RoR: Forum

I don't really have enough information for a properly informed vote - but I went ahead and selected the Ayn Rand Institute anyway... for this reason

Post 1

Monday, June 8, 2009 - 3:33pm

So did I for the same reason.

Post 2

Monday, June 8, 2009 - 4:17pm

ARI's recent record of 8,000+ free copies a year to HS classes is good. We can get sales figures for the book as a whole, and Rush's listenership, but I don't think Borders makes you fill out one of those "where did you hear of this product" cards. A google search for "Rush Atlas Shrugged" vs "ARI Atlas Shrugged" gives Rush a modest advantage, 79,100 to 34,800.

(Edited by Ted Keer on 6/08, 4:20pm)

Post 3

Monday, June 8, 2009 - 4:42pm

This is not on topic, rather it's a short step away from the thread....

I am very heartened by the traditional conservatives' apparent move closer to Objectivism, but every now and then there is a rude awakening to the shallow depth of that move.

On an interview of Rush where he was being asked about the Sotomayor Supreme Court confirmation, he said, that despite the fact that she should not be confirmed because of her reverse racism and identity politics and judicial activism, that he would none-the-less ignore all of that, and support her, if it turned out she supported overturning Roe v. Wade!

Post 4

Monday, June 8, 2009 - 5:36pm

<g> Steve,

Didn't you get the reverse psychology in Limbaugh's take on that? I thought he was brilliant. "You sly, sneaky dog," I said to myself.

Anyway, I voted for Rush, too. Talk radio is responsible for helping me discover Objectivism back in the early 80's.

Post 5

Monday, June 8, 2009 - 6:07pm

Atlas Shrugged, the book itself.

Post 6

Monday, June 8, 2009 - 6:20pm

Teresa,

Maybe I'm missing something, but I was positive, then and now, that Rush was serious. He explained that people from a Puerto Rican culture tend to be passionate in their Catholic beliefs. It did not look tongue in cheek to me. And it did not have the sense of a poison pill being planted for the liberals. And I have seen other religious conservatives who are fairly silent on her racism.

Take a look at it on YouTube - about 40 seconds in.

Post 7

Monday, June 8, 2009 - 7:43pm

In the 40 plus years I've been an Ayn Rand fan, and I've never been shy about mentioning it, I've talked to perhaps a dozen or two acquaintances or co-workers who have read Atlas Shrugged. I don't remember a single one who had heard of ARI or any other Objectivist organization. All had picked the book up in a bookstore because it looked interesting or it had been recommended by a friend. Most liked the story and to a large degree agreed with the philosophy. I agree with Hong, Atlas Shrugged sells itself.

I listen to Rush Limbaugh every so often in the morning on the way to work. I've heard him mention Ayn Rand at least a half dozen times. He has to be responsible for selling a lot of Ayn Rand's books. Obama would have him killed if he could get away with it. We really don't want that canary to stop singing.

Post 8

Monday, June 8, 2009 - 8:56pm

I feel compelled to agree that - at least in this past year - Rush has probably gotten more people interested in learning more about Objectivism. However, I just cannot personally get past his loud-mouthed, self righteous, and often conveniently shaded rants. He is not someone I want as a spokesperson for what I believe.

jt

Post 9

Tuesday, June 9, 2009 - 3:14am

Steve,

Sure, Rush is serious, but with an ulterior motive. At least, that's how I heard him. I definitely got a "poison pill" message from the guy.

What's interesting about Rush, and what most people simply don't pick up on, is that he'll go on and on about liberty and freedom for five minutes, and then deliberately turn the subject to his disdain for abortion, without tying the two together. The contradiction is too glaring for someone as smart as he to just miss. He's making the contradiction on purpose, but I don't know why (yet.)

Anyway, I'm cheering on the conservatives when they're right, and pointing out their errors when wrong, when and where I can.

We have a whole lot to talk about. I'm not interested in alienating them.

Post 10

Tuesday, June 9, 2009 - 10:03am

Teresa,

"He's making the contradiction on purpose, but I don't know why (yet.)"

