atlas shrugged

 So, with Obama and the Democrats firmly in charge, and stimulus money spewing out of Washington, Ayn Rand books are again flying off the shelves. Does this mean that Atlas is finally going to shrug? Will the competent capitalists finally say “to hell with it” and go on strike? Will the lights go out in New York?

Did hardcore liberals flee en masse to Canada when the Republicans were in charge?

I don’t think so. The U.S. is still a pretty good place to do business, and last I checked quite a few billionaires and successful capitalists voted for Obama. Atlas will not shrug.

 Maybe we should celebrate the increased sales of Atlas Shrugged anyway. The strike against the moochers was a plot device, not a call to action. The plot device was an excuse to teach a philosophy, one that happens to celebrate capitalism and small government.

One question to consider: how many of these books will actually be read? How many were purchased for outreach by existing Ayn Rand fans? I can picture it now: “You voted for Obama?? Here’s an 1100 page novel proving you wrong. It may be long, preachy and ponderous, but it’s very appealing to bitter nerds. Prepare to be enlightened.”

I guess I’m just not sold on Ayn Rand as the optimal advocate of capitalism. Her philosophy is incompatible with being a Christian, a parent or a likeable person. This leaves a rather small and politically ineffectual target market. (Yes, I am aware that some Christians, parents and likeable people are enamored with Rand’s works. People who really like their government small can overlook much to treasure her well written words against socialism.)

Some of the new copies of Atlas Shrugged will be read, of course, and converts will be made. Should we at least celebrate this small victory?

Alas, no, for Ayn Rand’s ethical philosophy is incompatible with a free society. Rational self-interest may work within a capitalist framework, but it does not support said framework. As any work on public choice economics proves, the self-interest of the governors and those who actively support them leads to big government: crony capitalism, regulatory capture, and excessive pensions to civil servants. Donations to earmarking congresscritters pays dividends. Donations to a principled small-government politician are acts of charity.

There is yet another problem with handing out Rand books: Objectivist moral philosophy is just plain wrong. You are not going to convince a skeptical socialist to switch over to capitalism by handing him easily refuted arguments. Only those predisposed will drink the Kool-Aid, and that’s not a good thing. Bad ideas have bad effects. Spend some time at a Libertarian Party convention or an Objectivist meeting to see the damage.

I understand that some national policies are moving us towards socialism and is removing incentive from our society. I realize that rewarding mediocrity is something that, in the long run, benefits no one. But what I did not realize is that there exists a protest movement that is going with the government flow and accepting medicrioty as a means to teach government a lesson. The movement is accepting the results of national policies and reducing their high levels of productivity which are being penalized more than rewarded.

It is called Going Galt.

It stems from a classic American novel written by Ayn Rand called Atlas Shrugged. Although written in 1954, the book is as timely as ever.  click here for the story