Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand

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Recommended: Introduction for good vs evil

A number of characters very early on in the story of Atlas Shrugged are obviously concerned with the concept of goodness and what qualities constitute a good person and one that fails to meet this definition. It is evident at times through the author’s sarcasm although these characters are obsessed with vocalizing their opinions that their ideas of good are not on the mark. In fact, their drive to talk incessantly resolves nothing and devalues the meaning of almost every word. This same group of people hold to the philosophy that there are no absolutes and that no one is really right or wrong, as there is always some middle or “grey” area.

The self proclaimed “enlightened” person’s view of goodness included mainly those things which one is supposed to feel from the heart. Some of these were articulated as: self sacrifice, brotherly love, unselfishness, self denial and the value of feelings over thoughts. A good person in their eyes would enslave himself to this ideal because it was for the good of “the people”. While this is the vocal’s ideal not all of these people who subscribe to these beliefs. James Taggert for example, did not give up all his wealth for the good of the people; he believed this, but that was for others to do. Merely because he married a shop-girl that came from nothing, this action does not equate the “brotherly love” he expects from someone like Henry Rearden. She was Jim’s accessory to flaunt the notion that he was more enlightened than his friends. The hypocrisy continues when Lillian Rearden approached Taggert to persuade him to stop her divorce from Henry Rearden and one of her pleas was due to her inevitable poverty. Taggert was offended that she would even speak of such matters since this t...

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...ors empowers the producers to value, hold, and utilize their accomplishments. The ultimate mark of good being victorious over evil in Atlas Shrugged, is the acknowledgement of the original three individuals who started the strike of producers chose to open their Atlantis to other like thinkers and invite the like minded to join the Galt’s Gully community. Here it is obvious that because a value is given to one’s earnings, pride, accomplishments and desires do not make one materialistic; these gain freedom from that thought by their choice. While he would probably be offended, the story that comes to mind that has a similar start equates Galt to Noah from the Bible, he saves the best of humanity to start the world anew. Galt’s version of good overpowering evil is a testament to what real brotherly love really encompasses.

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Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

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