I wholeheartedly agree!

That's actually part of an episode of „Two and a half men“ ^^

Often good advice nonetheless

@@jupiterjones3789 I haven't read "Two and a half men" but someone told me that piece of advice so maybe they got it out of that book.

@@tracesprite6078 Not sure if you're joking, it is a sitcom^^

I agree

It sounded like a 1940s/ 50s hot shot

Oh, right, she read it in an American accent. I hadn't even realized lmao such a flawless accent

Ayn Rand was Russian, and had a Russian accent.

i bery much enjoy her american accent

😮😮😮😮

Thanks; I was gonna look that up.

Makes the letter feel the more serious when you put it like that

Didn’t she have a russian accent?

It was still a jerk move by Ayn Rand. A typical move, but a jerk move. I want to know the niece's story, because if they weren't close, she probably had a good story as to why she reached out to the crazy aunt.

She read a letter. Wow! What a freakin' talent. You are impressed too easily. Find a hobby.

@@johnnynick3621 You appear to be very balanced - a chip on both shoulders. What a nasty piece of work you are.

Actually I don’t think she had any. I believe she was lactose intolerant wrt to that particular beverage

@@maryahhaidery7986 😂 So true! Rand was alergic to many other things as well, including honesty and integrity, btw. Her poor niece had to endure this sermon about how to earn those 25$, while old Ayn herself spent her last years without working but living nicely on state benefits instead. "Do as I say, don't do as I do..." Of course, she tried to hide that from everyone and kept villifying the poor, the sick and the hungry wherever she could, and only after her death did people around her discover that she herself was also a "parasite" who she always so viciously attacked. 🤷🏽‍♀️

I disagree entirely. Ms. Rand offered the loan of a significant amount of money, the opportunity to develop character/rectitude, and the hand of friendship. Pretty darn nice if you ask me.

@@frednitney5831 Well, knowing how cruel and sadistic Rand always was in real life and what a horrible hypocrite she was, I think that the sermon and the demands she made for those 25 dollars, which was definitely not a significant sum of money even in those times, were not at all meant to be educational or nice, but Rand's typical way of being cruel to others and preaching fake character building advice while having none herself. But we are all entitled to our views! 🤷🏽‍♀️

@@frednitney5831 Well, it was only $300 in today's money, and her niece was a teenager. Did she need to be *quite* that harsh? Rand was clearly just as bad of an aunt as she was an economist.

(Bar the fact that the accent is wrong. Ayn Rand had a Russian accent).

Some important portions of Ayn Rand's letter to her niece, Connie Papurt, have been left out. For instance: ======== I was very badly disappointed in Mimi and Marna (Connie's sisters) When I first met Mimi, she asked me to give her money for the purpose of taking an art course. I gave her the money, but she did not take the art course. I supported Mama for a year-for the purpose of helping her to finish high school. She did not finish high school. I will take a chance on you, because I don’t want to blame you for the actions of your sisters. But I want you to show me that you are a better kind of person. ======= Furthermore, about two weeks later, here is another letter Ayn Rand wrote to her niece -- presumably after the niece responded with appreciation to the earlier letter: ===== Dear Connie: I must tell you that I was very impressed with the intelligent attitude of your letter. If you really understood, all by yourself, that my long lecture to you was a sign of real interest on my part, much more so than if I had sent you a check with some hypocritical gush note, and if you understood that my letter was intended to treat you as an equal-then you have the kind of mind that can achieve anything you choose to achieve in life. Just stick to that kind of thinking and you will be surprised how far it will take you. Don’t let anybody discourage you or tell you that intelligence doesn’t pay or that success in life has to be achieved through dishonesty or through sheer blind luck. That is not true. Real success is never accidental and real happiness cannot be found except by the honest use of your intelligence. When you have the time, let me know something about yourself and your future plans. This is not an obligation; you don’t have to do it, but if you feel like it, I would like to know more about you. Mimi told me that at one time you wanted to be a writer. Is that still your interest? If so, we have a great interest in common. I don’t know whether you remember me at all, but I remember you as a perfectly adorable kid who sat on my lap and criticized my shoes and haircut. Let me see what you have turned out to be. Frank and I will come to New York in July for the opening of the movie of The Fountainhead. We don’t know our exact plans as yet, but we may be able to drive East instead of coming by train. If we do, we will stop in Cleveland and then will have a chance to meet. Your aunt,

​@@tomyfabri Her hesitation and skepticism make so much more sense now. That family had taken advantage of her before

(Bar the fact that Ayn Rand didn't have an American accent. She was Russian).

