Nice to see others like me

[Hoyden]

Stumbled across this site purely accidently. How wonderful there are others like me, knew there were just don't know many of them.

I read voraciously and nearly everything. I go through stages with books, not love / hate mind you but rather low-brow to high-brow. I travel a great deal and often find myself running through airports knowing that I will finish my book before the plane lands, can't have that. Thus the low-brow.

Actually I enjoy most anything from Philosophy to Sociology, Political Satire to Anthropology, Historical Fact to Fiction, Science Fiction to Scare the bejezus out of me please. I suppose the only things I really can't read are bodice rippers, don't know why just can't, oh and modern romance; just to pat.

So that is me and my reading habits in a nutshell.

 

[-Carlos-]

Welcome to BAR: Make yourself at home!

 

[SFG75]

You've come to the right place. I like your interest in books. Check out Howard Zinn or John Kenneth Galbraith. The latter is the only economist worth a darn.

 

[Hoyden]

Thanks

Yep would agree with out on Galbraith. Thanks for the other recommendation will have to go check it out.

 

[SFG75]

Couldn't help but notice that you are re-reading Atlas Shrugged. As much as I detest Objectivism, I do like Ayn Rand's writing. To me, she is the Theodore Dreiser of the right wing. She does a good job in portraying the "collectivists" of society in such a way that shows how their way of life is wrong in her opinion. While a gross generalization, it does show our worst depiction of government employees and corrupt ministers that we hear from time to time in society.

Her writing also answers a famous historical riddle-why wasn't the socialist/communist movement in America so tiny? Even during the late 1800s with Eugene V. Debs and state legislature socialists being elected in Oklahoma, their numbers should've been greater given the rift between workers and employers. Rand shows that even those on the low end, continually view themselves on the way up and that they are just at an ebb in the moment. Americans don't want economic equality for all, they just want a chance to make wealth and to let the chips fall where they may.

 

[Hoyden]

Ayn Rand -

I am not sure that I entirely disagree even with the philosophy. Not entirely. Although my mother hates to hear me say that.

I do love Ayn Rand's books though. Each time I read them, as I get older I find something different to consider and to agree with and disagree with. Certainly from a political point of view I would agree with her, I have real issues with the idea that I need to pay out of my pocket and from my labors for those who are unwilling to labor. Atlas Shrugged is probably my favorite, although I love some of her lessor known books - We the Living is on my soon to re-read list.

Well, on a personal level I remain still more of a centralist and a humanist.

Still and all, she does strike a very deep cord with me. It has been about 10 years since I have read her so we will see. The first time I read her I was 14 and just finishing high school, preparing for the big bad world. Even then I had distinct views of the world. Now I am nearing 50 and still I suppose my world views remain distinctly different from many of my peers.

 

[SFG75]

Although my mother hates to hear me say that.

LOL-I understand entirely. My liberal college professor parents were just horrified, they hoped it was just "a phase" that I was going through.

I don't know if you've had this experience, but I've noticed that if you read her books in a coffee shop, an espresso bar at a Barnes & Noble, or some place like that, that inevitably, someone will approach you!. Seriously, she just hits a nerve with people, it's strange. I've had flaming liberals and religious people who disagree with her for her individualist and atheist views sit down with me to hash out why they disagree with her. It's really unreal, I've never had that experience with other writers to be quite honest. If anything, she gets a good conversation going.

Well, on a personal level I remain still more of a centralist and a humanist.

It is very consistent in regards to belief and politics. I think the libertarian position is one that is closest to objectivism politically. On a practical level, it is very rational.

Still and all, she does strike a very deep cord with me. It has been about 10 years since I have read her so we will see. The first time I read her I was 14 and just finishing high school, preparing for the big bad world. Even then I had distinct views of the world. Now I am nearing 50 and still I suppose my world views remain distinctly different from many of my peers.

On a general level, it is interesting to reflect upon the works that influenced you when you're younger. How you come to hold certain notions that you do, how you changed others with subsequent books that you read or experiences. I still have all of her books that I purchased. Personally, I prefer The Fountainhead. Philosophy: Who Needs It? is very under rated IMHO.