12
ReviewsAyn Rand's Forgotten Child; Anthem
So, I know Ayn Rand is a conterversial figure in every circle. Her name has become synonymous with her master work, Atlas Shrugged. I find this fair, but disappointing as her novella, Anthem, is severely neglected in conversation, so, I wanted to see if any of you have read it and what your thoughts are.
I've been on a dystopian future classics kick. I'm talking 1984, Brave New World, Fahrenheit 451. The WORKS, because I've just been so fed up with our world and our culture that I needed a little camaraderie from these authors. What I didn't expect to be reading was Ayn Rand. I knew of her reputation, and I knew that any mention of her name is bound to elicit eyerolls though I had never actually read her books before. I really let the opinions of others shade my vision of her, which I found as a profound lesson in Anthem.
Anthem is a novella written in 1938, and offers a surprisingly different shade of Rand's philosophy before she went on to create Atlas Shruged. It's setting is within a collectivist totalitarian regime far into a future dark-age. It utilizes many themes presented in 1984, but it's core is about the dangers of collectivism, the importance of individuality, and the indomitable human spirit.
Surprisingly, this read was my favorite of it's kind. Like 1984, there are some daringly similar parallels to our current world, and one that I did not expect of a book nearly 100 years old; pronouns. In this world, the individual is all but abolished. Everyone uses plural pronouns to refer to themselves here. The word "I" comes as a revelation only in the very end of this tale, and is a word that gets men burned alive if ever uttered. It's a word few people know.
Building off of this with 1984's stance on language really put into perspective how truly powerful language is, how badly we are marring it today, and what effects this has already had on us. The future does not look bright to me, but this book has filled me with a new fire to take back control and power over myself. Fuck everything else, I'll be in the tall grass.
I like their optimism. If I was on wrong hormones, I wouldn't plan that far ahead. We know so little about what kind of complications might arise after decades of "gender affirming care" that it might very well be the elderly parents visiting them in a nursing home.
Yup. I’ve been on hormone blockers for adenomyosis and Osteoporosis is no fun. I was told it was ABSOLUTELY a temporary fix until my hysto
Look forward to painful joints, broken bones, hairline fractures, and more!
I'm so sorry to hear that! Osteoporosis runs in my family and my mother broke her femoral neck for the first time when she was only 34 after slipping in the hallway and landing on her side (a woman standing barely 5 feet tall!). It's indeed a serious illness and not to be taken lightly.
Apparently once my uterus is yeeted, (may 31 yay) I can go off of them and let my ovaries resume doing their thang. And I should get my bone density back!
So I will be okay! Thank you tho!!!
And we especially don't know how they impact people who start hormones super young
Agreed. But even if these guys were still healthy and the parents had been incredibly supportive, I can't see them take care of an elderly parent. They can barely look after themselves, requiring constant affirmation and praise from others or they have a meltdown. It's all about them and everyone else in their life has been relegated to the role of NPC in a video game.
Do they not realize one day they would be of "retirement home" age too? Or do they think they're gonna be young forever?
And considering he's a TiM, he's gonna be needing a lot more medicines and hospitalizations than his mom in like 5 years. Hell even at 18 he needs to take hormone pills, without which his whole existence is invalid.
Do they have no critical thinking skills? Or just plain stupid narcissists?
Do they have no critical thinking skills? Or just plain stupid narcissists?
Yes
Your parents most likely became aware a long time ago that you would abandon them in old age. Probably before you even announced your trans identity.
Yh it depends on amount of delusion his parents are holding.
Power fantasies from people who are too cowardly to actually do something and too vindictive to just let things go. It's the same as when they rejoice that one day JKR will die - as we all will - or when they make up fanfiction about her child going no contact and hiding her non-existent grandchild from her.
What's crazy here is that "how you were treated by them", which is used to evoke abuse, just means that the parents weren't willing to pretend that their son was a daughter or some nonsense like that.
