Maybe if you had been raised in the West instead of the South you might understand the meaning of Rand and Objectivism.
I was raised in Marin County and Silver Spring, Maryland. I did college in Ohio and Indiana. On my own I did 2 years of NYC, then moved to Huntsville. The south mystifies me.
I didn't mention his speech because, for me, not making any other judgment, it was way too long. When he said (paraphrasing), "For two hours you've not been understanding me" my reaction was "No, for two hours you've been boring me."
I think I do understand some aspects of Objectivism. Just because I don't wholeheartedly embrace a philosophy doesn't mean I don't understand it. Linda Ellerbee once said she had a history professor that saw history and big events as a river. In his theory some writers, I'd say Rand, write about the river and theevents. Ellerbee went on to say that other literature, her example was THE FANTASTICKS, was about what happened on the banks. I probably identify more closely with what's happening on the banks.
There's a lot in AS and even in John Galt's speech that will stay with me. Everything has two sides, one right and one wrong; evil lies in the middle. I'll be mulling that for a while because, yes, I consider black and white extreme shades of gray.
I think because I have so many doubts myself, I simply don't identify with her types of characters.
Plan in life? Never had one, never will--a truth that probably drove my parents crazy.
Rand in English classes. In my junior year in college I spent a few months in a smart kids' program where we read many of the Utopia novels. All through AS I kept thinking it would have been a good addition to the reading list.
I have no idea what her place on campus is today. Let's face it--it takes a long time for academics to decide anyone is worthy of being included. AS was published in 1957. No way it would be in a midwestern college program in the mid sixties. Even Faulkner barely made it.
And in all sincerity I have to say the followiing. We are just discussing a book as literature,aren't we? We're not getting upset because we don't see it the same way. I hope we're not.
