Atlas Hugged

"There is a level of cowardice lower than that of the conformist; the fashionable non-conformist." - Ayn Rand

The title has zero to do with the blog, unless you can think a real clever relation. Otherwise, I was just tyring to think of something that rhymed with one of Ayn Rand's books. In general I think she is dead wrong, but I think this quote has truth. The conformist, in Rand's analogy, is one who melds into the population avoiding thinking independently merely for the sake of security and laziness. The fashionable non-conformist does the same thing, just under a different guise and more deceptively.

I'd have to break with the meaning of the quote in the general case. There are those (the handicapped, children, etc.) who should live dependently and not be considered cowards. Rand has elsewhere written things which reveal her disdain for the needy and those unable to produce. After all, productivity is the primary measure of worth for Libertarians who follow Rand to  her logical conclusions. But even more, I consider it courage and wisdom to conform to the word and will of the Living God. But sticking with the idea of the sheep in hipster’s clothing, consider an application to the Church.

Is a person who avoids Jesus by going to church a greater sinner than a prostitute?

Maybe in this modern age ‘prostitute’ is too trite an analogy. How 'bout 'pedophile'? Is then, a person who avoids Jesus by going to church a greater sinner than a pedophile?