He doesn't see it as a contradiction. He believes that abortion is a violation of freedom and liberty. I don't think there is anything else to read in to it. Christians have each found some way to compartmentalize - their logic parser automatically shuts off instantly when entering the abortion compartment of their mind.

But I agree with you where you said, " I'm cheering on the conservatives when they're right, and pointing out their errors when wrong, when and where I can. We have a whole lot to talk about. I'm not interested in alienating them." I categorize them as Christian Fundamentalists who happen to be conservative versus Conservatives who also have some religious positions. The former are far more of a problem then of value. Rush is clearly among the latter and being very helpful in moving the argument forward in the area of fiscal responsibility and a free market.

The sticking point is the source of our rights. They say God, we say they are rationally derived from human nature. For the deeply religious with any desire to proselytize there will be no middle ground. With others, it is possible to say, you believe X is the source of individual rights, and I say it is Y. If we can agree on the every other aspect of rights, then we can work together very closely (everywhere short of church or bible study).

In the end, the dividing line on abortion will be accepting science as making the call on when human life begins - philosophy of biology taken in the context of medical technology and parsed for the most logical bright line. Those who refuse to accept that in favor of some religious interpretation will never come all of the way into our political tent.

Post 11

Tuesday, June 9, 2009 - 4:09pm

He doesn't see it as a contradiction. He believes that abortion is a violation of freedom and liberty.

Does he? I'm not convinced of that, because he presents both as separate arguments, with nothing tying them together. It is entirely possible you're right, Steve, but I'm not convinced.

Another thing that bothers me is his scant use of the concept "rights." Conservatives almost never use the term, and that bothers me a great deal. They'll talk all around it, but never bring the argument directly to the proper issue of "rights." I can almost understand it, though, seeing as how "rights" can quickly go against some of their group-think, religious mentality, but it's defeating the purpose to ignore them.

(Edited by Teresa Summerlee Isanhart on 6/09, 4:10pm)

Post 12

Wednesday, June 10, 2009 - 7:04am

Who here knows a person who has mentioned they heard Limbaugh talking about Atlas Shrugged?

And who here knows someone who said they are or know a kid who read Atlas Shrugged in high school?

Post 13

Wednesday, June 10, 2009 - 11:04am

Ted,

My niece teaches high school and she learned about the ARI program, and, as a result, her students have now read Atlas Shrugged. I didn't hear of this from a student, but from my brother... does that help? I wasn't clear what your question was all about, unless it was your way of indicating you don't think ARI or Rush have been effective messengers.
---------------

Each of those poll alternatives are organizations, but they are promoting Atlas Shrugged more as word-of-mouth than as product marketing - I think that "Recommended by a friend or relative" would have been a good addition to the poll and probably the most effective messenger.

Post 14

Wednesday, June 10, 2009 - 1:01pm

There's no scientific way to answer the question. I was hoping to get some anecdotal evidence.

The book sells some 120,000 copies a year, if my memory is at all accurate. If we assume half the people reading it at any time are borrowers, that means a quarter of a million readers yearly, 8,000 of whom are from ARI, more if those ARI readers also lend out their books. Rush Limbaugh has a listenership of how many? How many of them would buy or borrow the book? My mother, who has not read it, (she seems to have heard of they NR review, saying "isn't she that communist?") mentioned that she heard him talking about it. I haven't listened to Rush for years except at my parents on holidays.

I do remember seeing Atlas being sold at the liberal flagship Barnes and Noble store in Manhattan as required high school reading along with Streinbeck and Moby Dick. This was neither ARI nor Limbaugh's doing. It may indicate that ARI is simply subsidizing what some school districts would otherwise pay for.

I'd like to hear more anecdotal evidence from others.

As for my opinion? Free books is perhaps the best thing ARI does, perhaps by far. Maybe "word of mouth" would have been a better option than the current first alternative.1

Post 15

Wednesday, June 10, 2009 - 2:56pm

Ted,

A google search for "Rush Atlas Shrugged" vs "ARI Atlas Shrugged" gives Rush a modest advantage, 79,100 to 34,800.

