Terrific character analysis of Hank Rearden in Ayn Rands Atlas Shrugged. It discusses the mind / body dichotomy and the role it plays in regards to how the looters and altruists use that split against man in order to achieve collectivism: To be successful, the looters and moochers need the creators to morally sanction altruism and the mind-body split. By dividing man into two parts, the standard of value was wrongly placed outside and beyond man. Throughout Atlas Shrugged, it is apparent that Rearden and the other creators need to strip away and discredit these moral principles that are used to justify the looters’ irrational and evil actions. Evil and irrational people need the assistance and support of rational people to succeed. The men of the mind, as well as others in society, must therefore reexamine their moral assumptions, withdraw their sanction of altruism and the mind-body dichotomy, recognize the integration of mind and body, adopt a rational philosophy, and withdraw support from those not on the creative moral standard. By understanding morality and himself in terms of the metaphysical principle of mind-body integration, Hank is freed from the self-sacrifice ethics that underpin his servitude. It is Rearden’s inner conflict that drives the plot and it is his liberation from his mistaken premises and ultimate conscious acceptance of his subconscious Objectivist premises that resolves the conflict. In the end he no longer holds his greatest virtues as his guilt.
Posted on: Sun, 16 Nov 2014 04:37:08 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015