I've said this before, but whenever a character in a movie, tv show or book likes Ayn Rand, it's shorthand for "I'm a jerk." See: Robby the waiter in Dirty Dancing.

If reason and rationality are the reason for labeling a person as a jerk, then I am proud to say that I am actively trying to become one.

Please don't go by insults and what you are told by people, and instead try to find out yourself what her philosophy means.

I read all of Rand's books when I was younger. At the end of my reading, I realized that Rand really was a jerk and that her books are a huge scam. That's not to say that kids shouldn't read them. At least then they'll be able to recognize pseudo-philosophical bullshit disguised as a novel.

I challenge AWA to honestly describe Ayn Rand's system of thought and explicate what he/she considers "bullshit"- if you're honest enough to make the attempt I for one will take back the four letter words I'm currently mumbling about you in the privacy of my home office. If you're the intellectual coward I think you are, you'll either post some insubstantial ad hominem post or you'll just not respond.

Personally, I find that most of Rand's critics are like squid- they like to spray their inky obfuscations and then zip away.

Yep, books and philosophies which extol the virtues of people who maximize their productive efforts and condemn the initiation of force and theft are definitely a "scam" which produces "jerks".

I read these books as a teenager as well. In middle age, I still have not outgrown valuing self-sufficiency, productivity, and rational self interest.

Like AWA, I read all of Rand's works when I was younger, too. (Come to think of it, everything I did, I did when I was younger.)

But I'm older now, and believe that her principled defense of an individual's right to his own life stands in opposition to my desire to have other people shoulder the burden of my decisions. If people read her works for themselves, they might turn a deaf ear as I demand a free education, and a decent wage, and decent health care, and affordable housing, and so on, and so on.

So now I say she is a jerk, her books are a scam, and her philosophy is bullshit.

I read Ayn Rand's books when I was still young (about mid-20s) and they completely changed my life for the better. Most importantly, I learned from that in order to have self-esteem and prosper in this world, I had to value and exercise rationality over emotions, and that emotions were experienced best when they are derived from reason.

To those who say they read Rand's books when they were young but then they "grew up," I say: No, you gave up!

Ha Ha. There must be some reason why Atlas Shrugged is still selling 52 years after publication, better even than when Rand was alive. Even the haters and the cowards can’t help promoting the book, while attacking it, and her millions of admirers are eating it up. OMG, what a fantastic read it is.

I stand with those who consider Ayn Rand's philosophical achievement to be historically positive. Politically, she closed the gaps in America's founding documents. Ethically, she has exposed altruism for what it is. Epistemologically, she has validated human thought. Objectivism has helped me grow for the past 40 years into a benevolent person who works to uphold every individual's rights.

I agree (obviously) with all the pro-Rand commentators – I read Atlas Shrugged almost two years ago and it has no doubt shaped the way I think today. The book is inspiring because, in addition to its plea to uphold additional rights, it encourages us strive to reach our fullest potential. The book fights against altruism, but it is a feigned kind of altruism that allows the "moochers and looters" to prevail. It's hard to understand how someone can read this book and be outraged, especially with all its positive points. If you read it when you were younger, it might be worth picking up again.

Remember that the Church of Satan's theology comes from this book. Hail Satan!

To examine this more closely, this promotes a dystopia where people are trying to cut each other's throat… kill or be killed, the law of the jungle. Who are the "producers"? The strong. Who are the "looters"? The weak. Why do some middle class people adhere to what is a declaration of class war by a class that's not their own? Just stupid, I guess.

By the way, under Rand's dystopia, many are condemned from birth to abject want that will prevent them of reaching any potential, by accident of birth. There's this principle that states that as some rare person fought through millions of obstacles and achieved greatness, so as many people as possible also must needlessly negotiate said obstacles… as a result the number of people getting anywhere near their potential is far less under Rand's dystopia than under other circumstances.

Rand also shows this perverse and sadistic desire, common to many religious folk, Calvinists usually, to do all possible to make the consequences of "bad decisions" as horribly painful and terminal as possible… to make the sinners pay… she does this as a militant atheist too…

The USA is in deep trouble because her poison has contaminated the minds of leadership. She was a psychopath, and it's essentially a philosophy that appeals to psychopaths and those who prey on people, helping build dystopia.

Nietsche for stupid white people!!

Ayn Rand (born Alisa Rosenbaum) was a sociopath who deeply admired a monstrous serial killer. Believe me, if it takes an Ayn Rand book to teach you to make the most of yourself, you really need to read more books. And if you think “rationality” provides an excuse not to help people in need, or to take for yourself without a care for others–you’re also likely a sociopath.
Check this out:
http://www.alternet.org/books/145819/ayn_rand,_hugely_popular_author_and_inspiration_to_right-wing_leaders,_was_a_big_admirer_of_serial_killers

“And c’mon, who doesn’t want justification for being a greedy son-of-a-bitch?”
As I said, you’re probably a sociopath. Or already a son of a bitch, just looking for a rationalization.