Quote: Ayn Rand on Intimidation

A very good quote out of many from my favorite author.

While there is intersection on many points, libertarianism and objectivism are quite a bit different and Rand herself (and her followers) would violently object to any implication of congruence.

I've read a couple of Rand's major works. "Atlas Shrugged" is a tough read for at least a hundred pages and then it picks up well into a pretty decent "near-future" story. A couple of overly long monologues (aimed at espousing her philosophy from the mouth of the speaker) needed some editing, but it's still a good book.

I did find the characters more one-sided than in her earlier work, "The Fountainhead", though. In there, many of the characters are a "little more grey" (and the philosophy is less in-your-face), which I think results in a better story. Atlas aims more at preaching her philosophy by wrapping a story around it. The Fountainhead is a little less obvious.

Both books are quite good and should be read by anyone who wants to refute her. I read Rousseau, Marx, and Upton Sinclair, but that doesn't make me a socialist...

Oh, so sorry Alex. I didn't see your other quotes yet.
Consider me schooled.

"Which, of course, says nothing at all about the relative merits of libertarianism"

I'm not a big fan of Libertarianism, but it beats "stupid Conservatism" of the type we've seen post Reagan, and particularly, these past 6 years. Libertarians, at least, believe the Govt shouldn't mess with people's lives. They wouldn't be running into Terry Schiavo's room to stick the plug back in or shipping random people with Islamic names off to secret prisons in "Very-Bad-istan" without a trial.

I love this "reads the LA Times and swallows it whole" right, as if you know that you think for yourself and someone whose opinion agrees with the mainstream in general must not think for themselves.

While you don't say you're a Randroid, you don't go far enough to discredit libertarianism to be believed.