I have just finished this book. I have been reading it for so long. I have started it months ago, I can't recall how many indeed. Now, I can say really, 'thanks Ayn Rand'. This book was a real eye opener. It gave shape and meaning to some odd thoughts and ideas I used to have. It put into words what I have been fighting to make sense of. However, on the other hand, it increased my anger towards the society that I live in and the hereditary ideas and concepts of self destruction disguised as virtue, as self sacrifice.
I might not be that radical and I don't agree with every bit of her objectivism. However, selfishness and its misuse in our society is where I found Ayn Rands words and thoughts really enlightening.
I still really respect the our cultural heroes, whether they are the soldiers who fight for the sake of their countries and people who really work in charity and people like Mother Teresa. But I look at them differently. To me, it is not selflessness that motivates them, or the need to nullify their existence. No, they were selfish in there own way. They did that with love, satisfaction and peace. They loved their lives so much and enjoyed it to the fullest in their own way.
I can accommodate our differences. Our variations is what made life possible and what keeps life going. Joy, love, happiness, satisfaction are relative issues and I can't measure how happy someone else is according to my measures not even my loved one or very close family member. But as long as I am doing what I am doing with love, passion, peace and eagerness then I am doing it selfishly. I am doing it for myself before any other end. My benefit from this work will be more than to any other beneficial.
And I do believe in God and Christ but there is something about the religion of today that I question and most often it repels me. I am repelled by the rituals that z
Those I can't ever accommodate or understand are the looter, as called in the novel. The parasites of our society who lives on my consent to feed them from my work while they deserve nothing.
The last part of the long was prolonged too much for my taste. I was persistent to finish it but at time it got too boring. It could have been shortened without losing much. Some criticizes the book as being unreal or the characters. I don't think I care whether or not. Maybe at time she exgeratted in drawing the looters as bad looking and too evil. I think in reality it isn't that clear or consistent. The important to me is the essence of their existence, whether the parasites or the mind-owner.
It was a great book. I enjoyed it.