A problem with this search is that it will also find sites that merely say "So, rush out to buy your copy of Atlas Shrugged before it's too late!" A better search is "Limbaugh Atlas Shrugged" -- which yields 42,600 hits (still better than ARI).

Ed

Post 16

Wednesday, June 10, 2009 - 3:40pm

On doing a search for the first fifty hits for "rush atlas shrugged" I got seven hits for things like "rush out and buy" or "rush hour" and one for a Matthew Rush. (Note this thread is on that list.) I got five hits for the band RUSH (whose dedication in their album 2112 induced a best enemy of mine to buy a copy of Selfishness and, one day in high school, throw it on my desk.) So if we assume that that's a good sample, and round up from 12/50 to 30% of the "rush" hits not referring to Limbaugh, then we get 79,100x70%=55,370 which still whups ARI's ass.

And of course, we still haven't corrected the ARI totals to correct for such positives as "Ari Fleischer" or Ari-stotle" or MEM's favorite, "Ari-an nation."

I think we can safely say that those caterwaulers from Canada are effective messengers.

Rush Agrees With Me, Read Atlas Shrugged � Passionate America
Jan 13, 2007 ... I will go so far as to say most of Rush's philosophy is derived from Atlas Shrugged and Ayn Rand. Rush goes on to read some quotes from the ...
www.passionateamerica.com/rush-agrees-with-me-read-atlas-shrugged/ - Cached - Similar pages -
Atlas Shrugged Movie Moving Toward Release � Passionate America
Feb 7, 2007 ... Atlas Shrugged the movie gets a great script writer. ... Rush Agrees With Me, Read Atlas Shrugged - 1802 views; Money Is The Root Of All ...
www.passionateamerica.com/atlas-shrugged-movie-moving-toward-release/ - Cached - Similar pages -
We Rush Daily Blog // Recent Blog Entries // atlas shrugged ... - 2:00pm
Posted on Thursday March 26th, 2009 at 21:54 in atlas shrugged, big government, john galt, obama lies, socialism, the morning update, thomas jefferson ...
www.blogcatalog.com/blogs/we-rush-daily/posts/tag/atlas%20shrugged/ - Cached - Similar pages -
We Rush Daily Blog // Recent Blog Entries // Ayn Rand // BlogCatalog
Posted on Wednesday February 25th, 2009 at 09:18 in atlas shrugged, Ayn Rand, ... Rush made a comment the other day about living in an Ayn Rand novel. ...
www.blogcatalog.com/blogs/we-rush-daily/posts/tag/Ayn%20Rand/ - Cached - Similar pages -
More results from www.blogcatalog.com �
Rush Limbaugh �Atlas Shrugged�s New York City � AConservativeEdge
Tagged: atlas, conservative, leaving, new, ny, rush, shru, taxes, york. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. ...
aconservativeedge.com/2009/04/12/rush-limbaugh-atlas-shruggeds-new-york -city/ - Cached - Similar pages -
Atlas Shrugged - Blog Toplist
I have been suggesting everyone read Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand for years now. Seems Rush Limbaugh agrees with me. Here is what Rush had to say, Read Atlas ...
www.blogtoplist.com/rss/atlas-shrugged.html - Cached - Similar pages -
RealClearMarkets - Articles - Atlas Shrugged Sales Overturn Policy ... - Jun 8
Apr 4, 2009 ... Heck, the Cliffs Notes to Atlas Shrugged rank in the top 20, ... Columnists have begun referring to the novel; Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck ...
www.realclearmarkets.com/articles/2009/04/atlas_shrugged_sales_overturn. html - Cached - Similar pages -
Western Standard
More people reading Atlas Shrugged... gotta be a good thing, really. To the extent that Rush quoting it helps that, all the better, I suppose, ...
westernstandard.blogs.com/shotgun/2009/03/rush-limbaugh-quoting-ayn- rand.html - Cached - Similar pages -
Randex: Ayn Rand articles by Rush Limbaugh
RUSH: A Rush Baby. CALLER: Ohhhh, yeah. So thank you very much, and you actually introduced me to one of my most influential books, too: Atlas Shrugged. ...
randex.org/index.php/weblog/auth/UnVzaCBMaW1iYXVnaA== - Cached - Similar pages -
CARPE DIEM: Rising Interest in Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged"
Atlas Shrugged is set in a as US is in decline and the rest of the ... could also be said of many of the ayn rand/rush fans on this blog ...
