5 ms·
I've often been surprised by how many women are fans of Atlas Shrugged but I guess having a female main character written by a woman has something to do with it
by Mountain_Skies 4y ago
I've often been surprised by how many women are fans of Atlas Shrugged but I guess having a female main character written by a woman has something to do with it as the philosophical themes usually aren't aligned with those reader's ideological preferences. Male Ayn Rand fans much more frequently prefer The Fountainhead, which also features strong female characters but is told from a male's perspective. No idea if this is just a reflection of people I know or true in the larger societal context.
- tinglymintyfrsh 4y agoPossibly the reader-hero/-author mirror effect. I wouldn't ascribe too much to gender equating to philosophical tendencies. I'm often disappointed by the lack of philosophical depth and nuance objectivist adherents display. Plus, the arrogance of assuming one's perception is exactly the way reality is when there are as many viewpoints as there are individuals. Beyond math and gravity, subjectivity and ambiguity are the norm. Furthermore, no one is an island and cannot scale their efforts beyond themselves without cooperation and friendships that require solidarity. Modern libertarianism, the political extension of hyper-individualist objectivism, is largely an ideology sold and popularized by billionaire climate deniers to cynically benefit themselves.
- anthony_d 4y agoI’m guessing that’s just a reflection of who you know. In my experience no one likes Fountainhead and most of the people who like Atlas Shrugged are men.