Atlas Shrugged Week 1: Ch 1-2

[Primeperiwinkle]

Atlas Shrugged - Week 1: Ch 1-2

Book Discussion Guidelines and Schedule

Welcome my most excellent business-minded friends, acquaintances, and random dudes; it’s FRIDAY! Hopefully you all wake up and eagerly join in on this discussion.


Chapter One
32 yo Eddie Willers opens the story by going into work on September 2nd by feeling an “immense, diffused apprehension”. As he walks he imagines his childhood safe haven- a large oak tree. Sadly, it was destroyed by lightning. Eddie’s father and grandfather worked for the same ppl he works for: The Taggart family. Eddie is the Special Assistant to the Vice President in Charge of Operation.

Going into work he likens the Taggart building to a place of safety - it is a New York skyscraper holding the offices of Taggart Transcontinental Railroad - a company that has spread across the U.S. The president, James Taggart has a “limp decentralized sloppiness” w/ a soft face.

Eddie enters James’ office to talk about The Rio Norte line coming out of Colorado, which Eddie says is “done for”. This is bad because the Wyatt Oil Fields have started producing and the owner, Ellis Wyatt has hired a different company Phoenix-Durango to ship for him. James curses his sister.

The sister, VP Dagny Taggart, is traveling in on the fastest train after two nights of not sleeping due to work. She is long-legged but not conscious of her more feminine qualities. She hears a brakeman whistling what he tells her is The 5th Halley Concerto but she later verifies that Halley never wrote a 5th Concerto at all. (This is spooky or is the brakeman Halley?!?!? I don’t know!!!!)

After arriving in New York she meets with her brother. Dagny confirms The Rio Norte Line is in desperate need of repair. She sits decisively against her brothers noncommittal excuses saying, “we’re going to save it.” The argument revolves around Orren Boyle, a man James defends, who runs Associated Steel. Taggart Transcontinental has not received their order for rail from Boyle in over thirteen months.

Dagny tells James she has ordered new rail from Rearden Steel, a company owned and operated by Hank Rearden whom James dislikes. Rearden has created a substance stronger than steel called Rearden Metal but as of yet no one has bought it, until now.

Chapter Two
Hank Rearden is watching as the first “flashing” substance that took him ten long years to create is poured like a long white curve for its very first order. He has poured his life into getting where he is now and is happy but meditates that “happiness could hurt”. He heads home filled with the power of his accomplishment but is immediately met by a circle of ppl who do not understand him; his wife Lillian who has no gaiety in her face, his mother who accuses him, his brother whom he financially supports, and a friend, Paul Larkin, who seems supportive but, we find out, only comes with a vague message. Paul tells Hank that he should should hire someone new for Washington, a man who will give Rearden better press.

(These intros will get shorter as the weeks pass; they’re here to be quick refreshers about the chapters we are discussing. Since I’ve never read the book I’m not completely sure which details are ok to leave out. It’s your job to bring up the nuances you noticed and connect the dots so we can see the book from different angles. That way we will help each other.)


My thoughts:
Taggart is the tree; Rearden the lightning. Rand pretty much spelled that out. I’m 95% sure this book has no happy ending. Hm. I have more but I’ll let y’all talk before I start gushing sonnets about the writing. Lol

Questions to spark the convo:
1.) A writer strives to set the tone for a book very quickly. What tone did Rand create for the backdrop of her book?

2.) Can you draw ANY conclusions (metaphysical, emotional, intellectual or economic) from just these two chapters?

3.) Which character/s would you trust to help your business?

How do you feel so far about ANYTHING?!? I need to know!!!! Please feel free quote from the book to clarify your points. Yay!!

 

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[Fox]

Finally got to read all the comments here ha! - I just got it yesterday and caught up in one night

The main theme I see so far: Leeches versus Producers

Basically people living off the current/past success of others but complaining about or mismanaging it.

