Reading

I've been reading Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. I'm actually reading it so that I can enter an essay contest to try to win some money for school and a new computer. Chris has read it, and it made an impression on him. He said that it would change me, how I look at the world.

Unfortunately, I'm familiar with the theory, and it's one I have a hard time with - especially since I can see it happening. But I just don't understand how people really buy into this.

The society in the book is one in which new ideas are forbidden and productive people - businessmen, entrepenuers - are evil and villanized. Everyone in society should have an equal chance, regardless of their abilities or willingness to work for and earn what they have. No one person can have interests in more than one field or own more than one business, because that's not fair to everyone else.

And they don't understand that the shortages, the closed businesses, the lack of new art music stories are a direct result of this villinazation. Why should anyone try to do anything new, when they can get something for nothing.

I've always believed in T.A.N.S.T.A.A.F.L. There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch. The acronym is from Robert Heinlein, probably my favorite author of all time. Chris says there are only 2 rules in life:

1. You have to have a job

2. You have to live within the means of that job.

Same difference.

Another essay I'm working on is should illegal immigrants have access to free healthcare? Similar issue, different question. At least the illegal immigrants generally do work - pretty damn hard. But it's my tax dollars going to pay for that free health care that I don't get. Well okay, I get the Indian health care, but my husband doesn't get any.

I just can't comprehend a society that goes against everything my country was built on - the little man having the opportunity to work hard and earn that nice house and all the other stuff he wants. So I'm having a hard time getting thru the book, it's just too contrary to my own belief system. I've gotten about 250 pages into a 1000 page book that I've been reading for about a week now. I should have finished it by now.

I'm now debating how badly I want to win that essay contest, and whether I'm willing to work for it.