mjperry.blogspot.com/2009/03/rising-interest-in-ayn-rands-atlas.html - Cached - Similar pages -
Flavorwire � atlas shrugged
Posts Tagged 'atlas shrugged' ... out loud to her son during morning rush hour. Atlas Shrugged and House of Cards next to each other on the ...
flavorwire.com/tag/atlas-shrugged - Cached - Similar pages -
Do you think Rush has even read Atlas Shrugged? - Yahoo! Answers
He says its his favorite book and he follows its p�
answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090317130656AAkxuax - Cached - Similar pages -
Atlas Shrugged Mentioned on Rush Today - THE FORUM for Ayn Rand Fans
Just for you information, Rush Limbaugh mentioned Atlas Shrugged on his show today. His website has a little picture of the book, with the title "Atlas ...
forums.4aynrandfans.com/index.php?showtopic=9573&mode=threaded - Cached - Similar pages -
Rowman & Littlefield Publishers Blog: The Literary Greatness of ...
Regarding political-economy, Atlas Shrugged provides the philosophical ... R&L 2008 Election Blog: The Media's Rush to Push Hillary Clinton ...
rowmanblog.typepad.com/rowman/2009/03/the-literary-greatness-of-atlas- shrugged.html - Cached - Similar pages -
Big Hollywood � �Atlas Shrugged�
Mar 26, 2009 ... Liberal Actresses Line Up to Star in 'Atlas Shrugged' by Pam Meister and ... When I mentioned to friends I was reading Atlas Shrugged their ...
bighollywood.breitbart.com/tag/atlas-shrugged/ - Cached - Similar pages -
Atlas Shrugged - The release of the film pushed back to 2011 | The ...
That's too bad, Atlas Shrugged couldn't be more applicabe to the events unfolding before ... The rest is here: 'Atlas Shrugged' coming to the big screen ? [. ...
www.lonelyconservative.com/2009/02/05/atlas-shrugged-coming-to-the-big- screen/comment-page-1/ - Cached - Similar pages -
Barbara Kay: Coming to a theatre near you: Atlas Shrugged! Be ...
A 1991 survey by the Library of Congress concluded that Atlas Shrugged was the ... its most vigorous sales rush since it was published a half-century ago. ...
network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/.../barbara-kay-coming-to-a -theatre-near-you-atlas-shrugged-be-still-my-heart.asp... - Cached - Similar pages -
Zeb atlas mathew rush - Rapidshare Search
Sponsored Links, zeb atlas mathew rush.full.rar � zeb atlas mathew rush [ FullVersion] ... 100M, Atlas Shrugged - Audiobook.part01 .rar download ...
rapidlibrary.com/index.php?q=zeb+atlas+mathew+rush&page=10&filetype= - Similar pages -
The Hill's Blog Briefing Room � Atlas Shrugged
Mar 4, 2009 ... The United States is on its path to a dystopian society as depicted in the classic novel "Atlas Shrugged," Rep. John Campbell (R-Calif. ...
briefingroom.thehill.com/tag/atlas-shrugged/ - Cached - Similar pages -
The Limbaugh Institute: Atlas Shrugged in Atlanta Suburbs
Jan 24, 2007 ... Read Rush's Original Coverage... (Read Atlas Shrugged, Again - 01.12.07) Buy the Books, Read Them and Be Forever Changed. ...
www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_012407/content/institute.guest.html - Cached - Similar pages -
Finally Finished Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged Audio Book
if you liked Atlas Shrugged you might appreciate the Canadian three-piece band " Rush" who draw inspiration from Rand's work. ...
www.bennadel.com/blog/777-Finally-Finished-Ayn-Rand-s-Atlas-Shrugged- Audio-Book.htm - Cached - Similar pages -
Ayn Rand Meta-Blog - Objectivism, Ayn Rand Anthem, Atlas Shrugged ...
Click the image below to read the back cover of the latest Limbaugh Letter, from Rush Limbaugh. Atlas Shrugged in the Limbaugh Letter ...
www.theatlasphere.com/metablog/ - Cached - Similar pages -
We Rush Daily | Dittohead Deliberations, Debates, & Diatribes ...
(I can only imagine how big Rush's humidor is in his home... probably the size .... 12 weeks 4 days ago; Atlas isn't just shrugging... 13 weeks 3 days ago ...
www.werushdaily.com/ - Cached - Similar pages -
'Atlas Shrugged' Author Sees Resurgence