Yes, an alternate timeline where Ayn Rand was born in the U.S. Midwest instead of St Petersburg Russia.

On the other hand, a rich aunt who was a nice person might just buy their niece a dress. Ayn Rand was a right old b*tch.

I don't know - the russian accent is pretty shocking ...

"According to her 2012 obituary, Connie went on to became a local Cleveland actress and nurse, a person “dedicated to making the lives of others better.” According to her aunt, she should have nothing better to do-for anyone-but to pay back her debt, should she wish to remain in the good graces of the great Objectivist. We do not know if Connie accepted the terms, but she apparently wrote back in such a way as to leave quite an impression on Rand, whose June 4 reply is “damn charming!” I must tell you that I was very impressed with the intelligent attitude of your letter. If you really understood, all by yourself, that my long lecture to you was a sign of real interest on my part, much more so than if I had sent you a check with some hypocritical gush note, and if you understood that my letter was intended to treat you as an equal-then you have just the kind of mind that can achieve anything you choose to achieve in life." www.openculture.com/2015/01/ayn-rand-writes-a-harsh-letter-to-her-17-year-old-niece.html

Bar the fact that Ayn Rand didn't have an American accent (she was Russian. She had a Russian accent).

You have no idea how happy I am that Rankin-Bass made that animated movie out of "The Hobbit" in 1978 not one of Rand's vacuous piles of trash.

​@@Shadowman4710 I couldn't agree more, but your comment prompted me to search and discover that Amazon Prime is currently advertising Atlas Shrugged as a 3 part cinematic extravaganza. And that alone is enough to dissuade me from ever signing up to Amazon Prime :).

Yes! I devoured the fantasy! I liked the other one with Orcs, too. I’d like to reread Atlas Shrugged but in large print. The problem is I can’t afford the large print, (it’s in the thousands, it’s pages in the ten thousands) I wish I had an aunt who could lend the money to me.

Perfect

A satirical analogy that never grows old; and I never grow tired of reading.

...Which, in a sense, was Rand's intention all along.

@@heliumcalcium396 Nah, she was just an evil person.

Ayn Rand was Russian. She had a Russian accent.

She was NOTHING like the character. She actually did a very poor job.

@@johnnynick6179 perhaps the script writer didn’t want the accent that way. Why don’t you ask Putin?

@@phil4977 The "script writer" was Ayn Rand herself. And why would you care what Putin would think? That makes absolutely no sense.

And it's also wrong. Alisa Rosenbaum ("Ayn Rand") was a deeply disturbed Russian immigrant.

Very likely Ayn Rand wouldn't think too highly of you either. She hated moochers.

@@johnnynick6179 Alisa Rosenbaum (or "Ayn Rand" for some weird reason) hated everybody who wasn't Alisa Rosenbaum. She was deeply disturbed and lived her life like a true Libertarian: "My principles are for thee, not for me. Now give me some welfare payments."

@@mchlbk Ayn Rand was NOT a Libertarian. If you are going to try to criticize someone, first learn something about them. Ayn Rand NEVER applied for or received welfare payments. If you are going to make critical statements, first make certain they are factually correct. Ayn Rand NEVER espoused beliefs that she did not also adhere to herself. She lived according to her moral code every day of her life. You clearly know nothing about Ayn Rand but are merely "parroting" things her critics have fed to you so that YOU appear a fool for your misstatements rather than they. They are smarter than you. They're still idiots, but they're smarter than you.

​@@mchlbk Ewe Pee Oh Ess. "For some weird reason" was because she had family back in _STALIN'S_ Soviet Union. You do know how Stalin and his kind treat family members of those who are disfavored. Probably about the same as _you_ would treat them if _you_ had the power. Anyone who can get back money that was stolen from them at gunpoint in Ponzi-type schemes, has every right to get that money back. You hate Rand because of her demand for moral perfection more than you hate her for her advocacy of reality, reason, egoism, laissez-faire, or romanticism. I've seen the type before. And given what you and other Rand-haters consistently demonstrate, you are right to hate her. Please continue hating her while revealing your own nature. You embody the idea of a teachable moment.