James Taggart hasn't earned his position in any real way - he sees the business as someway to virtue signal to others he is a good person while his acts kill the very "golden goose" that makes it possible. He doesn't want to take any real action that requires risk and he resents others who show up his lack of progress - his sister, Rearden and Wyatt Oil.

Hanks family had me nearly shouting at the book ha! I think that chapter goes to show how much producers can be abused or misrepresented by others who both criticize them but also leech off their existence. That chapter reminds me of why I left Ireland - not my family but rather the overall general business vibe in the country is like that.

Another theme I see is of withdrawal. People of success/ambition wanting to put either physical or mental space between them and others (in particular negative/unambitious people). I got to start work here myself so I will add more thoughts later...

Great book so far!

 

[Kak]

Questions to spark the convo:
1.) A writer strives to set the tone for a book very quickly. What tone did Rand create for the backdrop of her book?

2.) Can you draw ANY conclusions (metaphysical, emotional, intellectual or economic) from just these two chapters?

3.) Which character/s would you trust to help your business?

1.) I believe she sets the tone in a world where people like James are the types chosen to run larger companies by super political boards. They put emotion and feelings ahead of actual business growth and prosperity for their shareholders and employees. They are running at a loss and golden boy wasn't actually going to do anything productive. He was just going to keep waiting on the late steel while his customers left TT for the PD.

Weak leadership is a theme I believe will continue. Also a theme I blew off the first time I read this.

2.) Yes. Rand was very very clear with the mindset of a protagonist and the mindset of an antagonist. Obviously Hank and Dagny are the heroes early in the book.

3.) Goes without saying.

Additionally. As someone with a wife that would LOVE a bracelet from a first pour of a metal that I hypothetically created... I can't imagine building an empire without the right wife. Hank's wife sucks.

Thanks @Primeperiwinkle for leading this discussion in such an organized fashion. You are taking charge and leading. I must say you are doing a very good job.

 

[Kak]

I can think of several companies that have CEOs like James Taggart. They tend to be quite large and incumbent, like Taggart Transcontinental.

I say this all the time. This is what happens when you democratize the decision making process. You have a figurehead like James being the mouthpiece for a board that makes all of the decisions by vote. He is always looking for a scapegoat to protect his image.

I say this is like hitting a 200 yard drive right down the middle of the fairway every time. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't. All the time it is lame.

As kids given candy as a group we split it evenly. We are taught to democratize. Taken to an extreme... It would be like a labor union running a company.

This is also why I just set a day for the Erie trip and why it was such a success. Take initiative. Be decisive.

 

[Fox]

Must have been shipped by rail.

 

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[MTEE1985]

The most intriguing part of 1&2 to me is...Who is John Galt? A person or an idea?

Also agree on the Halley 5th concerto @Primeperiwinkle I feel that will be a question Dagny is compelled to find the answer to and there is likely more story to the break man on the comet.

Except for the fact that I hate James already.

Hahaha. He comes off as a douche who wants credit for anything that goes well and blames literally everything bad on forces “out of his control.” There’s definitely some James Taggerts hanging around the FLF, as well as some Dagny’s.

 

[csalvato]

I want to say the introduction on Audiobook said it was based in the 1940's

The book is based in the 40s and written in the 50s (so it was clear what 1940s NYC was like to the author, rather than her speculating on a future world). I found looking at photos of the era in NYC helped paint a more clear picture for me while reading.

Especially since I grew up NYC and it's a very very different place now compared to then.

This is millionaire row in the 40s (it's nowhere near as serene now)

More here: NYC 1940s - Google Search:

 

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[1step]

Nice summary! I tend to read mainly non-fiction and haven't read such a verbose book in many years. At the beginning of the book I didn't like how she describes someones face for 3 pages but it's growing on me now.

I read ahead and hard to recall exactly what happened in Chapters 1 and 2 so I'll just follow along here but not leave any commentary so as to not ruin it.

Except for the fact that I hate James already.

