Atlas Shrugged Week 9: Ch 7 & 8

[Primeperiwinkle]

Atlas Shrugged Part II Ch 7 & 8
Welcome to Friday!! Merry Christmas ppl! It’s a wonderful life! Hahaha.. here we go...

Ch 7 The Moratorium on Brains
Eddie talks to the mystery man and TELLS HIM WHERE DAGNY IS!!!! Rearden orders his lawyer to get him a divorce at any cost. Ragnar meets Rearden on the road and gives him a gold bar signifying much more wealth that Ragnar has been saving for him. Hank refuses to take it at first but then saves Ragnar by lying to the cops.

Several ppl demand things they shouldn’t leading weak-willed whiners to create an extremely unsafe situation and putting a terrifying responsibility on the shoulders of a young boy.

Every man, woman, and child left on the train were vehement adherents to UNthinking. They deserved what they found in the mountain. (SOOO dramatic aren’t I?!?!)

Chapter 8 By Our Love
Dagny is dealing w/ grief, alone, at her cabin when Francisco finds her to confess everything. Breaking news from the radio slices into their convo, informing her of the crash and she goes, rushing down the hillside, despite him begging her not to.

Dagny returns to her office to help the railroad. Jim slinks away, Eddie remains to assist her. Dagny faces the situation like a war torn general leading a broken army, she has no time for emotion. Dagny, yet again, relies on Hank to help her fight the great evil.

My thoughts: SUCH A CLIFFHANGER!!! GAH!!!

Thank goodness I can read more ASAP!
So we have a serious moral quandary, supposedly. Dagny can choose to give up on the thing she loves, abandoning it, because the entire country will just use her to help them while hating her for her accomplishments OR she can listen to Francisco and not go back.

This is fascinating. Thankfully, we don’t live in such a world where almost EVERYONE is unthinking, uncaring, impotent, arrogant, and worthless. Or do we? Hmmm.

So, there are only two types of people. Producers and Consumers. (Thanks MJ for telling me about that in a MUCH nicer way than this book! Egads!)

So.. I have to ask myself and all of you..

Can you go anywhere and produce or are you stuck relying on those who do?
If you are a producer, won’t the world ultimately take your production and twist it for their own means? When you make enough money won’t someone, sooner or later try to steal everything you’ve worked hard to create?

Does that probability sap your energy? Your drive? Why do we continue trying in the face of such knowledge? Why does ANY producer who creates ANY thing worthwhile keep going even after they are judged and hated, mocked and betrayed? For our love? Love of what?

Is Dagny’s love for the railroad.. mistaken? Should she have gone back?

Would you have?

As another under appreciated white knight once proclaimed..

Yippee ki yay mother......s!!!

 

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[G-Man]

The train scene is again, prophetic. I can just picture all those people waiting on the side of the tracks. Waiting for someone to come and take take of them, and even when they’re told no one is coming unless they walk to a phone, they still don’t want to do anything.

 

[Primeperiwinkle]

The train scene is again, prophetic. I can just picture all those people waiting on the side of the tracks. Waiting for someone to come and take take of them, and even when they’re told no one is coming unless they walk to a phone, they still don’t want to do anything.

I found her explanation of why all of the people who worked on the railroad to be fascinating because how else could so many people fail at their jobs. It almost seemed realistic how they quit or turned a blind eye.. terrible.

But Dagny’s descriptions about men making straight lines was beautiful.

 

[lludwig]

The train scene is again, prophetic. I can just picture all those people waiting on the side of the tracks. Waiting for someone to come and take take of them, and even when they’re told no one is coming unless they walk to a phone, they still don’t want to do anything.

This is my favorite part of the book.

 

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[BizyDad]

First off... Eddie is talking to John, right? I mean the silent man had been working there 12 years? Takes regular vacations. What if the silent man is the same 'boy' from the train car where we met Dagny, the one humming the Haley song?

Onto these questions...

Can you go anywhere and produce or are you stuck relying on those who do?

I don't think I can go "anywhere" and produce.

If you are a producer, won’t the world ultimately take your production and twist it for their own means?

No. First, they can try. Second, if I willingly give it (in exchange for a payment or even as charity) then who cares? Dagny had a good point there. The satisfaction comes in the producing. The creation of value. At least for me.

When you make enough money won’t someone, sooner or later try to steal everything you’ve worked hard to create?

Of course. Legally or illegally, usually the former. So?

Does that probability sap your energy?

Maybe when I was younger. I had a finite mindset then. And I was afraid if the unknown. Not anymore.

Your drive?

Never

Why do we continue trying in the face of such knowledge?

What's the alternative? Video games and Cheetos chest? Working for/with someone else to help build their dream?

Why does ANY producer who creates ANY thing worthwhile keep going even after they are judged and hated, mocked and betrayed? For our love? Love of what?

Why climb Everest?

(I almost want to respond with THAT question... But I won't. Stupid book is getting in my head... )

Is Dagny’s love for the railroad.. mistaken?

No.

Should she have gone back?

Yes. She chose to, so yes.

Would you have?

And that is a good question... I'm not sure I would've left. But after rearranging a trail, fixing a house, and dreaming about building roads with nothing but the radio for company when the person I love is "out there", in a world where the country needs me and I know there's no one else that can do it as good as me, yeah, I'd go back. I have all the reasons to go back and only two reasons to stay.

This is my favorite part of the book.

Why?

 

[lludwig]

Why?

I think this chapter is very well written and succinctly states how one's beliefs can affect reality. You can't wish things to be true and can't evade reality. I think Rand was on her 'A' game with this chapter.

It's also written so you don't feel sorry for individuals on the train. They in fact, at least indirectly, brought it upon themselves.

I believe the train, in this case, is a metaphor to represent people following their trusted leaders with the wrong moral philosophies which lead to their untimely deaths.

Their philosophy doesn't support life.

 

[Primeperiwinkle]

Next post is up!!!

 

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[BizyDad]

I think this chapter is very well written and succinctly states how one's beliefs can affect reality. You can't wish things to be true and can't evade reality. I think Rand was on her 'A' game with this chapter.

It's also written so you don't feel sorry for individuals on the train. They in fact, at least indirectly, brought it upon themselves.

I believe the train, in this case, is a metaphor to represent people following their trusted leaders with the wrong moral philosophies which lead to their untimely deaths.

Their philosophy doesn't support life.

Strong points. Thank you.