Who is John Galt?

Atlas Shrugged: Part 1, Chapter 1- Theme

Well, If I learned anything from the start, it's this: Ayn Rand doesn't try to hide her thoughts in this book.

I think as I started reading, I imagined that deep inside this story, hidden away from sight, waiting to be discovered, would be the theme and principles that Rand was trying to show. Well, I was wrong. She doesn't wait long to set up the players and she doesn't hide her thoughts.

Enter James Taggert- weak, foolish, a yes man, a follower, a poor CEO. Enter Dagny Taggert- decisive, focused, competetive, strong, a leader. The duality between the family is striking and my initial response is that it seems like a fool's choice. James talks about his desire to "take part in developing an underprivleged country that never had a chance" while Dagny fuels scare tactics of nationalization and how the entire Rio Norte Line project is a waste of money. Well, it is in the example. James chooses to do things he thinks are good for others at direct loss to himself and his company. He almost goes along his path with an unstated goal of bankrupting himself for the "good" of others. In the setup Rand has given us, it's obvious that we'll root for Dagny- she's the winner and James is obviously a complete loser.

Is that the only option? Isn't there a middle ground where the ideals that James seems to hold can work in concert with basic winning buisiness principles? Rand makes her case right off the bat- Do what's good for you and that will end up being good for everybody. Do what you think is good for others and reward them for doing nothing and watch as all suffer the consequences.

In some ways, I can see why Ringo told me not to read this book. I have a strong feeling it's going to be quite a compelling argument- One that attempts to tear down liberal ideals and expound on the virtues of self-interest. But something isn't sitting right with me about it just yet and I don't quite know what. I'm not convinced yet that the story is rooted in reality and is rather an image of a world that doesn't exist (or at least one that exists only in a vacuum).

By the way... Who IS John Galt?

One thing I can see is that in the winding and weaving third person narrative that shifts effortlessly between the thoughts of different characters within a scene, that I'm kinda looking forward to the story. I haven't read any good fiction in a while (my last few attempts in the last few years have failed 20, 100, or 150 pages in). There really is something that a book can give you inside your head that visual media can not. Maybe that's why I like the radio so much.

If there's any parallel I can draw already about what's going on today in our political climate it's that any position can be argued by accentuating the worst in the "other" side. Rand, not unlike FoxNews or Michael Moore, doesn't let you get away with being in the middle. You're either with us or you're against us. There's black and there's white. Choose a side.

Cheers to chapter 1! 26 of 1168 pages!