More people have been killed because of words and ideas than anything else.
The Russian writer Dmitri Merejkowski (1865–1941), believed all religions could be divided into two basic ones. In the first one, Man sacrifices Man to Man (even if it’s claimed Man is sacrificing to God). In the second, God sacrifices Himself to Man.
The biggest problem throughout history is Man sacrificing to Man. Think the human sacrifice of war, for one example. Or Moloch, in which babies were rolled into his fire-filled stone belly. Or the Aztecs ripping the hearts out of thousands of live captives.
I sometimes use the example of the Christian-hating, left-wing Russian Jew atheist Alice Rosenbaum, who wrote under the pen name “Ayn Rand.”
Her most famous novel is Atlas Shrugged, a fairly well-written book, but one that is full of scapegoating and the human sacrifice of Man to Man.
In it, she basically sacrifices the entire world to save the few dozen people in “Galt’s Gulch.”
As I’ve mentioned before, all sacrifice, even human sacrifices (especially human sacrifice) is a fertility rite, to save and renew society though sacrificing people to a deity (think of the movie, The Cabin in the Woods, which I have mentioned more than once).
Unfortunately that deity is often Man – which is no deity at all. It certainly is the case with Rosenbaum, who called herself “the perfect woman.”
Rosenbaum’s friends used to argue with each other whether or not Rosenbaum was evil. That was settled a long time ago.
Since she was a leftist emotionally and intellectually (but thought she wasn’t one) she was full of hate and envy, like all leftists. It’s why she so happily destroyed the world in her novel.
When anyone does not believe in anything greater than himself then he is reduced to believing only in himself. I’ve met people like that, who have told me, “I only believe in me.”
I can understand an alienated 12-year-old or 16-year-old thinking Atlas Shrugged is the greatest novel ever written. But an adult, no, unless that old saying about there are none so blind as those who will not see is really true.
It is apparently an instinct in people to believe in sacrifices, especially human sacrifice (nearly every culture throughout the world, throughout history, has engaged in it.
I was far too old (in my thirties) when I first read Atlas Shrugged to fall under its spell. But remembering what I was like when I was 12 I think even then I would have been repulsed by it. What kind of sad person calls the world “a hell” and destroys it? And then claims the people in it brought it on themselves by not worshiping her grandiose human gods?
I’ll say again that Russell Kirk said that the source of evil was “the Monstrous Self” (scapegoating and human sacrifice are just manifestations of it).
And what does that say about a woman who said she was “perfect,” considered the world “a hell” and wanted everyone in it (except about three dozen of her human gods) dead?
I’ve had her fans tell me her version of society would be an impressive one. In reality it wouldn’t get off the ground, being based not on capitalism and reason but on evil – scapegoating and human sacrifice. It is a house not built on sand but quicksand.
6 comments:
You post reminds me of people who think they have the perfect economic system, either distributism, libertarianism, etc. and constantly remind us lemmings how they got it all figured out and all we have to do is commit to it.
I wonder if they consider the amount of destruction that would have to come about to change the hearts and minds of people to make their dreams happen.
Who gets sacrificed to their gods?
LOL. If you weren't offended by Rand - you weren't paying attention!
The problem with critics like you, Bob, is that you get hung up on literary symbolism and lose the meaning in the process. Rand spoke about the flaws of gov't mandated altruism. We see that manifested today by Obama's welfare addicted niggers and other sel proclaimed ethnic victim groups. She has been accused of being an elitist; the same could be said of you and I because like Rand, we know that all men are not equal.
Rand is not sacrificing the world in her novel - she's saving it from the looters and parasites... the exact same ones that are destroying America as we speak. How many times has America reached out to help another nation only to become a victim itself? You and Rand are actually more alike than different. It's one of the reasons I'm a fan! I am a bit of a shithouse objectivist mysel!
You like to say I don't understand Americans, Bob... But I DO understand lefties and socialists better than you ever will, and I can tell you this: Rand is no liberal. She's certainly not a perfect woman either... But she's a vast improvement over the purple haired land whales and shreieking whores like Hillary Clinton and Stretch Pelosi.
Rosenbaum was a mentally-ill left-wing Jew atheist who hated people and wanted them dead.
Regardless of who or what she is, Rand, Rosenbaum, whatever, and no matter what she wrote and discussed, history itself has proven that the only economic and even political system that has ever worked in human history is the Free Market.
No matter if she was ever born or existed. It's been proven by all of human history.
I still think its a good book. I'm not objectiveness by any means. I liked Fountainhead and Anthem.
I do think the Atlas Shrugged brings up some good topics of philosophy. I know libertarianism has some limitations, but I'm tired of the leftist of all stripes and yes I would love them dead at this point. Conservatards annoy me but you can usually have a conversation with one.
Bob, a few things here. First, to Glen, who glibly used the term Obama's welfare addicted niggers. I am offended, not by your use of a word that I myself choose not to use, but because of your misguided notions about welfare. Welfare is a problem, in many ways, of course, as most of us understand. It has indeed become a way of life for far too many people in this country, sometimes lasting several generations of the same family. However, you, in your ignorance of the actual system and it's numbers, are quite mistaken if you think that black people, or even non-white people, use the federal benefit system in greater numbers than whites. I won't try to dissuade you, but a search of the truth might be in order. Also, Obama is not the one who started the whole welfare system, you have to go back a hell of a long ways to place the blame on the one who got that ball rolling. You got your choice. Pick either FDR or LBJ. The idea for federal support of individual citizens came from Roosevelt, but the war on poverty came from Johnson. Now, Bob, I only have this one point for you. I often say that words have been responsible for the death of millions more people than guns ever will. Think of the words of Stalin, Hitler, Pol Pot, Mao Tse Tung, etc. Their words arguably were directly responsible for the death of well over 100 million people in just the 20th century alone. The tools used might have been guns, but the main responsibility rests with the words of hatred spread by tyrants such as these. Ayn Rand, I must admit that I have a hard time reading her stuff. She seems full of herself. I do think that some of the ideas that I have heard ascribed to her of self determination and such are appealing, but from what you write, these seem to be off the mark. I think I have a copy of the Fountainhead somewhere. I might try to force myself to read it again, and see if I can get through it without desiring a long nap.
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