 

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[Bekit]

I found the audiobook on hoopla and listened to the first two chapters in a plane yesterday.

I've never read it before and only had this thread to clue me in to what I might be in for. @Primeperiwinkle , your brilliant recap of chapters 1-2 was what convinced me to give it a try.

Couple of observations:

On John Galt

• "Who is John Galt" coming from the bum in the opening scene seemed to be asked out of genuine curiosity. But then later it seems to be used as a means to imply, "There is no answer."
• For multiple unrelated characters in the book to be repeating the same question in various contexts seems to indicate that (a) this is a sentence that has "gone viral" in the culture, (b) the characters don't know the answer, and (c) there is a reason behind why people are asking it, whether it is some mastermind planting the question everywhere or some random event that brought the name to everyone's attention.
• I can also infer, since authors have reasons for the themes they plant in the early stages of a book, that the answer to the question will be relevant to the lives of the main characters.
• Side note: this reminds me of an SEO campaign that Neil Patel did with his own name to produce lots of search queries and raise the likelihood that Google would link to HIS website (and not any other Neil Patel in the world) when someone googled his name. He basically did it by staging all these photos of people holding signs that said, "who is Neil Patel?" which he then distributed through social media and the web. Apparently it worked.
• Another side note: this is what is called an "open loop" in copywriting. It's like an itch that you're just compelled to scratch. Open loops are a technique to keep the person reading long beyond the time when they would ordinarily have stopped, because they simply have to satisfy their curiosity. The use of an open loop is also an effective mechanism to get people through the early stages of a novel, when you're still a little bored and aren't fully invested in the story. Ayn Rand was smart to use a technique like this to whet curiosity and keep people reading. You might be tempted to put the book down at this point, but then you're like, no, wait, I don't know who John Galt is yet." So you keep reading. And if you abandoned the book at chapter 2, you'd never experience whatever it is that gives the book greatness.

Other observations:

• Did anyone catch that opening scene where Eddie was 10 and listened, enraptured, as Dagny told him a beautiful version of the future? I think he has been in love with her ever since.
• It boggles my mind that Rearden's mother doesn't support him. This is one area where I think Ayn Rand departed from what's realistic. Rearden had to develop his character somewhere. It's hard to think that he would have developed into who he is when his mother so completely despises and ridicules him.

 

[broswoodwork]

Having already read it, and then just repurchasing it yesterday and having already reading to far ahead ( I couldn't help myself ), I can't really say too much.

I love Dagny and Hank so much. The things they're capable of, in the face of a world that should be empowering them but instead presents endless roadblocks, inspire me personally. Everything about who they are is a quality I'm working towards myself, although I fall short.

Gotta love Eddie. I'm probably closer to Eddie than I am Hank or Dagny, but I'm reaching for more.

Conversely, everything about James is detestable. His best quality is literally getting out of Dagny's way. My goal is to eliminate as much of the James in myself as possible.

... Sorry for the, like, 6th grade level contribution here. Just don't want to slip up and say too much.

 

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[Kak]

I read a book about how leaving your kids alone to fight it out, bargain, negotiate, make amends, and compete as will.. is just flat out better than constantly pushing your idea of fairness on them. I tried it out for a week.. my kids fought like cats and dogs (no hitting or actual pain cuz that’s against house rules) and then.. they complained to me a LOT. I had to say “Figure it out on your own.”

So they did. One got the toy and the other got the candy or they split their time wisely or played a game with their own rules.

They’re not perfect at it.. but they talk things out now and they’re getting better. It’s cool.

I absolutely love this.

This method teaches kids that there doesn't have to be an authority (you) to step in and correct some perceived injustice. That they are perfectly capable of finding an equilibrium on their own.

In contrast, if you do it for them they will always look to weponize authority against those they disagree with. That mindset brought into adulthood is like Miracle Grow for government.

