The Mind In Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged

Throughout the philosophical novel known as Atlas Shrugged, its author, Ayn Rand, leaves no question as to the primary theme within the story. In fact, Rand herself stated that the theme “is the role of the mind in man’s existence.” The story indicates that it is the presence and awareness of the mind that promotes prosperity and morality. For the duration of the book, as the men of reason and strong morality disappear, panic spreads through the remaining men in power, who are representative of the incompetent. They represent the men who avoid reason, acting upon such things as feeling and responsibility. Rand, through her lead character, condemns men of this nature, writing; “Are you seeking to know what is wrong with the world? All the disasters

that have wrecked your world, came from your leaders attempt to evade the fact that A is A...The purpose of those who taught you to evade it, was to make you forget that man is man.” In this, Rand promises reason to be the solid foundation of those who run the world. With this reasoning, raw acknowledgment and acceptance of reality are taught to be essential to obtain the freedom of knowledge. In saying that, Rand teaches that A is A: that “Reality is that which exists...the unreal is the merely that negation of existence which is the content of the human consciousness when it attempts to abandon reason. Truth is the recognition of reality; reason, man's only means of knowledge, is his only standard of truth.” Within the pages of this book, we are taught with blatant clarity that one must act upon reason, and we must value those who act in such a way, because it is they who shall hold our economy together. As is today, the innovative minds of the world are the structure upon which everything is built, but Atlas Shrugged preaches the fact that without reason as our foundation, society will crumble.