This is an excellent graphic bio of Ayn Rand, about whom I had a general knowledge but nothing deeper than that, and the effect her philosophy has had on the world, particularly economic and political systems. The author/artist points out several times the paradoxes present in The worldview of Rand and her disciples, and the havoc they have wreaked, particularly the e sonic crisis of 2008. I’ve consumed a lot of media about that event and its aftermath and big chunks of it remain oblique to me, but everything I read makes it a little clearer. This book goes on to describe the current state of politics, particularly in the US and UK, and how screwed we are as the world moves ever right-ward. It analyzes the differences between the right and left, characterizing the left as curious, empathetic and flexible (and diminishing), and the right as, well, everything opposite of those things. Self-serving, accusatory and fearful of change (and growing). While books like this give me insight into the world I’m living in, they also make me angry and afraid, and hopeless. I take heart that such complex stories can be told simply in a graphic format. ( )

You know when you get older and your family starts letting you listen in on all the family drama and gossip and suddenly all the weird things in your childhood start to make perfect sense? Reading this book felt like that. ( )

That took me way longer than it needed to. Depressing reading, honestly. Not perfect, and I'm not sure I agree with everything (not that I agree with everything, always), but uh. Yeah.

Just some links (notes to myself to read really)

http://www.salon.com/2017/03/23/why-are-republicans-so-cruel-to-the-poor-paul-ry...
http://www.sulloway.org/PoliticalConservatism(2003).pdf
https://psychcentral.com/encyclopedia/just-world-hypothesis/
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/are-your-political-beliefs-hardwired-10... ( )

I picked up this book because the drawing of Ayn Rand on the cover made me laugh. I never knew any details about her life, and they turned out to be as crazy as her philosophy is repugnant. The world of finance has always been a mystery to me, and frankly I was never interested in the details of how it all works. Apparently I needed a lesson in the form of a graphic novel because now I am ready to delve into some of the titles Cunningham used for his research. It was interesting to read about the differences between how liberals and conservatives think and to contemplate the strengths and weaknesses of both personalities and viewpoints. Overall I have a better understanding of exactly how we ended up with Donald Trump as president and a Republican Congress willing to go along with him no matter what. ( )

My what a depressing book. Very quick read though. Of course you have to identify the cause of an illness before you can cure it. This book is a good diagnosis and primer. ( )