Sorry for the quiet time, and double sorry for this being another redirection post, I was originally going to post my thoughts on the Bioshock (that's the game set under the se with Diving suit Golems) novel Rapture here soon, but after pestering the guys at Mobbly for awhile and they relented and let me start uploading reviews and articles about books. So I thought why not upload there and get paid for it, just like Ayn Rand would have wanted?
So why post here, other then to brag about being paid for something I do anyway? because Rapture is the most readable and clever rebuttal to ideology of Ayn Rand I have ever read. Yes I am serious a book about a city under the sea with magic genetic engineering programs and drug addicted mutants is a cogent exploration of what would actually happen if unrestricted capitalism where putt into practice. For an example Andrew Ryan (WE ARE AYN RAND) the leader of this new city has a number of problems but since government is wicked and evil he has no way to deal with Raptures problems other then make a speech underplaying the issue or use shady underhanded tactics to get the job done. That is a very big hole in these New Right theories, how do you deal with "troubelmakers" if its some sort of government body then you haven't really changed anything, all it would take would be for some competent and ambitious fellow to use its enforcement powers to put themselves in charge and wreck the whole system. And if there's no public enforcement body how on earth would you maintain order? In Rapture Ryan has benevolently built a security firm that is there de-facto police force, and once the cracks start to show you can probably guess how smart it was to make the "police" whom are armed to the teeth (by Ryan Industries) answerable to one man only.
There is also plenty of examples of the most cut throat making it too the top making a mockery of the ideologies lofty ideals of freedom and efficiency. Remember Rand wasn't just making a Manifesto for the "Rich to Richer" club she actually claimed her ideals would enshrine freedom and individuality, which has never really held much water given that the most market orientated societies on earth where Latin American Dictatorships or 19th Century Europe where every nation was ruled by an Aristocratic Oligarchy and oppressed the rest of the planet.
Anyway if you're looking for an intelligent book with a bit of action and mystery then you should check out my review of it and see if anything takes your fancy. And for added incentive there is an actual Class War lead by an Irish rebel called Atlas (and yes they did choose that name for Irony).
Firstly, thanks for letting me cross-post your earlier article http://alienatedleft.blogspot.com/#!/2012/02/on-this-and-every-future-valentines-day.html (I wrote a comment, but I think I forgot to hit publish). There are minor edits - tenses, due to the belatedness of the re-post, and the picture, due to the constraints of the old template, which I've since changed.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, I am curious about Mobbly. The site itself doesn't offer much in the way of explanation. I have no idea how they are able to pay contributors (I doubt the ad revenue covers one paid contributor, let alone a team). Frankly, the main source of curiosity is self-interest. Although I am currently employed (and overworked) as a VFX editor, the thought of receiving freelance money from writing appeals greatly. Anyway, if they are looking for additional contributors - please bear me in mind.
P.S. Obviously, I would be willing to write on broader topics than those covered on Alienated Left and The Polemical Report
P.P.S. Please forgive the cheekiness of this.