<p><strong>A new series of the podcast that explains the most misused ideas in politics. </strong>This time: In a rage against her impoverished Soviet childhood, writer <strong>Ayn Rand</strong> evangelised for radical selfishness and the glories of unfettered capitalism. Is the most influential political novelist of the 20th Century just the darling of the “neoliberal theatre of cruelty”, a benzedrine-addled monster whose books licence toxic egoism, a creator of thick-skinned heroes for a cult of thin-skinned losers… or is there more to her?</p><p>Will <strong>Ian Dunt </strong>and<strong> Dorian Lynskey</strong> be won over to Rand’s theory of Objectivism by her surprisingly strong writing? Who enjoyed The Fountainhead? Is Rand a fascist? Think for yourself. No-one can make up your mind except YOU.</p><p>Get next week’s episode right now and help moochers Ian and Dorian develop the series when you back Origin Story on Patreon: www.Patreon.com/originstorypod</p><p><br></p><ul> <li> <em>“When you look at the ruins of Rand’s life, it’s a moral parable of the danger of believing in complete systems.” – </em><strong><em>Ian Dunt</em></strong><em> </em> </li> <li> <em>“You can see why millionaires like her, but there’s also a huge appeal to losers… to people who want to be Howard Roarke and never will.” – </em><strong><em>Dorian Lynskey</em></strong><em> </em> </li> <li> <em>“Her version of capitalism is exactly what you’d expect from a young old girl trapped in Communist Russia, watching Hollywood movies.” – </em><strong><em>Ian Dunt</em></strong><em> </em> </li> <li> <em>“For Rand the idea that the world is complex is a scam that the second-handers pull on you.” – </em><strong><em>Dorian Lynskey</em></strong> </li> <li> <em>“Atlas Shrugged reads like the novel Lex Luthor would have written.” – </em><strong><em>Ian Dunt</em></strong> </li> </ul><p><br></p><p><em>Written and presented by Dorian Lynskey and Ian Dunt. Audio production and music by Jade Bailey. Logo art by Mischa Welsh. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. </em><strong><em>Origin Story is a Podmasters production</em></strong></p><p> </p><p>Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a></p>