, many of his devoted are willing to close their eyes and trust in him- This is supported by the polls showing a much lower percentage of people that approve of his policies than of him in general.

I am excited for the day that people wake up and realize the mess he's making.

ps: no, the fact that Michelle is planting an organic garden at the White House doesn't cancel out all the other crap her husband is doing. I still cannot support the Obamas. My priorities must be messed up.


photo: Obamas taking care of business- breaking protocol (left) and bowing to the Saudi King (right).

this must be the place

i just want this video on here. i watch it often and it makes my day a lot better when i do.
everything about it: the lamp, the smiling guitarists, the dancing backup singers, and david byrne. it's happy and amazing.
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also, i love this interview with david byrne by david byrne. it also makes my day a lot better. he's sweet.



"I'll tell you later..." - genius.

i love you mr. president!

Example of Obama in campaign mode, trying to, I guess, keep the romance going during this time when he looks to be failing miserably. This is our new President, isn't it wonderful. It looks like a cross between The Price is Right and Dr. Phil or something. Obama love fest is still in full swing, and Obama's love for himself is as clear as ever in this video. 'Sit down women, it's needs to be a man...' Gosh, aren't I the coolest.

Give me a break and get to work!

p.s.- Julio: here's why you haven't found another job in 4 years: You're a freak. (sorry, that's a little mean)