Bet they'll have no problem spending any inheritance their parents leave them
Of course not. They would consider that money their due, because obligations are always a one-way street with narcissists.
Plus being trans is so expensive it makes it hard to be principled.
I think this is from a thread where a TIM was butthurt that his mama is a closet TERF who mocks him behind his back.
In any case, there's a good chance that many of these young trans people will die before their parents on account of abusing their bodies with unnecessary drugs and surgeries. And if they don't die, they'll be too disabled to work. Their parents are more likely to put THEM in a nursing home than the other way around!
Yes Vaginia McTittles, I’m sure your parents will be the ones living with deep regret in 30 years lol
This is not just a TRA thing. The current generation, at least based on online behaviors, will have boomers compulsorily euthanized eventually I think and their hatred for their parents, who are all abusers according 6o them, is vicious and vengeful. They are desperate to be cruel and abusive as soon as they can because they believe it is justified.
The TQ is so toxic selfish and self-centered that I can't see them ever giving a sh$t about taking care of elderly or infirm parents. And if they were forced to, the "care" would be indifferent, substandard, or abusive. It is a wrench for parents to see their kids become such garbage but also realize they are relieved they won't have to suffer old age with offspring like that.
I just hope the parents of this TiM realize it sooner and just cut their losses
Yeah, hopefully Vaginia McTittles won't be getting anything in the will. Give it to a donkey sanctuary. They're much nicer.
Man, I tease my parents about the fact that I'll likely be the one to look after them, but damn, I am willing to change and bathe them until I physically can't, no matter what our little spats are.
I did tell my mom that my limit is changing catheters. Diapers, I will do. But cathing is going to need a paid professional.
Not only they won't live forever, but won't even get to the average life expectancy considering how they treat their bodies.
I found the comment kinda confusing. Do they think retirement home is where you send parents you care about?
These ppl live in a fantasy land. I can't speak for other cultures, but in the American individualistic culture, very few old ppl are just sitting back and relaxing then panicking and going "hurr dur you have to get me to a retirement home!"
Ppl plan for this shit, and if they don't, the state will put them up somewhere.
I suspect most parents of trans-identifying kids (adult or otherwise) are somewhat aware that when it comes to old age, infirmity, anything really, they're not going to be able to count on those kids to help, at all, and need to get their plans in place with the assumption that they're on their own. In a twist, the only ones likely to be blindsided by it are the ones who constantly dote on, cheerlead, and favor their trans-identifying kids, whether they have others or not, and may find when the time comes that the special favorite DGAF and the daughter (if they have one) who's already exhausted from a lifetime of putting up with the BS is still the one to step forward.
The loving “sparkle family” that encouraged them to cut off their parents and family will be in the wind when they are old and hurting.
They're way ahead of you and have already created a culture of guilt-tripping and group-pressuring female TRAs into being servants for male TRAs, servants who must tolerate infinite abuse from the males lest they be unkind mean disobedient Bad Women (sorry, "trans men" and "non binary folx").
Support for females, though? As nonexistent as in any other backwards, traditional-values, gender-loving community. Women are gung-ho about this woman-hating system in a similar way to tradwives, brainwashed into believing their
slaveryloyalty will be rewarded somehow.remember lesbians caring for gay men in the AIDS crisis? tale as old as fucking time, where the fuck are they while lesbian clubs are getting shut down? women should never help a man unless she knows for a fact he would do the same or more, frankly.
Yeah if TRAs are soo supportive, why not create a commune and live together. And they could all date each other, they are soo sexy after all. Why need validation from their parents ?
Bunk up together/ create own sororities, where they could dick ride each other, and leave women alone.
They did that with an alpaca ranch in Colorado. They've killed tens of alpacas through neglect.
yeah I kinda don't give a fuck about the TIMs that apparently lose their minds when they wake up without their dick bc they have dementia and forget what happens. sucks to suck. maybe don't cut off your body parts. I just feel bad for all the female caretakers who will have to cater to these disgusting TIMs