Thanks for that added context. Lots of comments from Rand haters that are unaware that she could be quite kind & generous to friends & family, but would not tolerate what we'd call an entitlement attitude today. I've known many good people who were amazingly generous until they thought they were being taken advantage of. Also, what better lesson than to teach a young person to take responsibility for themselves & their choices, & that theirr word is their bond. I thought it took a village? Don't know why she makes people so angry-it's just tough love.

​@@rmartin9426 Thanks for your comments. "... she could be quite kind & generous to friends & family ..." I think she was just like most normal, decent people of her era. Whereas the tone of the almost farcical (although skilfully) read excerpts of Ayn Rand's letter to her niece are portrayed as "over-the-top" -- the niece didn't feel that way about it at all! She enjoyed the letter and all the helpful advice -- as would any thoughtful young person. Ms Margoyles chose the cheapest, most shallow option in constructing the "Ayn Rand" character she projected in this clownish (but skilful) reading. It was not based on any study of her subject, it did not challenge the audience, and it lacked the layers of meaning and innuendo that bring a character to life. It's odd to me that the harsh (unrealistic?) criteria and standards of judgement applied to Ayn Rand are not also applied to other prominent or influential individuals. Certainly not with the predatory enthusiasm they are applied to Ayn Rand. Ms Margoyles and some of the sneering commenters oddly seem to embody and embrace the very narrow-minded bigotry they accuse Ayn Rand of possessing. Years ago I interviewed people who had met Ayn Rand in person. The most common observation was how innocently childlike, open and (sort of) girly she was in person. Sure, she could dish it out at times. Is that really so weird? Why is that a big deal? To me, being of Greek parents and having grown up with Greeks and Italians in Australia, Ayn Rand's (reliably) reported outbursts are like angelic lullabies compared to what my parents, Aunts, cousins, neighbours, etc. dished out daily.

she never lent anyone the $25. she had various "reasons" for denying everyone who applied. she spent 20 years explaining it ... always as an "aside" to her pushing "gov sucks" oratory. fwiw, rand died (in 1982 ) relying on welfare and medicare.

Rand was still in receipt of royalty income from her writing upon her death. She paid taxes on that income. She also received state retirement income & Medicaid which is an entitlement earned by paying contributions which are not voluntary over a working life. It's playing fast and loose with the actualité to suggest hypocrisy.

Valid point about Medicaid. It is designed to be given to people who are facing a tragedy and who have paid into the system over their years of working. No person who fits this description should be answer to draw upon Medicaide. Only those who abuse the system should shoulder shame.

If you hunt online you can find a later, much more amiable letter from Rand praising her niece’s intelligent reply and expressing a desire to know more about her and meet her sometime. From the tone I’d guess that she probably did go ahead and lend the money, though it’s not explicitly mentioned.

@@Jonnie-Falafel it is hypocrisy because she viewed people that use entitlement programs as "mooches". To make matters worse she did try to give herself a pass by claiming that she was entitled to the entitlement programs because she was an opponent of entitlement programs.

I did too. It would have been a great letter from a banker to a potential applicant for a loan. But it seems like a really weird thing to say to your niece. I don’t like to play diagnostician with people I’ve never met but having read her all her plays and novels, listened to all her talks and the Ford Hall Forum and read all her biographies and the limited number of letters and diary entries that ARI makes public, I have a strong suspicion she may have had some form of Aspbergers (in fact she says plainly that what she likes about a character is that “he lacked the part of his brain capable of thinking about what other people thought of him”. I believe she was drawing from personal experience here.

@@maryahhaidery7986 I highly doubt any bank will offer a one year interest free loan, with extensions granted for illness. It seems like a perfectly reasonable personal loan to a family member, with clear terms and a valuable lesson attached about accountability and respect.

@@behrpalomo4479 True…and no landlord would let you live in their house rent free with free meals, and money for clothing and entertainment and yet weirdly parents do this for their children *all the time* without expecting anything in return. You should probably tell them they’re being irrational because that’s a lousy business model.

