Lord of the Rings features a time when evil almost wins. Atlas Shrugged celebrates such dystopia.
I first heard this within the past couple of years. As with too many really good lines that get passed around the internet, it came to me first with no source listed.
It’s rather brilliant. To whom do we properly give credit for its invention?
There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old’s life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs.
Update: In comments, Ellie and Liam both point to John Rogers at Kung Fu Monkey, March 19, 2009. Sounds good. Can anyone pin it on anyone else, earlier?
More:
- Atlas Shrugged For Dummies (ourfuture.org)
- Idaho State Senator Introduces Bill Requiring ‘Atlas Shrugged’ For High School Students (addictinginfo.org)
- QOTD: Two Novels That Can Change Your Life (ritholtz.com)
- Idaho lawmaker’s bill forces students to pass ‘Atlas Shrugged’ test to graduate (rawstory.com)
- To Promote Freedom, Idaho Senator Wants To Require All Students To Read ‘Atlas Shrugged’ (wonkette.com)
- Quaker Valley senior a finalist in 2012 ‘Atlas Shrugged’ essay contest (triblive.com) [Does this border on child abuse?]
Posted by Ed Darrell 