 

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[G-Man]

Additionally. As someone with a wife that would LOVE a bracelet from a first pour of a metal that I hypothetically created... I can't imagine building an empire without the right wife. Hank's wife sucks.

LOL - my wife was listening in the car during that part and was in disbelief. She’s like “any normal woman would be showing that off to everyone.

All that aside, I feel like the defining bit for me was the breakdown of the Comet. Everyone just standing around waiting because nobody wants to take responsibility for the outcome. And the constant and irritatingly close to real life use of “no one can blame you”.

Rand uses that language in several other scenes, because it’s clearly important to the “spirit of the age” she wants to portray in the fictional universe she’s created. It sticks out for me because it’s so close to reality. That scene engaged me so much because I can identify with it. I have been in the equivalent situation so many times it gives me the jitters, and is slightly depressing. Because most of the characters in this book are utterly contemptible.... and so realistic to what you see from people every day.

 

[Fox]

I hadn’t thought of it with producers and leeches.. that’s a really cool point.. and definitely withdrawal. I’m so glad you’re here man.

Thanks for getting it started!

I actually havent read a fictional book in so long. Its been all theory, mindset, sales and management etc.

I have been looking forward to bed tonight so I can get back into the story haha!

#massivegeek

 

[WJS]

I'd like to discuss about some of the characters, based solely on the 2 chapters.

- Dagny Taggart

To me, she's an incredibly competent, logical, no non-sense type of person. She’s able to see clearly what and where the problem is, and come up with fast and dead-on solutions to fix them. Her aggressive way of solving problems is highly effective, but could hurt a lot of people’s feeling and could spell disaster if her methods were wrong.

Yet people like her can often break character for the oddest, most irrational reasons – such as her obsession for the non-existent 5th Concerto (I can totally relate to that because I’ve seen it happened many times, to other people, and to myself as well)


- James Taggart

He feels like a sentimental guy who could be easily manipulated, unable to take charge of the situation, and a person who is unable to see the bigger picture - insisting on waiting for Orren Boyle, despite him having delayed the ore shipping for a whopping 13 months. Relationships are very important in business, but when it starts to adversely affect the business then things would need to change. In real life most companies would have gone bust if they have a CEO like him.

- Henry Rearden

A very interesting character indeed. To me he is rather similar to Dagny, but he’s a lot more anti-social than her – hates shallow, meaningless talks, unable to connect to common people, lacks sympathy and empathy, but extremely clear-minded, independent, capable, intelligent and resourceful.

The fact that the first thing he made from the first pouring of the Rearden metal was a bracelet for Lilian shows that at some level he still a place for her in his heart. And his 10k cash donation to his brother’s organization just to make him happy shows that he does care for his family (the brother asked that he donate cash instead of giving cheque so people won’t know the money comes from a “greedy businessman”. If I were Henry I would’ve told him to go to hell). Yet his direct personality and disdain for the social acts cause friction to his relationship with the wife and the family members

Henry is often misunderstood, and because he didn’t express himself properly, it causes people to think even more negatively towards him. The bracelet would have been an extremely thoughtful gift, but because no one knew (or care to know) the significance of the metal (which took him 10 years to develop), it became a junk instead - his mother chided him for not gifting Lilian diamonds instead, Lilian finds the bracelet “amusing” instead of “touching”

Personally Dagny and Henry are the best people to run a successful business, but they would need to partner with people who can soften their approach so their “unnecessary problems” would be lesser (people deliberately sabotaging them because they don’t like them)

 

[Primeperiwinkle]

As kids given candy as a group we split it evenly. We are taught to democratize.

I read a book about how leaving your kids alone to fight it out, bargain, negotiate, make amends, and compete as will.. is just flat out better than constantly pushing your idea of fairness on them. I tried it out for a week.. my kids fought like cats and dogs (no hitting or actual pain cuz that’s against house rules) and then.. they complained to me a LOT. I had to say “Figure it out on your own.”

