SR-31: I see nothing, Kevin.

Henry Plainview wrote: UndercoverBoy wrote: Read something awesome like Kurt Vonnegut.  Best.  Author.  Ever. Good lord no. I'll never understand all the praise he gets, I think.

He's just 2deep4u.

Equality 7-2521 wrote: I have a feeling that when most people say "I don't like Rand's prose" they really mean "I don't like Rand's ideas". I've read authors with much worse prose who get lots more respect.

yeah, the Bible. *baddum tish*

Henry Plainview wrote: UndercoverBoy wrote: Read something awesome like Kurt Vonnegut.  Best.  Author.  Ever. Good lord no. I'll never understand all the praise he gets, I think.

I've not read Vonnegut. Or Rand for that matter.

Equality 7-2521 wrote: Henry Plainview wrote: UndercoverBoy wrote: Read something awesome like Kurt Vonnegut.  Best.  Author.  Ever. Good lord no. I'll never understand all the praise he gets, I think. Are you brain dead?

I found Slaughterhouse-Five really annoying. He has some good ideas, but he beats them into the ground. So it goes does not need to be written like every half page. I understand what he was going for with the body measurements in Breakfast of Champions, but it didn't need to be a full page. etc. etc. I'm certainly not going to call him a bad writer, but best ever is inconceivable.

Edited by Henry Plainview - February 02 2011 at 22:15

"Music is, to me, proof of the existence of God. It is so extraordinarily full of magic, and in tough times of my life I can listen to music and it makes such a difference" Vonnegut

Edited by KoS - February 02 2011 at 22:17

UndercoverBoy wrote: All hyperbole aside, I get her point and do agree with her on a few things (the treatment of intellectuals in school systems, some government regulation/welfare programs,) but to say that any sort of self-sacrifice for others is "evil" just goes against my very moral fiber, and I've read some of her justifications.

Henry Plainview wrote: Equality 7-2521 wrote: Henry Plainview wrote: UndercoverBoy wrote: Read something awesome like Kurt Vonnegut.  Best.  Author.  Ever. Good lord no. I'll never understand all the praise he gets, I think. Are you brain dead? I found Slaughterhouse-Five really annoying. He has some good ideas, but he beats them into the ground. So it goes does not need to be written like every half page. I understand what he was going for with the body measurements in Breakfast of Champions, but it didn't need to be a full page. etc. etc. I'm certainly not going to call him a bad writer, but best ever is inconceivable.

UndercoverBoy wrote: Epignosis wrote: UndercoverBoy wrote: Rand's ideas are pretty okay in some areas, but sometimes she's bat sh*t insane.  I mean, selfishness is good and altruism is evil?  What the hell? UndercoverBoy wrote: All hyperbole aside, I get her point and do agree with her on a few things (the treatment of intellectuals in school systems, some government regulation/welfare programs,) but to say that any sort of self-sacrifice for others is "evil" just goes against my very moral fiber, and I've read some of her justifications. I'm a Christian and agree with her ideas. You have to understand what she means by "selfishness."  In context, it's not the same thing as "childishness."  Altruism likewise doesn't mean "being concerned for and caring for others."  In context, it's referring to the philosophical idea that people have a moral obligation to benefit and serve others at the sacrifice of personal interest, and that society should punish those who don't give of themselves. Ah, well I now I understand the context.  Sorry, it's still a little hard for me to grasp that definition due to my Philosophy Club leader acting like Rand was the great Satan and anything she said is poison (no joke.)  But he's kind of an a****le anyway.

First time I read Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead (oh wait, I mean, the ONLY time), I had the exact same initial reaction as you.  Rand was a far better writing nonfiction and brief stuff.

Hell, one radio speech takes up like 73 pages of the novel.  Is anybody really going to be sitting at their radios for 10 hours? 

And the sex scenes were awkward and terrible.

Actually reading "Anthem" is going to be harder than I thought...
Every page is like these! And this is the actual book as it was ordered.
What the sh*t?