25 thoughts on “Books That Shaped America– Please Discuss”
For some reason, I received a new hardcover copy of The Libertarian Mind today in the mail from the ‘Reading America Foundation’ in DC. Other people have received Bibles, Atlas Shrugged, and apparently one title authored by Paul Krugman–perhaps Conscience of a Liberal? (why didn’t they send me that?) I’m certain the LOC is not involved– it’s obviously political, but I can’t seem to find anything online except the recent metafilter post I linked to.
I received the same postcard as the OP:
Read, and do your bit to help re-intellectualize the moribund Republican Party so they can win all the elections again and lead the nation into a Brave New Libertarian Paradise.
(You knew something was wrong. No true Objectivist gives away books, for free. )
“We should not assume anything. Absolutely every aspect of the campaign, from the best way to knock on doors to the best way to broadcast television, should be tested,” says Blaise Hazelwood, a Republican voter-contact specialist
The Wealth of Nations, Common Sense, Montesquieu's l'Esprit des Lois (Frog, I know, but still influential), Descartes' Rationalist philosophy, works by Voltaire, Rousseau, Hume, Kant. And So on. The true foundation of our political and social philosophy.
And Cato opens the bid with Ayn fucking Rand's "Atlas Shrugged? " So drearily predictable.
“It is not a book to be lightly thrown aside. It should be thrown with great force.”
—Sid Ziff in Los Angeles Mirror-News
For some reason, I received a new hardcover copy of The Libertarian Mind today in the mail from the ‘Reading America Foundation’ in DC. Other people have received Bibles, Atlas Shrugged, and apparently one title authored by Paul Krugman–perhaps Conscience of a Liberal? (why didn’t they send me that?) I’m certain the LOC is not involved– it’s obviously political, but I can’t seem to find anything online except the recent metafilter post I linked to.
I received the same postcard as the OP:
<img src="http://oi64.tinypic.com/21o6grq.jpg">
Weird.
I don't think a commie like you can ever be completely re-habilitated. I know I can't be.
I'm thinking they just randomly chose people from the voter rolls in key states or something.
Lucky you, Smoke, Because you, along with 600 other Americans who read more than 20 books per year, have been found by the | Cato Institute | and | unwittingly enlisted in a Political Science Experiment. |
Read, and do your bit to help re-intellectualize the moribund Republican Party so they can win all the elections again and lead the nation into a Brave New Libertarian Paradise.
(You knew something was wrong. No true Objectivist gives away books, for free. )
Oh, FFS. I think I've figured out how they "found" me– probably from some past Knowledge Panel political surveys I answered.
“We should not assume anything. Absolutely every aspect of the campaign, from the best way to knock on doors to the best way to broadcast television, should be tested,” says Blaise Hazelwood, a Republican voter-contact specialist
or "Blaiselwood", for short.
no idea why this went to pending…
It was a much droller comment yesterday.
Did you see any hanging post submissions while you were in there?
I did not at the time. I always check both
First one's free…
It's a TRAP!!
CALL THE FIREMEN
<img src="https://gfx.videobuster.de/archive/v/cFW5zjM0bztCUvIHVGFWXbQcz0lMkawqCUyRjA5JTJGaW1hmSUyRmpwZWclMkYwYjNkN2MyZjdkMmTNNWIyYjZhymXrMGU1YmVjOS5qcGcmcj137zg/fahrenheit-451.jpg"/>
232.8C?
No "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" or "Soul on Ice"?
The Wealth of Nations, Common Sense, Montesquieu's l'Esprit des Lois (Frog, I know, but still influential), Descartes' Rationalist philosophy, works by Voltaire, Rousseau, Hume, Kant. And So on. The true foundation of our political and social philosophy.
And Cato opens the bid with Ayn fucking Rand's "Atlas Shrugged? " So drearily predictable.
“It is not a book to be lightly thrown aside. It should be thrown with great force.”
—Sid Ziff in Los Angeles Mirror-News
Whale oil beef uct.
Kudos to C_R_.
LOC list also has Malcolm X. I think smokey should send a complementary copy to Cato.
"What?" I thought, "C_R is misattributing a Dorothy Parker quote." |Silly me|. Wonkville is so educational.
Yeah, I guess he's not just tentacles and a gaping maw .
I didn't know I was ignorant.
"I guess you can at least rest assured that no actual Randian would want you to have a book for free." Ha!
Believe me, I've paid. Having to read Anthem in 7th grade was quite enough!
*Oukes*
<img src="https://media.makeameme.org/created/its-not-happening-uipg2b.jpg">
(wasting any energy on it)
Dammit, there's a joke about freeloaders in there somewhere…
|This| one is the quite candid diary of one of the shapers.