Apr 29, 2009 ... As any reader of Ayn Rand's �Atlas Shrugged� can attest, the correct line ... Rush Limbaugh is a fan; former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan ...
revolutionradio.org/2009/04/29/atlas-shrugged-author-sees-resurgence/ - Cached - Similar pages -
Atlas Shrugged in India | Facebook
Spread the ideas contained in Atlas Shrugged across India. ... Pundits including Rush Limbaugh and Rick Santelli urge listeners to read . ...
www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=69856518128 - Cached - Similar pages -
In Defence of Liberty
Feb 26, 2009 ... Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged sale booms amidst economic bust ... Whenever governments intervene in the market, readers rush to buy Rand's book. ...
www.indefenceofliberty.org/story.aspx?id=2320&pubid=2151 - Cached - Similar pages -
What Caused Atlas Shrugged Sales to Soar? | Cato @ Liberty
May 18, 2009 ... Sales of Atlas Shrugged have risen sharply this year, and various observers from the Ayn ... in short, readers rush to buy Rand's book. Why? ...
www.cato-at-liberty.org/2009/05/18/what-caused-atlas-shrugged-sales-to-soar / - Cached - Similar pages -
Bookride: Ayn Rand. Atlas Shrugged.
Among her fans are Rush Limbaugh, Michael Caine, Alan Greenspan and the metal group Rush. She has shifted 30 million books... Ayn Rand. ATLAS SHRUGGED. ...
www.bookride.com/2007/01/ayn-rand-atlas-shrugged.html - Cached - Similar pages -
'Atlas Shrugged' author sees resurgence - CNN.com
As any reader of Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged" can attest, ... Rush Limbaugh is a fan; former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan was a Rand acolyte in ...
www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/books/04/27/ayn.rand.atlas.shrugged/index. html - Cached - Similar pages -
MTV Movies Blog � Angelina Jolie calls 'Atlas Shrugged' Once in a ...
Jun 18, 2008 ... Is �Atlas Shrugged� a once in a lifetime film that you would pay to ... One way or another, I believe an "Atlas" movie will bring a rush of ...
moviesblog.mtv.com/2008/06/18/angelina-jolie-calls-atlas-shrugged-once-in- a-lifetime-film/comment-page-1/ - Cached - Similar pages -
Wonkette : Big John's From TEXAS, Where Rush Limbaugh And Newt ...
May 29, 2009 ... Big John's From TEXAS, Where Rush Limbaugh And Newt Gingrich Are .... was a pile of books including �Atlas Shrugged� in pride of place. ...
wonkette.com/408847/big-johns-from-texas-where-we-do-ass-fucking-quick - Similar pages -
RoR: Forum
12 posts - 3 authors
A google search for "Rush Atlas Shrugged" vs "ARI Atlas Shrugged" gives Rush a modest advantage, 79100 to 34800. (Edited by Ted Keer on 6/08, 4:20pm) ...
rebirthofreason.com/Forum/PollDiscussions/0192.shtml - Cached - Similar pages -
Britain, by Ayn Rand | Coffee House
The rock band Rush lead me to Rand and Atlas Shrugged at 14. Eventually I read Popper, Hayek, Bastiat, Molinari, Herbert Spencer, von Mises and Rothbard and ...
www.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/3219181/britain-by-ayn-rand.thtml - Cached - Similar pages -
rush limbaugh � Reality Talk
Atlas Shrugged, Paine, Shlaes at Record Sales on Amazon ... based on the recommendations of Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, and other semi-rational (and ...
reality.ohio.newintellectuals.org/?tag=rush-limbaugh - Cached - Similar pages -
Family Security Matters � Publications � When Fools Rush In
(Editor's note: sales of Atlas Shrugged have nearly tripled over the first ... � I look to Atlas Shrugged more for conveniently totable beach reading than an ...
www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/id.2749/pub_detail.asp - Cached - Similar pages -
Why Businessmen Need Philosophy � Atlas Shrugged
Millions rush to his defense, he buys half the legal profession and is .... Atlas Shrugged in Ayn Rand's literary development � The origins of Atlas ...
atlasshrugged.com/book/why-businessmen-need-philosophy.html - Cached - Similar pages -
Stephen Colbert Does in Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand - Kick! Making ...
