How did Ayn Rand change your life?

Question:She taught that the consent of the victim is required. That a better approach is to make the looters reveal their true nature by telling them they'll have to come and take it by force. Very useful in a Socialist society.

Also the idea of the heroic individual rang a bell. Operating out of your own mind and will instead of what is 'expected'.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: She taught that the consent of the victim is required. That a better approach is to make the looters reveal their true nature by telling them they'll have to come and take it by force. Very useful in a Socialist society.

Also the idea of the heroic individual rang a bell. Operating out of your own mind and will instead of what is 'expected'.

She didn't. I read her stories and found them amusing. That's about it. Entertainment.

Never heard of her so she can't be that great!

I've read one of her novels, I hope to read more. I definitely disagree with some of her ideas of life, such as, the most important thing is ego as in Anthem...Oh and just because one hasn't heard of something, doesn't mean the thing of which you are ignorant is not great ;)

I first read The Fountainhead at much to young an age to be able to answer this question.

I can tell you that I can overlook someone having never read Ayn Rand at all, and I can even understand it being simply too deep for most people to fully grasp, but anyone that calls it "entertaining" is either a fool or a phony who never read her works at all.

Natatat: Don't judge her or her ideas by Anthem. That was her first novel, and was written shortly after she emigrated. Look back on that after you finish The Fountainhead, which you should certainly read before attempting Atlas Shrugged (which is what she was attempting to write when she wrote The Fountainhead).

I read Ayn Rand while I was getting my BA and Masters at the University, and I think her novels and her Philosophy are very interesting. I think she appeals to all generations as my father had read her novels too and some of my other friends. She makes you think about work ethics and how some want the government to do everything. I think her novels were great. Of course, I got my degree in English so I loved many authors and many novels. I think Philosophy was my favorite minor and my Philosophy class was into Ayn Rand and her novels! Bye!

Fooled me into thinking that she knew what she was talking about for a couple of my teen years, till I saw through her and resolved to never again fall for anyone else's "ism," or to be lured in by their certitude. After Rand, I became Missourian.

The very first change, BEFORE I had read her, was that I found out she pissed people off. My english teacher was pissed that I wanted to read Atlas Shrugged, and I hated the teacher, so i read the book.

I'm still pissing people off even when I don't quote her, but it's because i think like her--now.