Friday, May 11, 2007

Gettin' Serious on Ya Ass

AM: 66 min :: 9+M

There used to be a time, before Jerry Springr, Crossfire, Mclaughlin, Oprah...I can vaguely remember it. The daytime talk show would occasionally cover a subject of substance. Unfortunately, you say "Donahue" these days and it tends to ellicit a reaction based on those shows that have followed. But he was great inteviewer that seemed genuinely interested in the topic he was addressing and not overly concerned with producing shock value for ratings sake (at least in the beginning.) And so it was with great joy today that I came across an entire show he devoted to Ayn Rand, the one writer/philospher in the world who I hold dear above all others. I rarely comment on non-running related subjects, but I'm linking all 5 parts because a) its a great interview on philosophy, but discussed in a relevant, real-world context and b) I agree with the philosophy (I never said I was objective). So links about more inane subjects will return tomorrow. For those unfamiliar with Ayn Rand here are my book club recommendations:

Atlas Shrugged (long, but worth it)
Anthem (a shorter, more accessible story)
Fountainhead
The Virtue of Selfishness
Return of The Primitive

Oh, yeah I ran on trails today. Didn't feel great, but I got through it.

Donahue interview Ayn Rand
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5

4 comments:

I am a runner. "We are what we repeatedly do" said...

Hey man, thanks for the reminder of some great reads during my highschool years. I am sure now with a little more life under my belt the re-read of some of these gems would be even better. too bad my base's server blocks youtube....bastards!

Patrick said...

We put you over there in the blazing sun to deal with sandstorms, the continuous threat of violence, rundown equipment, no track to run intervals and deny you the opportunity to lose yourself in youtube for an hour! Ridculous.

Thanks for doing that by the way.

Eric said...

But if you like Ayn Rand, you are objective...er...objectivist. Haha.

Great interview. I was surprised how effectively Phil was able to criticise her position, and I was impressed with her defense, especially toward that punk in the audience who referenced the 'cult' of Ayn Rand. If Ayn had been 20 years younger, I think we would have seen her pick up the chair she was sitting in and clobbered that woman with it (predating today's 'in yo face' brand of talk show by a good 15 years).

I've never really understood her position. All I ever knew about Ayn Rand is that she was one of the most polarised figures in philosophy--people either loved her or absolutely hated her.

Thanks for the links.

Patrick said...

Eric,

The thing that stood out most to me is how calm she remained. Can you imagine a discussion like that on Crossfire or Foxnews? She listens to the criticism leveled against her and responds in a very even manner. Regardless of how I feel about her position, I admire that quality very much. I think a lot of people could take a cue from her mature response.

PR