So they did. One got the toy and the other got the candy or they split their time wisely or played a game with their own rules.

They’re not perfect at it.. but they talk things out now and they’re getting better. It’s cool.

 

[broswoodwork]

Who in here is gonna be in charge of sharing cool train links? We NEED train info!!!

All I got on trains.

 

[BellaPippin]

Who in here is gonna be in charge of sharing cool train links? We NEED train info!!!

All I got on trains. View attachment 28418

The Rio Norte Line:

 

[PapaGang]

Great first chapter. Very descriptive. She sets the scene well.
I have to say that she really wields a hammer here. There is no confusion as to how you should feel about the characters.

Eddie is naive.

Dagny is honest, direct, assertive, independent and immensely useful to a company that clearly has seen better days. These positive attributes paint her as a bit masculine by the author, but that's how things were back in Rand's day.

Jim Taggert is weak, greedy, conniving, twisted, and filled with excuses. He is going to cause trouble, I can feel it. This stage has been clearly set.

Hank is amazing, and is tortured by his family and surrounded by people who can't possible understand him and what motivates him.
He, above all others, is a fascinating case study.

I already see the economic and political implications unfolding here.

 

[csalvato]

Good summaries @Bekit.

It boggles my mind that Rearden's mother doesn't support him. This is one area where I think Ayn Rand departed from what's realistic. Rearden had to develop his character somewhere. It's hard to think that he would have developed into who he is when his mother so completely despises and ridicules him.

Just wanted to point something out from several of my life's experiences/observations: this is totally realistic, unfortunately.

 

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[SpongeGod]

Chapter 2 made me really angry. Rearden supports his brother through college, doesn't pressure him to work or do anything really, yet all he gets from him is resentment? He provides his mother with everything she needs and more and gives her a place in his home, but somehow he has always been the cruel, selfish son? His wife mocks his business which is the one thing that gives him true pleasure in his life.

Honestly screw family relationships and ties. If I were in that situation, I'd give my parents 10 million, maybe more and my brother 100K and say sayanora and cut them out of my life completely. In fact that's exactly what I plan on doing. I'm not going to take any toxic shit from my family and by giving them money, I've essentially paid all debt I owe them in full and more.

James Taggart sounds like a lazy bastard, who just thinks his business is going to be safe from anything. He doesn't care that a competitor is taking customers from him. He'd be a terrible businessman if he just ignores whatever happens to his company and believes that everything is going to be all right.

I really love Dagny and Eddie's characters. They sound like they know what they are doing.

 

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[Primeperiwinkle]

Great first post! What do you mean by this?

Taggart Transcontinental is rotten from the inside and is going to be struck by an outside force called Hank Rearden which will be its dooooooooom.

At least that’s what all the imagery I’m reading predicts.

I really love Dagny and Eddies's characters. They sound like they know what they are doing.

I love Dagny. So much!

I like your writeup@Primeperiwinkle

Can you see any importance in the delay of the Comet, and how Dagny handled it?

Thank you! I think it gave time to introduce Dagny and her obsession with Halley. (I’m relatively sure this music thing is really important. Somehow..)

 

[Ernman]

I really want to comment...BUT since I've read the book a couple times I will not. But I am following. Thank you for starting this thread.

 

[Conscripted]

Most people dont seem to even care what happens as long as they dont have to take responsibility for it. From random conductors to James Taggert. Which leads to absolutly no progress being made on any fronts unless someone strong comes along and makes things happen.

I noticed this too. There is definitely something wrong in an organization where the CEO and the lowest worker are concerned about who takes the blame for decisions.

I'm rereading this book along with the crowd. I'll keep my comments appropriate for each week's discussion.

 

[Kruiser]

Love it so far!

Also, is anyone else impressed with the quality of the Audible narrator? Maybe his reading is par for the course for fiction. (I pretty much only listen to nonfiction). But it seems to me like he is doing a fantastic job.