Stephen Colbert Does in Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand ... Rush Limbaugh, The Most Dangerous Pig in America: June 3 2009; Houston Chronicle Henry .44 with Bible ...
rackjite.com/archives/3039-Stephen-Colbert-Does-in-Atlas-Shrugged-by-Ayn -Rand.html - Cached - Similar pages -
Why Atlas Shrugged Matters
Why Rush is Wrong � 1083 diggs; Made popular Mar 8, 2009; 265; www.newsweek.com ... I think Atlas Shrugged is a book you have to discover for yourself, ...
digg.com/political_opinion/Why_Atlas_Shrugged_Matters?t=24442660 - Cached - Similar pages -
Atlas Shrugged - giantbomb.com
If you like playing Rush's bass lines, then go for The Who. ... There is something philosophically to be taken from Atlas Shrugged, but it requires a great ...
www.giantbomb.com/bioshock/61-17280/atlas-shrugged/35-15600/ - Cached - Similar pages -
The Washington Independent � Congressman: We're Living in 'Atlas ...
Atlas Shrugged not real? How do you explain this? .... and the nightmare that is called rush hour, to live with the sound of rushing water, ...
washingtonindependent.com/32415/congressman-were-living-in-atlas- shrugged - Cached - Similar pages -
The Atlas Shrugged Book Campaign | Going "John Galt"
Atlas Shrugged Book Campaign Over at go-galt.org, C. Jeffery Small is making a ... Sean Hannity and Rush could be served reading it too. ...
www.goingjohngalt.org/blog/2009/04/05/the-atlas-shrugged-book-campaign/ - Cached - Similar pages -
AYN RAND's Atlas Shrugged book review
I was frequently reminded while reading this book of Rush's "The Trees". ... you have ever read any of the works of Ayn Rand -- especially Atlas Shrugged. ...
www.2think.org/ayn.shtml - Cached - Similar pages -
More Atlas Shrugged :: Dr. Helen Smith
Ask the real "media moguls" like our buddy Rush Limbaugh who actually ... It's interesting to compare sales of �Atlas Shrugged,� provided by ...
mensnewsdaily.com/drhelen/2009/06/03/more-atlas-shrugged/ - Cached - Similar pages -
DailyNewsRush.newsvine.com - Daily News Rush
When Ayn Rand finished writing "Atlas Shrugged" 50 years ago this month, .... Courthouse Named for Rush Limbaugh Democrats joined Republicans on Monday in ...
dailynewsrush.newsvine.com/ - Cached - Similar pages -
Is Rand Relevant? - WSJ.com
Pundits including Rush Limbaugh and Rick Santelli urge listeners to read her books, and her magnum opus, "Atlas Shrugged," is selling at a faster rate today ...
online.wsj.com/article/SB123698976776126461.html - Cached - Similar pages -
Below The Beltway � Blog Archive � Atlas Shrugged Movie Update
An �Atlas Shrugged� movie has gone through endless development fits and starts. ... No movie version of Atlas Shrugged? At Below the Beltway, Doug Macatonis .... Libertarians (48); Republicans (374). Rush Limbaugh (20) ...
belowthebeltway.com/2009/04/02/atlas-shrugged-movie-update-2/ - Cached - Similar pages -
Atlas Shrugged Tops Amazon's Bestseller List
The 50th anniversary mass-market paperback edition of Atlas Shrugged ranks as #2 ..... The rock band RUSH had songs directly influenced by Rand's writings. ...
www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2228344/posts - Cached - Similar pages -
Scholars and Rogues � Caller clowns Rush, Rush clowns Republicans
Rush starts, I think, to suggest that the caller isn't really who he says .... It's also the reason for the popularity of �Atlas Shrugged. ...
www.scholarsandrogues.com/2009/04/07/caller-clowns-rush-rush-clowns- republicans/ - Cached - Similar pages -
The Atlas Shrugged Index - Freakonomics Blog - NYTimes.com
Apparently, we need more copies of Atlas Shrugged down here in .... book the way that people get sucked into Rush's rantings by combining ...
freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/09/the-atlas-shrugged-index/ - Cached - Similar pages -
Amazon.com: The way things ought to be / Rush H. Limbaugh, III ...
Amazon.com: The way things ought to be / Rush H. Limbaugh, III: Rush H. Limbaugh : Books. ... Atlas Shrugged. by Ayn Rand. 4.1 out of 5 stars (1825) $11.50 ...
www.amazon.com/way-things-ought-Rush-Limbaugh/dp/B000VZVY22 - Cached - Similar pages -

