Speak Out: The Night I Met Ayn Rand

Posted by voyager on Wed, Sep 9, 2009, at 10:32 PM:

Back in the '60s I would occasionally visit New York and while there visit with a fraternity brother who lived and worked there.

Tom was one of those rare individuals who possessed great charisma and a certainty that he would be welcomed wherever he chose to go. One night he took me to a meeting he thought I would find interesting but would tell me no more.

Upon arrival at an apartment, Tom introduced me to our hostess. I was stunned and virtually speechless. She was Ayn Rand. I immediately recognized her from her picture on the dust jacket of her book. She was a rather short, slightly stocky woman, well dressed, with a hairstyle somewhat out of the 1920's. Her greeting was very soft, polite and cordial but with a heavy foreign accent making it a little difficult to clearly understand every word.

Most striking were her dark intense and intelligent eyes which did not seem to miss anything. Yet, unlike much of the criticism of her I had read, she seemed to possess a merry twinkle in her eyes bespeaking a sense of humor and kindness. It must have amused her to see my utter surprise.

The group present that night amounted to around 10 people. Miss Rand signaled she was ready to start which emphatically meant we sat down and she started. I tried to find the most inconspicuous place in the room, but I found myself directly in her line of sight. Originally, I had intended to just listen but now was forced to see and be seen also.

The discussion was the need of philosophy. She began talking about Aristotle as the father of reason and logic even though he should be forgiven some of his philosophical errors. She made short work of Plato whom I gathered she had very substantial disagreements. But her full wrath and scorn was reserved for Kant. I knew very little about philosophy at the time and I took out my notepad and started jotting notes for later research. It became obvious she cared even less for 19th and 20th philosophers. She approved of note taking.

Eventually the meeting evolved into question time which she seemed to enjoy immensely. Someone asked who was her favorite character in Atlas Shrugged. She smiled and asked, "Who is yours?" Well, the room erupted with "John Galt, Dagney Taggart, Francisco d'Anconia, Hank Rearden," and several other lead characters. Then came Miss Rand's inevitable "Why?" followed by all the inevitable answers. I had decided to keep quiet, just listen, and not be noticed. And then I felt those dark piercing eyes on me. "You haven't told us your favorite character," she said in the calmest more even voice I will ever remember. To this day I do not know why I answered as I did.

"Any one of those mentioned and for all the reasons given. That's easy to answer." I said (maybe with a little more bravado than I really felt.

"The more interesting question to me is, which character do I most dislike and why."

I will always remember Miss Rand's eyes, "Who and why?"

"Lillian Rearden," I said. "I despise and detest her above all others for many reasons." I gave one example. It was the contempt and disrespect she had for the real value of the metal bracelet made from the first pour of Rearden Metal. Her contempt for the effort and struggle involved in its creation and the disrespect for the man who was its creator, all hidden behind a smooth and elegant artificial facade of superiority. It should be noticed that Dagney Taggart did value the bracelet.

"I see," Miss Rand smiled.

Yes, you ought to, you wrote it, I thought, but kept my big mouth shut.

Later that evening upon leaving the apartment, I met Nathaniel Branden. I took an instant dislike to him and later told Tom I thought the guy was a pompous *** and a sponge.

At the door Miss Rand said she was glad I came and the next time I was in New York, please call.

Sadly, I never did.

Replies (4)

  • Amazing story voyager! Thanks for sharing!

    You got guts man. I would've crapped my pants if she had asked me a question about Atlas. I probably would've flubbed it up totally and said "Ellsworth Toohey".

    I liked your answer though. I find the character of Lillian Rearden repulsive as well. But the character I hate the most is the sell out Dr. Robert Stadler because of the brilliance and resources that he wastes on creating weapons for the government.

    Did your friend Tom remain in Rand's discussion circle? From what I've read, she was very demanding and could be difficult.

    -- Posted by Lumpy on Thu, Sep 10, 2009, at 12:14 AM
  • The trend towards placing a lower value not only on our own lives, but the lives of others, has been the subject of each and every speech given by almost every elected official this week. It is not enough to simply view other individual's property as being ripe for the taking. Everyone must now willingly surrender their own property, and therefore their own lives to the state. This has to occur on a massive scale or else the collectivist programs will not work.

    The message that our lives belong to a greater good is being broadcast loud and clear.

    -- Posted by Lumpy on Thu, Sep 10, 2009, at 7:22 AM
  • Tom drifted away from the group due to Brandon whom he grew to dislike. Brandon tried to get him involved in a self analysis group which Tom viewed as a useless waste of time and a ripoff. All of this occurred just about the time of Miss Rands break with Brandon. Tom did not sever connection with Miss Rand and remained friends until her death.

    Yes, she could be difficult and demanding. But Tom's view was this was frequently caused by people around her who sought to use and manipulate her. Some of the grief she brought upon herself. But as Tom told me perfection in others would make them impossible.

    -- Posted by voyager on Thu, Sep 10, 2009, at 5:10 PM
  • James, I don't know if we ever met. But I think I would have enjoyed knowing you, lumpy, and several others.

    By the way, I am not sure I accept all of Miss Rand's ideas whole hog. I prefer to take one idea at a time for examination.

    -- Posted by voyager on Thu, Sep 10, 2009, at 5:19 PM

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