Somewhat less interesting segment, with Rand providing cheerful yet pro-forma replies to Donahue's limp economic arguments and an equally by-the-numbers discussion re: the existence of God. Worth a watch, though, for Rand's sudden burst of something like joie de vivre on the glory of life (as opposed to the afterlife). One gets a glimpse of the positive vision that charges the best moments of her work, and what must have made her so compelling as a personality in real life - as opposed to the feeble arguments, grating negativity and generalised megalomania that too often typifies the writing she left behind. In moments like this, one can see what optimistic thinkers like the Englishman Colin Wilson originally saw in her. Yet behind this flash of positivity there is still a dour drumbeat; the presumption of bad faith against anyone who disagrees with her:
"I don't give a damn about my critics...because I have not heard a good one...someone who would be honest and discuss the issues without misrepresentation."
This, coming from Rand, is rather rich.
The rest I will pass over to readers to comment as they see fit.
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ReplyDeleteDaniel,
ReplyDeleteWell done!
Daniel Barnes,
ReplyDeleteThere was something Rand said in a later one of these videos.
I do kind of agree with her on the Arab Israeli conflict. Although, maybe I wouldn't agree entirely with her reasoning. The peace process has been a disaster, and was largely doomed to failure from the start. The Palestinian authority has shown time and time again that they don't want peace. What the Palestinian leadership wants, as well as groups like Hamas, and Islamic Jihad is to drive the Jews into the sea. They are not willing to tolerate Israel. Plus we have very good reasons to think that a Palestinian state would support terrorism. Not to mention the fact that as Jihadists, the Palestinian terrorists would love nothing more than to wipe every non Islamic state off the face of the Earth, and that includes the United States.