A Socialist Reads Atlas Shrugged
In this podcast, a self-identified Socialist examines the arguments in Ayn Rand's book, Atlas Shrugged. Far from simply shooting down the ideas in the book, Jonathan Seyfried does their best to argue on fair ground. Through a close read, listeners will come away with a genuine appreciation for Rand's strongest arguments as well as an understanding of the flaws. NOTE: this is not a read aloud of Atlas Shrugged, but instead a critical close reading.
A Socialist Reads Atlas Shrugged
E43 - Guiltless Serenity of Spirit
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Jonathan Seyfried
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Season 1
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Episode 43
In this episode, Jonathan finishes up a discussion of Chapter 5. We see Dagny and Francisco interact in the novel's present time. The dialog reinforces the pattern for Francisco: keeping secrets and acting paternalistic toward Dagny. However, we also see suspenseful developments of Dagny's character on the Hero's Journey. Ayn Rand takes some more pot shots at socialism, which Jonathan addresses.
My five themes to explore in this podcast's close read of Atlas Shrugged are:
- What is human nature?
- Straw-man arguments and their impact on the world Ayn Rand creates.
- Dagny Taggart as a true hero.
- How empathy can be de-legitimized.
- What is Capitalism and what is wrong with it?
Questions or comments? Email me at: socialistreads@gmail.com
Learn more about Jonathan Seyfried at the website, https://jonathanseyfried.net
The intro/outro music was composed by John Sib.
The podcast theme image was created by Karina Bia