Randian heroes

[Aditya]

I would like to propose a game for this list:

Name or discuss heroes of the caliber envisioned by AR. They could be real-life contemporaries, historical, fictional or mythical. Obvious exception being that they were not conjured by Rand herself. 

To kick off (and by way of example) I propose Atticus Finch (To kill a mockingbird).

GP

Aditya

[Aditya]

Excellent choice Poonam - the accounts of Ramanujan's available online are fascinating.

Panini is another Randian hero. Not only was he the original linguist and grammarian influencing all subsequent fathers of modern linguistics, his work proves beyond a shred of doubt that he was the original Logician, Taxonomist and Philosopher.

Aditya

[Aditya]

some interesting quotes from Steve Jobs in a 1980s Playboy interview:

1. It’s a large responsibility to have more than you can spend in your lifetime–and I feel I have to spend it. If you die, you certainly don’t want to leave a large amount to your children. It will just ruin their lives. And if you die without kids, it will all go to the Government. Almost everyone would think that he could invest the money back into humanity in a much more astute way than the Government could. The challenges are to figure out how to live with it and to reinvest it back into the world, which means either giving it away or using it to express your concerns or values....... I’m convinced that to give away a dollar effectively is harder than to make a dollar. [on money - one of my favorites: a very un-slavish, un-plagiarized Randian exposition of the virtues of money]

2. The point is that tools are always going to be used for certain things we don’t find personally pleasing. And it’s ultimately the wisdom of people, not the tools themselves, that is going to determine whether or not these things are used in positive, productive ways. [on apple being used to target nuclear weapons - but equally applicable to the un-important issue of guns]

3. There’s an old Hindu saying that comes into my mind occasionally: “For the first 30 years of your life, you make your habits. For the last 30 years of your life, your habits make you.” As I’m going to be 30 in February, the thought has crossed my mind.

 

Aditya

On Sunday, January 20, 2013 1:26:00 PM UTC, Aditya wrote:

[Barun Mitra, New Delhi]

The following message was from Poonam. I reposted it in this thread.
Thanks,
Barun
=====


Hi Aditya,
Interesting and frankly fascinating how Ayn Rand knew her material so
well.
She described them so well - her heroic characters so well with a very
deep knowledge.
In my reading of Ramanujan's biography I found him to be the ideal
candidate for "Atlantis" in Atlas Shrugged and would often imagine him
to be there. That he was an Hindu and did believe that some divine
power type deity had bestowed him with his fantastic gift is
forgivable. If indeed it needs to be forgiven. In my observation the
relationship believing hindus have with their deities is really like
having a comforting comfort giving relationship people have with a
therapist !!
And I became an atheist at the age of 12. So my distant observation is
fairly accurate for most people of this religion - after listening to
and having many discussions with believers and me being a non
believer. I've had many discussions naturally! It's always a hot
topic......
As long as one does not harm anyone with one's beliefs - it's fine and
that's why Ramanujan can be who he is and still be a deserving hero
right out of her books !!
So did I feel the same sensation when reading Steve Jobs biography. He
too was brilliant! I systematically followed all his interviews on
youtube while reading his biography.....
The sensation that Ayn Rand had said with such piercing conviction
that the people she wrote about did exist. They do.
After reading all her books I did read a biography of Einstein and
much later Richard Feynmann - of Newton...and some others in brief.
And I found that what she had said was true. Is true.
However - since I am not a genius - I did feel a sense that I cannot
relate to any of her characters - but not that I cared about that - I
love those people too much - but then I realized after reading her
books many many times that spiritually one is equal to any heroic
person as long as one keeps one's own integrity alive and that it's
fine. I should lead a life as closest to the highest possible ability
I possess. Because my mostest dream till today is to make myself
worthy to be allowed entry into "Atlantis" !!! To belong to the world
of Atlas Shrugged!
warm regards
Poonam



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Date: Fri, 25 Jan 2013 07:16:39 +0000


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Randian heroes [2 Updates]


Randian heroes


Aditya <agrawal...@hotmail.com> Jan 23 09:17AM -0800

[Aditya]

 

I consider Thatcher to be a Randian hero. She is the only person in the history of British politics who deserves this accolade.

[Aditya]

Among Indian political figures the one name that stands out of course is that of Gandhi. At a fundamental level there are many similarities between Gandhi and Rand. I wonder if Rand ever said anything about him?