KK... if Sykk's in consider it a go! back off DJ ;-)
As an Australian I found reading Ayn Rand gave me a new and really interesting perspective on the American Human Condition. I believe the USA is the only culture on earth able to really embrace Randism.. not saying that I think Americans agree with the philosophy, just that the American psyche can accept her more extreme ideas as plausible. Cutting what could be a long post short.. it made me realize that "American Democracy" and how you understand the word democracy is a world apart from "Australian Democracy" and what I have always understood the word to mean. I think this basic "misunderstanding" makes it difficult for Australians to empathise when so many normally friendly American folk start to talk hardline about defending democracy and/or the United States. I don't claim any greater understanding than others but I think post Ayn Rand I definitely find I "get" you guys a lot more than I used to and also find the differences much easier to accept
Has anyone else ever thought AR would be a good pisser? If you have a copy of The Virtue of Selfishness check out chapter 19,
"The Argument From Intimidation" It could also be called "Internet Pissing Tactics 101" although people would have thought that was a queer title when she wrote it in 1964
it also closely describes some opranouts debating styles to a tee