 

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[SpongeGod]

There's still one important character we haven't mentioned yet. Paul Larkin is Hank's "friend" who is a very unsuccessful business man. He's been changing industries his whole life and has not had much success. So he comes to Hank for advice and companionship because he's way more successful. There's something about their relationship I just don't like, but I can't put my finger on. But he seems better than his family. At least he's concerned enough for his friend to advise him to spend a little more on better press coverage. Still idk, it feels weird.

Also, I loathe Philip Rearden. I could not stop thinking about him on my commute to college. Rand is just so good at making hateable characters!! So he's going all around town asking rich people to give money for some commie cooperative farming thing and comes home all tired after trying for a small amount of time(I think he's been trying for like a month). He just sounds so naïve. One month is not much time at all. It doesn't sound like he's trying at all. Not to mention its for some useless cooperative farming thing because we all know that worked well (but I guess they don't at this point of time). If I was in Philip's situation I'd rather give up this fundraiser than go to my successful brother for help. It makes me gag. Has there been one original and productive thing he has done on his own?

• College? Nope, I think he even flunked out because he didn't know what he wanted to do and Hank, being a nice bro didn't want to pressure him into choosing. Lmao
• Jobs? He's unemployed, mooching off his brother. Still ungrateful
• Health? He seems to have an illness that really isn't an illness. He's just tired all the time and listless. It really irks me that he lives in comfort doing pretty much nothing, but Rand portrays him as a tired overworked person. She describes him as looking older than Hank even though he is a few years younger than Hank. Also caring about the poor and all that when you get all the money you need from your brother... why don't you just move out and trying living with them in poverty? At least then you could have the dignity of living with some self-reliance.

I'm going to predict that Philip is going to be a major pain in the a$$.

 

[broswoodwork]

Love it Spongey Dude!



Does anybody have any guesses about when the book is taking place? Era it’s in I mean? Could we compare the real American era of trains to this book?

Or should we just say “this book is all imaginary and fantastical let’s not worry about railroad stuff that happened in the US?”

I think it's definitely the future as Ayn envisioned it at the time of writing. I think she did a great job of not making it too fantastical, like the jetsons or what have you.

 

[BellaPippin]

I find Hank Rearden's wife/mom characters so forcefully stupid amidst the other "bad" characters like Taggart. Like, the dude's already successfully running his steel business, obviously he's no loser. And can someone be so oblivious to the whole bracelet thing? I hope her, mom in law and brother end up eating shit on the sidewalk. Even Jeoffrey from Game of Thrones was super hate-able yet he had a brain, he just was 100% evil. This woman is just DUMB, so dumb it feels kind of "forced". She doesn't even fit the gold digger stereotype.

That's my takeaway, thank you for coming to my TED talk

 

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[1step]

The book is based in the 40s and written in the 50s

The only thing that doesn't make sense to me about the timeline is there's no mention of the war (at least yet, granted I am only partly through) I would think any book dealing with the 40's specifically about metal, steel etc. would have some mention of the war. But that's probably me thinking about it to much or perhaps it just hasn't been addressed in the book thus far.

 

[Primeperiwinkle]

I know Rearden is a hero in the story. But maybe something to think about. The all-consuming drive does have a human price.

Also, like everyone, I find James Taggart annoying. But he seems almost cartoonishly stupid. Am I annoyed at Taggart's character or Rand's description of him? I'm not sure.

I’m not convinced Rearden is a hero yet.

Rand’s writing is exquisitely poignant at times but the characters do seem to be simplistic.. more like comic book characters than real ppl. It’s like she took archetypes and put them in the book. But it is only the beginning..

 

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[StrikingViper69]

One of the rare characteristics of Rand's characters, is that they're all consistent with a set of premises.

Every character has an underlying motivation, or assumption, behind their behaviour.

If you find yourself thinking, "Why does XYZ do this..?", ask yourself "What would XYZ have to believe, in order to do this?"... and the characters will make a lot more sense.