@@maryahhaidery7986 Your sarcasm taken at face value, I would say that any parent (and many do) that provide all those things for children without taking the opportunity to prepare them for the world are in fact acting irrationally and doing their children a great disservice. In fact, I see a lot of entitled and previously spoiled children out in the world today who are in their 20s, 30s, or even older completely failing at adulting. Perhaps it was this sort of "here's everything, no expectations" type of parenting that lead them to believe they could just float out in the real world and have everything handed to them their entire lives. Too bad for them when reality sinks in and they turn to drugs and other addictions to escape reality, having no fortitude as a consequence of irresponsible parenting.

I suspect that some of you would fit in perfectly into Rands horrid little universe, if you'd be pleased to get such a curmudgeonly missive from a relative . It just demonstrates what a miserable old trout Rand was to everyone, even blood relations.

I'm glad that they forgave your debt. They probably remembered help that their family had given them as they started out in life. We should help one another.

Your mom sounds terrible. Glad she turned out to be human after all.

​@@tracesprite6078 Sometimes the best _help_ is a good honest lesson. But marxist/altruist types are so fn materialistic that literally you think love is money. Don't even argue. You have no points to make.

The version I got was: “Only lend as much money to a friend as you are willing to treat as a gift.”

I went through a period of time when I was financially struggling and my best friend offered to loan me $ - I thanked her, of course, and said no. Feels like either borrowing or lending to friends is a bad idea. (If I had a friend who really, really needed the $, I would loan it to them, nonetheless - just like my friend was willing to lend to me.)

Yes...I want to know

I find her nieces response, but it seems agreed to the conditions and Ann wrote a warm response in return. Saying how she wants to get to know more about her, and maybe visit her when she gets the chance.

"Randians have no concept of unconditional love" Oh, fuck off. Ayn Rand was a wretch in so many ways but not buying your favorite myth was never one of them. Not you, nor anyone, has ever loved unconditionally. It's simply not a real thing. And you've given a fine example in 'family': You love them as such only _because_ they are your family.

@@grabble7605 For Rand, loving someone *just* because they happen to be related to you would be repulsive and contradictory to her entire philosophy. According to Oism, you can only love another person if they share values that are important to you. This is precisely why she tells her niece that she needs to “evaluate” her character to determine whether she is “her kind of person” and “deserving”of money. Notice she doesn’t just give her money from any sense of familial love or duty (another concept that was an anathema for Rand). She doesn’t just express this view in the letter to her niece. In “Atlas Shrugged”, the protagonist Dagny Taggart goes out of her way to say that she doesn’t love her ancestor Nat Taggart because she happens to be related to him but rather because of his *accomplishments*. In fact she almost wishes she wasn’t related to him so other people wouldn’t assume she loved him for that reason. Conversely, she hates her brother Jim Taggart and despises the fact she has to attend his wedding. This theme is also evident from Rand’s first novel, “We the Living” where the protagonist, Kira loathes her family - especially her imbecilic sister and can’t wait until she’s old enough to leave them. Of course I don’t believe you do have an obligation to love your family just because they’re your family or help them financially or otherwise if you are unable or if it’s better for them if you didn’t. This is especially true if they are particularly cruel or destructive. But unlike Rand, I think this is an exception - not a default. I think most people do love their families and would gladly help them if they could. But that’s because unlike Rand, I differentiate between unconditional and conditional types of love. I believe ideally you love your spouse conditionally (based on shared values and experiences) and then over time, that love deepens in to unconditional love. I think the reverse is true about your parents, siblings and especially your children. I think you begin by loving them unconditionally because (as you say, they’re *your* family - they belong to you). Initially, you know nothing about them! So it just isn’t possible to love them for their personalities, values or accomplishments. But as you get to know and understand them, you begin to appreciate their personalities, values, and accomplishments - that is , you now also love them conditionally (based on those things) as well as loving them unconditionally. The fact that you probably share the same genes, were raised believing certain values were important (or tried to raise your children to believe certain values are important) and as a family unit shared many of the same experiences increases the likelihood that you and your siblings or you and your kids will develop a fairly strong sense of conditional love for each other. But this may not always be the case. Every individual is unique and has free will. Your siblings and your kids may end up to be very different from you and it may rarely be the case that they have no interests, personality traits, values or accomplishments that you can love or admire. In that case, it isn’t possible to love them conditionally but it is still possible to love them unconditionally because they belong to you.

