Atlas Shrugged Trailer

[speeds]

[video=youtube;_j56IiLqZ9U]

 

[maxiep]

My understanding was that Ayn Rand used her character to spew her political/economic ideas. Those being that government regulations are bad. Especially when you are redistributing wealth. Like Social Security does, the same kind she accepted.

P.S. she was an atheist.

There's no contradiction between desiring Liberty and not believing in a God.

 

[MARIS61]

Why shouldn't she take from Social Security, since she was forced to pay in? She quite likely got back out a lot less than she would have from a private savings plan if there were no Social Security.

Luckily, she didn't retire recently, after Bush2's terms.

I've met numerous seniors whose private plans shrank so much they couldn't retire at all. I am unaware of ANY private plan that didn't take a huge hit, while SS is something you can depend on (when the government doesn't steal from the fund).

 

[maxiep]

For a senior retiring this year, assuming they began working at 18, their average inflation-adjusted ROI in social security will be a little over 1.5%. If they would have put that same money all in T-Bills (just as safe), their inflation-adjusted ROI would have been over 4%. If they would have put it all in stocks, their inflation-adjusted ROI would have been over 7%.

Think about the rule of 72. Take your return, and divide 72 by it. That's how long it would take your money to double. At 1.5%, your money doubles in 48 years. At 4%, it doubles in 18 years. At 7%, it doubles in 10 years, 3 months. Assuming a 47 year career, that means your Social Security has yet to double, T-Bills would have doubled 2.6 times and stocks would have doubled 4.6 times.

I think I'll ditch Social Security and save and invest the money myself via a 401K or an IRA. Fuck FICA.

 

[Eastoff]

There's no contradiction between desiring Liberty and not believing in a God.

I'm sorry if my statement about Ayn Rand being an atheist was construed to be associated with liberty; however, I think it is a safe assumption that a majority of Ayn Rand lovers are conservatives. Conservatives also tend to be religious thanks to Cheney et al.

 

[THE HCP]

So I have to read 3000 pages to understand that 2 minute video? Fuck Off!

 

[maxiep]

I'm sorry if my statement about Ayn Rand being an atheist was construed to be associated with liberty; however, I think it is a safe assumption that a majority of Ayn Rand lovers are conservatives. Conservatives also tend to be religious thanks to Cheney et al.

Again, there's not necesarily a link between social conservatism and economic conservatism. In fact, many of the evangelicals that elected George W. Bush didn't mind encroachments on liberty--as long as those encroachments supported their values. Economic conservatives want the government as much out of their business as possible. Rand's objectivism was closer to the latter than the former.

 

[maxiep]

So I have to read 3000 pages to understand that 2 minute video? Fuck Off!

It's a great book. Of course, because I've read the book, it likely means I won't see the movie. I don't want the images in my mind to be replaced with those from someone else.

 

[PapaG]

I'm sorry if my statement about Ayn Rand being an atheist was construed to be associated with liberty; however, I think it is a safe assumption that a majority of Ayn Rand lovers are conservatives. Conservatives also tend to be religious thanks to Cheney et al.

I'd say that people with a strong libertarian/anti-government bent would be the biggest fans of Rand. Belief or disbelief in religion seems like a secondary group of people, such as the "conservatives" that you paint with a very broad brush.

 

[mook]

Just happened to see it listed in my local theater, so I figured I'd bump this.

Seems to be doing really badly among the critics, but the true believers love it:
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/atlas_shrugged_part_i/#!reviews=all&page=2

I think the last time I saw that wide of a disparity between critics and audience ratings on a movie was maybe one of the Saw sequels.

Anyway, it cost $15 mil to make and grossed $1.7 mil on opening weekend. Has the free market spoken, or is this merely a case of the government trying to crush the entrepreneurial spirit of independent film makers? You make the call.

 

[Denny Crane]

Just happened to see it listed in my local theater, so I figured I'd bump this.

Seems to be doing really badly among the critics, but the true believers love it:
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/atlas_shrugged_part_i/#!reviews=all&page=2

I think the last time I saw that wide of a disparity between critics and audience ratings on a movie was maybe one of the Saw sequels.

Anyway, it cost $15 mil to make and grossed $1.7 mil on opening weekend. Has the free market spoken, or is this merely a case of the government trying to crush the entrepreneurial spirit of independent film makers? You make the call.

Did you see an ad for the movie?

 

[mook]

Did you see an ad for the movie?

nope. just the trailer posted here.

 

[Minstrel]

Just happened to see it listed in my local theater, so I figured I'd bump this.

Seems to be doing really badly among the critics, but the true believers love it:
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/atlas_shrugged_part_i/#!reviews=all&page=2

I think the last time I saw that wide of a disparity between critics and audience ratings on a movie was maybe one of the Saw sequels.

Anyway, it cost $15 mil to make and grossed $1.7 mil on opening weekend. Has the free market spoken, or is this merely a case of the government trying to crush the entrepreneurial spirit of independent film makers? You make the call.

Long tail. It's going to make money forever. Unlike traditional movies, where there isn't a ton of repeat views, many of the same people are going to go re-watch it every week. Like religious devotions to the free market. That $15 million will prove to be the wisest investment ever.

 

[Denny Crane]

nope. just the trailer posted here.

I haven't seen the movie, so I can't say whether it's good or not. The book is terrific and is known as the 2nd most influential book in history, behind the Bible.

What I can see is that they didn't advertise the movie like you see other movies advertised. The hype was generated entirely through the actors and director making a few appearances on talk shows. It opened on less than 300 screens nationwide, when most other movies open on at least twice that many.

I'm thinking Minstrel is right. It's going to make a ton of money on DVD and end up quite profitable.

 

[BrianFromWA]

I guess I'll have to read this. Reading criticism of it (from Krugman), I had to laugh:

There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs.

I can't count how many times I read and re-read LOTR as a bookish 11- through 14-year old. I read Asimov, Orwell, Churchill and a host of others, but never got around to Ayn Rand. My emotionally stunted, socially crippled age was high school, not adulthood.

 

[3RA1N1AC]

not sure why someone would defend a horrible movie just because they liked the book

 

[mook]

I guess I'll have to read this. Reading criticism of it (from Krugman), I had to laugh:

I can't count how many times I read and re-read LOTR as a bookish 11- through 14-year old. I read Asimov, Orwell, Churchill and a host of others, but never got around to Ayn Rand. My emotionally stunted, socially crippled age was high school, not adulthood.

I remember reading Atlas Shrugged when I was around 14. Really, really bad move. Man was I a selfish prick for about the following six months or so, and I was embarrassingly smug about it.

I do think Rand is worth reading. Some really interesting ideas. But it's a lot like the Bible and religions in general. It can very easily take the worst tendencies and vulnerabilities of a kid and multiply them. I'm kind of hoping my own sons take up both Ayn Rand and scripture when they are 18 or 19 and can see them in a broader context. I definitely think books like The Lord of the Flies and The Chocolate War should come first.

That's my hope, anyway. Things don't always work out as planned....

 

[Denny Crane]

Read this, mook

http://www.blackwallstreet.freeservers.com/

 

[mook]

Read this, mook

http://www.blackwallstreet.freeservers.com/

why?
the layout hurts my eyes.

 

[maxiep]

http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/movies/4935704-421/gold-from-ayns-vault.html

I'm not a fan of seeing movies of books I've read because I have a view in my mind of the settings, characters, etc. and movies always seem to disappoint. The wife wants to see it, however, so we'll probably go this weekend.