Bob Barr calls ‘Atlas’ readers to action
Tags: Going Galt, Rereading Atlas
Former Republican congressman and Libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr writes in the Atlanta Journal Constitution that it’s not enough to just read (or reread) “Atlas Shrugged” — though he doesn’t quite explain what the more is.
First, he notes:
… a major factor accounting for the resurgence in “Atlas” is the fact that it has become clearer than ever in this current economic mess that government control of the country’s economy — which now includes concrete steps being implemented for the direct running of American companies and banks by the government — is causing the very catastrophe Rand described more than half a century ago.
Whether or not one accepts all aspects of Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism, as spelled out in her many novels, papers, speeches, interviews and non-fiction books, the essence of her philosophy is of increasing relevance in today’s world in which government control at all levels of government has dramatically reduced the sphere of personal freedom to but a small fraction of what it was even at the time “Atlas Shrugged” was written.
That’s all true. But then Barr adds:
Even though it is good news to see “Atlas” enjoying a revival of sorts, we need to do much more than buy a few more copies of the book in order for us to have any realistic hope of reversing the trends about which its author wrote and which we the living, now suffer under.
It would have been nice for Barr to spell out what he means by “do much more than buy a few more copies,” such as explaining how to put Rand’s philosophy into action (does he mean Going Galt?).
One would certainly expect that the Libertarian candidate for president might have some ideas. Or maybe he needs to reread his own copy.