@@maryahhaidery7986 But she was apparently happy to receive what her family might "give" her - even if she rejected the idea of her giving anything "to" them.

Hi there, I have never heard about this... Where did you find this information?

I have noticed several disparaging remarks about Ayn Rand... Looks like I have some researching to do

@@bethnorris1361 This is a pretty funny overview that covers a lot in little time, though there is a clear bias. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/lZ6da8aCrpqol4E.html

Yeah, I also prefer Mia Rand over Ayn Rand.

@@bethnorris1361 Ayn Rand once defended a serial killer for his refusal to bow to the pressures of social conformity as the ideal of a model man. She was a terrible person with a philosophy grounded in greed and narcissism.

Oh, I could go on and on about Ms Rand... But I will tell you two things. 1) I was compelled to throw "Atlas Shrugged" across the room while I was reading it due to the sheer evil of its message. 2) Despite being embraced by the American right wing, she insisted that, instead of the tradition cross adorning her casket, they should place a dollar $ign on her remains-which they did, made out of rhinestones. >:(

I can't believe I'm actually defending Ayn Rand. What is happening to me?!?!

@@PhilosopherThom Don't know, have you gotten libertarian and selfish? Or did you just like the idea that a person wanted to share a bit of her wisdom (be it a bad one) and life with a family member, be it through her rules.

I agree. A lot of people don’t seem to understand that Ayn is a person who doesn’t suffer fools lightly. They’ve seemed to have interpret her blunt, straight forwardness as mean and callous. If she was trying to be mean, she wouldn’t have agreed to lend the money, & made sure her niece understood want it meant to do so. She ended the letter expressing her hope the her niece turns out to be the kind of person she likes and hopes that this will be the beginning of a great friendship. I couldn’t find her nieces response, but I did find Aynks response to her nieces answer in which she agreed to the conditions of the loan. Apparently her niece is the kind of person her Aunt likes, & this letter was devoid of the “coldness” of the first. I would say she is down right happy art the idea of getting to really know her niece, and even talks of maybe stopping by Cleveland in the near future, where her niece lives.

@@Casperace13 You can read more about this in the book 100 voices, a book with 100 interviews with people who knew, loved and hated Ayn Rand. Very fascinating book.

@@dusssss631 I'm thinking the second. because I do still believe that busses who lower themselves to the curb for wheelchair users are the most horrible thing to happen to society

That she paid for

@@kyronjames3947 I'm not a fan of Rand but you're right, she paid for it and she was entitled to it.

The russian qualities?

@@kyronjames3947 Probably under duress.

Miriam did a horrible job on this reading. She sounded nothing like Rand. She sounded like a mid-western grandma, not a Russian anti-communist novelist.

Ayn Rand was Russian. She had a Russian accent.

And she was broke

@@Thomas...191 Yes! And she received money from the state despite having railed against any sort of program involving the state/government providing for anyone! Talk about having to 'eat crow'!

@@andreaandrea6716 Do you even realize how ignorant you are on this subject. Ayn Rand earned millions of dollars in royalties in her lifetime. When she died, she left about One Million Dollars to an Institute bearing her name that teaches her philosophy to this day. She never received charity in her life. She paid for and received Social Security because she was forced to pay into the program, just like Warren Buffett, who receives a check for $3,254 every month from Social Security. Now it's YOUR turn to "eat crow". Maybe stop relying on others for propaganda and do some factual research before making a fool of yourself again.

"Ayn Rand"'s real name was Alisa Sinovjevna Rosenbaum. She was a deeply disturbed Russian immigrant. After she wrote this letter she applied for welfare. Like a true Libertarian her principles were for thee, not for me.

Rand lived on government entitlement programs in her later years. LOL.

Shame it's a myth!

