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Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged is considered to be both her magnum opus and one of the most controversial works in modern literature. Over the years, the novel has been a prominent subject of debate among critics and philosophers.
The book recently made news once again after NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers was trolled for having the novel on his bookshelf. The footballer flaunted his personal book collection during an appearance on the ManningCast show.
When co-hosts Peyton and Eli Manning asked the athlete about his reading choices, Rodgers ended up mentioning the title of Ayn Rand’s final novel along with some French poetry:
“A lot of French poetry, and I’ve got ‘Atlas Shrugged’ by Ayn Rand over here.”
The comment was immediately met with a lot of ridicule on social media, with several people mocking the NFL player for his choice.
Critics also connected the debatable themes of individualism and objectivism mentioned in Atlas Shrugged with Aaron Rodgers’ personal controversies related to COVID vaccine.
Prior to the latest trolling, Rodgers came under fire for allegedly saying he was “immunized” against COVID-19 despite being unvaccinated. He also paid $14,650 to the NFL for breaking their COVID-19 protocols.
‘Atlas Shrugged’ is a reflection of Ayn Rand’s controversial philosophy of objectivism
Atlas Shrugged is Ayn Rand’s final and longest novel in the fictional genre. It is also considered to be the writer’s most recognized piece of work. However, the book left critics divided when it was first published in 1957.
While several philosophers strongly criticized the views presented in the novel, others spoke in its defense. The novel is known as the most prominent reflection of Ayn Rand’s controversial philosophy of objectivism.
As per the author’s own description, the objectivist school of philosophy mainly believes that the moral purpose of man’s life is seeking his own individual happiness:
"The concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute."
The same individualistic approach towards life has been presented in Atlas Shrugged through its protagonist John Galt. The novel is set in a dystopian U.S. where the country, helmed by the National Legislature and Head of State, is on the verge of economic collapse.
The story follows railroad executive Dagny Taggart and her beau Hank Rearden struggling against "looters" in a country that makes private entrepreneurs suffer under mounting laws and regulations.
The duo then come across the mysterious objectivist leader John Galt, who is convincing other business leaders to build a new society where they are free to create their own rules without government intervention.
The novel comes to an end with John Galt and his supporters creating a new capitalist society influenced by his ideas of individualism, reason and objectivism.
Following the publication, literary critic Granville Hicks mentioned in his New York Times Book Review that the novel was “written out of hate.” Meanwhile, American writer-editor Whittaker Chambers called the piece “sophomoric” and “remarkable silly” in his National Review.
More recently, The Guardian pointed out that Atlas Shrugged is deemed as the “bible of selfishness” in financial circles. The publication also defined the novel as:
“A passionate defence of Rand’s belief that the world is best served when individuals act entirely in their own rational self-interest.”
Despite years of criticism, the novel has continued to sell millions of copies around the world. While Ayn Rand’s school of thought has been condemned by several philosophers, some people have also regarded her objectivism as an influence towards libertarians and conservatives.
Twitter reacts to Aaron Rodgers’ ‘Atlas Shrugged’ mention
Aaron Rodgers found himself in the middle of several controversies last year in relation to his comments about COVID-19 and vaccination rules. The player was largely criticized for providing alleged misinformation about his vaccination status and health condition.
Amid the ongoing drama, the Green Bay Packers quarterback faced severe online trolling once again for boasting Ayn Rand’s controversial novel Atlas Shrugged on his bookshelf.
Several people claimed that the athlete’s reading choice complimented his own actions. Netizens even took to Twitter to share their reaction to the situation:
Meanwhile, some people also slammed the critics and defended Rodgers' decision to read the Ayn Rand novel:
As reactions continue to pour in online, it remains to be seen if Aaron Rodgers will address the situation in the days to come.
The footballer has previously criticized the “cancel culture” and “woke mob” for slamming him for his comments on COVID-19 and claimed that they were trying to “shame” unvaccinated individuals.
