Atlas Shrugged

One of my favorite books, and probably the most influential in my life, has been made into a movie which I saw last night.  Although Atlas Shrugged, Part 1 had no marketing budget, the theater was filled to the front row on opening night - tax day of all days.  If the movie were just for me, then I'd give it a thumbs up.  The cinematography was great, the music was very nice, the acting was pretty good.  And of course I love the story, and I do buy the philosophy.  But I had bigger hopes for this movie, hopes that this would spread the sense of Rand's philosophy to a public that isn't interested in reading a book that's more than 1,000 pages long, in very small print. Unfortunately, the movie seemed to be made more for the current followers of Rand, assuming they've all read the book, and not so much to reach any new people.  The book is a story as well as a vehicle for the philosophy.  I was hoping the movie would be more of the story, and let the actions (philosophy) speak for itself without any monologues or stilted proverbs.  The movie was pretty much preaching to the choir, and I don't think it will change any minds on the other side.  I do hope it will stir debate in the blogging world, and even further.

It was very good to see the silent other side present and accounted for, and to hear the applause at the end of the movie from everyone, that this movie and story does represent principles and a kind of integrity that is not dead or even dormant, just not represented in the media.

Here is a poem I wrote back in high school, inspired by the book.

The Hero 

When the last light falls

and falls to dark,                                                                                                        

that’s when we will begin

we the few who love our lives

will fight and we will win.

A single man faced the wall,

more gathered close behind.

They were here to take his life,

or rather, take his mind.

“You know the truth” a short man said,

“you know we want what’s best,

we need your mind to make it work –

and then we’ll let you rest.”

The single man said nothing

but “this life and mind are mine.”

The men shouted “It’s your duty!

you can’t just leave us all behind!”

The man with the mind gave them a smile,

then turned and looked away.

The men began to scream and shout

“don’t you care what the people say?

“We told them we would save them,

we told them we had you,

and you would bring us all to safety,

there is no more we can do!”

“You have to!” they all chanted,

“think of your fellow man!

Just sacrifice your mind to us

and we can finish our plan.”

The man with the mind just smiled,

and induced a state of fear

among the men who shivered,

and cried when made to hear:

“When the last light falls

and falls to dark,

that’s when we will begin,

we the few who love our lives

will fight and we will win.”

KEH

Things I've learned this week: How the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan, that walruses look white in the water because they're conserving heat and all there blood is at their core, while they look pink on land because the capillaries in their skin dilate; the ukelele is actually a Portuguese instrument called a machete, and became a ukelele when the british officer nicknamed ukelele ( Hawaiian for 'jumping flea') made it popular,  peaches are native to China, and I can be happy for someone else, even in the face of my own big disappointment.