Having read all of rands published work, and having rigorously studied theology at one of the most notable bible colleges in the country, i have concluded this much about what chambers had to say back in 1957. Jun 27, 2012 this is particularly helpful, given the influence of ayn rand among todays conservative movement and republican party. Ayn rand, a russian emigree turned screenwriter and novelist, had written in the fountainhead an impeccably conservative novel of ideas which sold several hundred thousand copies and was subsequently made into a popular movie starring gary cooper and patricia. Ideal explains much about what the late convert to conservatism whittaker chambers called rands shrillness without. Several years ago, miss ayn rand wrote the fountainhead. Peikoffs letter will be published for the first time in essays on ayn rand s atlas shrugged. Whittaker chambers, whose own anticommunism did not make him an admirer of rand, excoriated the book, declaring, from almost any page of atlas shrugged, a.
Something of this implication is fixed in the books dictatorial tone, which is much its most striking feature. Talking to rose, patronsaint of the conservative movement, bill buckley chats about ayn and her magnum opus atlas shrugged. The saint whittaker cult endures mainly as a relic of the 1950s. Born in philadelphia, pennsylvania, chambers grew up in lynbrook, ny, and studied at columbia university. Who was whittaker chambers for those who may not know. Its story merely serves miss rand to get the customers inside the tent. Chambers advanced the claim popular mainly with the leftthat ayn rand is a nietzschean, with political views leading to nazism. This article is an edited version by michael berliner of dr.
Whittaker chambers pans atlas shrugged the atlantic. The american writers series guests talk about the early period of the cold war and the attraction soviet communism held for americans, like whittaker chambers. Politically, objectivism is classically liberal or libertarian. Bill buckley once said he thought whittaker chambers had gone too far when.
Whittaker chambers fifth article remains his most famous. I normally do not read or comment on gossipy biographies of famous people, especially writt. One of the things that always surprises me is the degree to which rand is misunderstood. By whittaker chambers december 28, 1957 several years ago, miss ayn rand wrote the fountainhead. Ghosts on the roof is an important contribution to history and to literature. Below, in brief, is my thinking on why this discussion is worthwhile. Sciabarra coediteaza the journal of ayn rand studies. Apr 02, 2001 whittaker chambers, a veteran soviet spy who became, in william f. A reader just sent me a link, with the explanation. Ayn rand contra nietzsche john ridpath february 21, 2017 audio pdf in the objective standard, spring 2017 editors note. Among his articles was a deconstruction of ayn rand that remains to this day one of the key documents of american intellectual life. A 1991 survey by the library of congress found atlas shrugged to be second in influence only to the bible. The issues he raises are quasieternal questions and cannot be debated adequately in this forum, but let me. For those of you not familar with this magazine, it was the flagship conservative magazine for decades after its founding by william f.
The world knows whittaker chambers best as a philosopher and a hero of liberty. This piece by whittaker chambers appeared in the december 28, 1957, issue of nr. He had great success as a writer at the daily worker and as an editor at the new masses, both communistcontrolled publications, and was asked in 1932 to go underground for the communist movement. Buckley and whittaker chambers, decades ago, to drum ayn rand out of the right. Beck read a couple lines, then he quoted atlas shrugged in replytake that, whittaker chambers. From almost any page of atlas shrugged, a voice can be heard, from painful necessity, commanding. Her philosophy, objectivism, advocates reason, individualism, and personal happiness.
Despite a generally poor press, it is said to have sold some. It captures rands moral arguments with amazing economy. Many thanks to richard reinsch for his comments on my ayn rand whittaker chambers piece. Ideal explains much about what the late convert to conservatism whittaker chambers called rands shrillness without reprieve, even in those of her books. The last of the ayn rand acolytes the new republic. So atlas shrugged had a first printing of one hundred thousand. Nov 26, 2007 but even more important is chamberss attack on ayn rands ideas. Chambers was a tremendously gifted writer who became a communist in the late 1920s. Buckley and whittaker chambers in an unflattering and dismissive way. Whittaker chambers, born jay vivian chambers april 1, 1901 july 9, 1961, was an american writereditor and former communist spy who, in 1948, testified about communist espionage, thereafter earning respect from the american conservative movement. A superb rediscovery of the artistry of a great figure.
Nietzscheanism, ayn rand on campus radio program, december, 1964. Nov 05, 20 whittaker chambers and ayn rand are two of the most important american conservative icons. Worrying too much about rand at this point may be to ignore the larger religious dimensions of human life that are again asserting themselves. In comments on an essay on the imaginative conservative whittaker chambers and the strenuously sterile world of atlas shrugged the question has been raised as to the value of discussing ayn rand and her teachings on a site dedicated to conservative thought.
Ayn rands revengeby joseph mchughjune 7, 2009american chroniclethis is not a good article for buckley lovers. Whittaker chambers, the former communist who broke the alger hiss case and became a conservative, was much smarter about rand way. Despite a generally poor press, it is said to have sold. Chambers autobiography, witness, is one of the defining conservative documents of the 20th century. Apr 02, 2011 in comments on an essay on the imaginative conservative whittaker chambers and the strenuously sterile world of atlas shrugged the question has been raised as to the value of discussing ayn rand and her teachings on a site dedicated to conservative thought. Whittaker chambers 19011961 was a controversial literary and political figure of the 20th century. The juxtaposition of ayn rand and whittaker chambers was and is an intriguing one. Rands thought was that capitalism rather than central planning would lead to the highest state of existence. Whittaker chambers and ayn rand are two of the most important american conservative icons. Ayn rand s atheistic materialism would have been foreign to them, despite her anticommunism. Whittaker chambers, a veteran soviet spy who became, in william f. Repudiating whittaker chambers by robert tracinski. Despite a generally poor press, it is said to have sold some four hundred thousand copies.
Chambers thought that rand was laboring in the ideological swamps. By whittaker chambers several years ago, miss ayn rand wrote the fountainhead. Thus, it became a wonder of the book trade of a kind that publishers dream about after taxes. And her most famous defender, alan greenspan, was a consultant to republicans and was nominated to chair the fed by president reagan. She is known for her two bestselling novels, the fountainhead and atlas shrugged, and for developing a philosophical system she named objectivism. Conservatives are more likely to favor faith, tradition, and duty as core values.
How ayn rand led me to catholicism national catholic register. Atlas shrugged can be called a novel only by devaluing. Whittaker chambers and the crisis of american conservatism. Oct 24, 2006 by whittaker chambers december 28, 1957 several years ago, miss ayn rand wrote the fountainhead.
She was a fiscal conservative advocating free unregulated capitalism, who opposed collectivism, socialism, communism and fascism. He has attacked atlas shrugged in the best tradition of the communistsby lies, smears, and cowardly. It is when a system of materialist ideas chambers has just claimed that rand presents a forthright philosophic materialism presumes to give. Educated in russia, she moved to the united states in 1926. Ridpaths article originally written for a 2005 project that was canceled. January 20 1905 march 6, 1982 was a russianamerican writer and philosopher. The passion of ayn rand, by barbara branden commentary.
Whittaker chambers, god, and glenn beck the daily caller. Oct 30, 2010 talking to rose, patronsaint of the conservative movement, bill buckley chats about ayn and her magnum opus atlas shrugged. Would whittaker chambers fit in well with todays conservative movement. Whittaker chambers and the strenuously sterile world of. But chambers always insisted that while he was a man of the right, he was not conservative. Ayn rands economic vision may resonate on the right, but the truth is, ayn rand was not conservative. Ayn rands atheistic materialism would have been foreign to them, despite her anticommunism. Both abhorred collectivism and spoke on behalf of individual freedom.
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