Post 17

Wednesday, June 10, 2009 - 6:26pm

Ed, Ted,

There is a big difference between Google counts for ARI and Google counts for Rush.... We don't know what percent of the mentions by Rush resulted in a purchase of Atlas Shrugged. ARI gets those Google counts AND actually sends out copies ("With a shipment of 80,000 books in January, the Ayn Rand Institute (ARI) has placed more than 1 million copies of Ayn Rand's novels in the hands of high school teachers and their students across North America.")

I doubt Rush's mentions of Atlas Shrugged have generated 1,000,000 purchases. But, hey, I'm really tickled that both of them are doing what they are doing!

Go Rush! Go ARI!

Post 18

Wednesday, June 10, 2009 - 11:22pm

"We don't know what percent of the mentions by Rush resulted in a purchase of Atlas Shrugged."

Yes, Steve, I said that repeatedly.

"ARI gets those Google counts AND actually sends out copies ("With a shipment of 80,000 books in January, the Ayn Rand Institute (ARI) has placed more than 1 million copies of Ayn Rand's novels in the hands of high school teachers and their students across North America."

Well, if you read the fine print of the press release, they have sent out 50,000 free copies of Atlas over the last six years. That amounts to over 8,000 copies a year. Not a million. And I don't think the recent jump in sales can at all be laid at ARI's door. I do think a large portion of those increased sales can be attributed to Limbaugh and others like him. Of course, we could also blame Obama.

Here's the bottom line: Does ARI or TAS have anyone that compares to Limbaugh? To Mark Steyn? Or even to Stephen Colbert?

I know, I know, some will chant the "we need a philosophical revolution first" mantra. Binswanger did that recently on Beck. And of course that's why Rand knew better than to condescend to write fiction, or to talk to such lowbrow outlets as Playboy, or even Mike Wallace. Oh, wait...

No, I am not that spokesman. I have only converted two people and strongly influenced perhaps a dozen more, some of whom have been insulted and disenchanted by people who call themselves Objectivists, even by people who post to this forum. I think that in some way the focus has to be moved away from concerns with power and purity and toward outreach even to conservatives, even to the religious, and, yes, even anarchists in some cases.

Right now, the conflicted, commercialized, conservative Limbaugh does that better for us than ARI does or ever has.

(Edited by Ted Keer on 6/11, 12:20am)

Post 19

Thursday, June 11, 2009 - 12:11am