John Oliver . . . British comedian. With the snooty accent and everything. Now everyone knows that men with British accents are frightfully clever, but is this guy REALLY any better than his potty-mouthed American counterparts? . Heres the clever, British Mr. Oliver trashing Ayn Rand, calling her an asshole. OK, I get it. Thats a favorite pastime on the left, and its guaranteed to get some laughs. But lets consider Ayn Rands personal history before passing judgment, shall we? . Rand was born a middle-class Jew in pogromist Russia and fled in 1926 after it became clear what lay in store for anyone who tried to get ahead outside of the communist hierarchy. When Rand was developing her philosophy in the 1930s, large numbers of American and European lefties – the John Olivers of their day – were still touting the USSR as proof of the glorious achievements of socialism. Artists and intellectuals from all over the world would go there on all-expense-paid guided tours, look at a few model villages and factories, and come back singing Stalins praises. Meanwhile, the mass extermination of independent farmers and small business people was in full swing. . Given what actually happened in the Socialist Utopia of the USSR, I think its understandable how someone with Rands experience could have reacted strongly against the mentality of collectivism. Is it fair to characterize a refugee from communism who doesnt wish to see the experiment repeated as a selfish asshole? Before you do that, why dont you talk with someone who grew up in the Eastern Bloc? Or try living under communism yourself for a while. Theres still a couple countries where you can do just that. . Bon Voyage, Mr. Oliver! .
Posted on: Sat, 22 Nov 2014 19:11:50 +0000
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