@@HWingo Rand NEVER lived on any government entitlement programs...EVER. That lie has been debunked decades ago, yet morons still insist on repeating it. Rand earned millions of dollars in royalties from her books and movie rights. When she died in the 1980's she left about One Million Dollars to the Institute that still today bears her name. She certainly never needed any financial assistance. Like every American, she was forced to pay into Social Security against her will and received some of her money back in social security payments, just like Warren Buffett who gets a $3,254 Social Security check every month. Uninformed people love to tell false stories about Rand because her philosophy scares them. She didn't like mooches and parasites.

Yeah, I also prefer Mia Rand over Ayn Rand.

@@eaterdrinker000 Who's Mia?

My guess is the niece filed the letter for future reference and continued giving her aunt a wide berth.

No. The niece died in 2012.

“Just” the book? I don’t know if what you’re telling is true, but if it is and if the book was The Fountainhead or Atlas Shrugged, I’d say they got the better part of the deal.

Exactly!

Thank you! I was listening to this enthralled at her performance but also something in the back of my head going "...but wasn't she Russian?"

@vrubinst ...and your point is???

did she? will then she was frauding the system because she told her niece she was rich

Isn’t that exactly why they are stingy? 😂

She did not "rely on public assistance". She got Social Security, yes, but that's not 'welfare'. It was mandatory to pay into it so her philosophy would dictate she get something back out of it - which she did, through people she employed to handle her money. And "stingy"? When was the last time you gave a stranger $300 for something they didn't _need_ (like a party dress)?

Spare the rod , spoil the child.....she did it well

Or was she savvy using the system to not be a slave to society?

She was Russian.

Well not exactly Russian but sufficiently deep and gutteral I believe

She went with a very midwestern accent... not the worst choice for a Russian child who came of age in Hollywood.

@@greggiovanni1825 But not the best for someone who was already a young adult when she arrived in the US and never lost her foreign accent.

I sincerely hope you mean Miriam's book, not Alisa ("Ayn Rand") Rosenbaum's. Alisa Rosenbaum may be the world's worst writer, even worse than Dan Brown. Unless you like rape porn that is. Rape apparently turned her on. Seriously.

Spot on. The signs of emotional detachment and her lack of ability to understand that human interactions are more than just transactions ring the autism bell. And in her fiction there are indications she suffered severe emotional trauma, possibly sexual abuse at a young age. It's a sad story. No wonder she was odd.

Do have any evidence for the second paragraph? I think the "zero sum" idea is a big hit with the envious "tax the rich" crowd, and is promoted by the leftist politicians who want their votes. But capitalists know it's not true, and the influential capitalist economist Milton Friedman openly denounced it as a harmful myth.

What an absurd comment. Capitalism is anything BUT a zero-sum game. In true Capitalism, both parties to a voluntary transaction walk away with MORE value than before the transaction. Capitalism is the ONLY moral structure for society. Every other structure relies on FORCE imposed on innocent victims.

Calling Alisa "Ayn Rand" Rosenbaum's ramblings 'philosophy' is quite a stretch.

Your point is confused. That said, there aren’t different brands of capitalism and the essence of capitalism is win-win relationships via voluntary trade.

I didn't know that background. Thanks

@@georgielancaster1356 What background? He made it all up.

What about debtor's prison for rich people and corporations that don't pay taxes?

On the other hand, she could have just purchased the dress for her niece as a graduation gift.

Why miss the opportunity to show your niece your head is full of rocks

Honestly, if you give me $25 and I never have to speak with Ayn Rand again, that's a win-win. Purer than a Bronx Tale victory.

@@Sunshine-zm1fx she was asked to lend money, though. And since its a relative she didnt know and hadnt ever met, just lending the money is already more than I would have done. My response would have been "do I know you? And why would I lend you my money?"

@@Sunshine-zm1fxshe didnt know this niece though

Likely because she came to the US alone, leaving her family in Russia. I would have thought she had a Russian accent.

I think her niece didn't miss out on much.

@@marciawolhandler5718she did. i’m not sure why she read it in an American accent but she did good nonetheless.

And the accent was spot on too, wasn't it? Miriam really nailed those Russian intonations.

I agree, her political ideas are silly and the people who call her a philosopher have no idea what philosophy is. Have you read some of her books? I sincerely believe she must be among the five worst writers in history - even worse than Dan Brown and that's quite an accomplishment.

Even though she was a moocher herself? 'Principles are for thee, not for me' seems to have been her libertarian way of life.