John Galt In Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged

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“Who is John Galt?” Throughout the book Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand, you continue to hear this question. At the beginning, you think it is a rhetorical question. As the book proceeds, the question is unveiled and you find out that John Galt is a hero philosopher in the book that tries to get people to take in his way of life. John Galt’s way of living has both good, and bad points. Galt lives in a world where socialism, communism and a corrupt government are the way his country runs. All of the “great minds” in the country are in a state of rebellion and want change against their government. John Galt is a character that interprets Rand’s philosophy, objectivism. Galt’s basic beliefs are that independence from a country is the correct way to live. He believes capitalism is the way to run a country, that personal happiness is important and the government has no right to intervene in the people’s business. This all sounds pretty rational right? However, he also believes you don’t have to help anyone who doesn’t deserve your help. That you should be your own man, care …show more content…

Maybe you carried a stranger's groceries, maybe you helped pick up a piece of trash on the street. When you went out of your way to help someone, did it make you feel like a lesser person? If it didn’t, then what is wrong with going out of your way to help people? People feel good about helping others. Not only that, but they make the whole world a better place for everyone by doing so. Say there is a natural disaster that hits New York. People are devastated. In a world where John Galt’s philosophy is adopted, those people in New York are done for! No one would come to help them because “It’s not their responsibility.” People following Galt’s philosophy wouldn’t realize that by not helping the New Yorkers, they are hurting the New Yorkers, their economy, their country and many other aspects of their life connected to their

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