Ayn Rand: The Fountainhead (The Fountainhead) I hereby apply for a long time back with a new, long-overdue review.
Ayn Rand says in her 1943 first novel, the story of the gifted architect Howard Roark, the - all the snide prophecies of doom his alone dusty tradition prescribing guild defiance - steadfastly uncompromising and unconditional approval for the genuine vision of the autonomous work of art demands. All sorts of insults and humiliations, even the most taciturn and reserved loner takes it approvingly accepted. For ridiculed rather than their traditional Daring him unfit for the ordinary architecture operation and as incompatible with the most antiquated flavor of the paying customers found to carry its innovative and as grandiose designs the creative students eventually not only a non-voluntary deregistration one of his institute, but also prove to be followed during its search for a modest living over again as annoying stumbling block, take invoke walk to, so that Roark, tenacity, which is in contrast to his spoiled by success opponent Peter Keating willing under any circumstances, to respect engage his creative ideals in semi-Silk arrangements From the existential to sometimes just barely able to escape. But iron determination, perseverance and self discipline are paying according to various setbacks, intrigue and turmoil, after all pending and Roark, whose brilliant individual style to establish itself gradually against many odds and admirers began to find lends itself to long last, the opportunity a new era, freed from conventional constraints of creativity and artistic identity for himself and his herald, the - a final triumph, culminating finally in the construction of a monumental skyscraper Roarkschen character.
What at first reads like a wortgewaltige, herzzerreißende Mär über Idealismus, unbedarfte Schöngeisterei und unschuldiges, von verbohrten Krämerseelen zu Unrecht in seine Schranken verwiesenes Künstlertum, entpuppt sich bei genauerem Hinschauen als aufdringlich programmatische Lehrdichtung zugunsten der von Rand selbst präferierten Ideologie des sogenannten Objektivismus, einer zur systematischen und umfassenden Philosophie ausgebauten Variante des Radikalkapitalismus.
Sicherlich, die Autorin beherrscht ihr Handwerk durchaus. Die unterschiedlichen, sehr originellen Charaktere, die die Welt von
The Fountainhead bevölkern, wurden zweifellos mit einer beeindruckenden Liebe zum Detail modelliert, gleichwie Rands kraftvolle Prosa durch ungewöhnliche Geschmeidig- und Eingängigkeit besticht, wie sie bloß selten begegnet; - dennoch stellt sich nach einiger Zeit unweigerlich der erste, große Lesefrust ein (zumindest mir persönlich erging es so). Etwas stimmt nicht mit den vermeintlich so facettenreichen Charakteren. Enttäuschung macht sich schleichend breit, sobald einem peu à peu dämmert, dass der vielgelobte, literarische Geheimtipp von Anfang an, obschon er diesen Makel lange Zeit gekonnt zu verschleiern weiß, letztlich doch nur mit eindimensionalen Schwarz-Weiß-Stereotypen operiert, die offenbar für ganz banale, weltanschauliche Propaganda-Zwecke instrumentalisiert werden. Intermediäre Grauzonen sucht man vergeblich. Es gibt lediglich den self-centered, relentless and strong-willed About Human Roark, who is not in itself no one owes anything, on the one hand, and faced a variety effeminate, servile, and therefore disgusting creatures in human form on the other hand, because of their mutual dependencies too are easily corruptible. Rand's novel celebrates and presents here an anti-social and sensitive inhibited although gifted-creep who can not feel love or pity, as the Messiah of individualism. Really that's not scandalous, but annoying, inappropriate, pathetic and especially paradoxical. After appearing as it may, it seems only Mrs. Rand decide who has the appropriate skills that qualify to be allowed, what kind of human qualities because should now be included in the canon of individualistic virtues and what not, - an arbitrary and prescriptive practice, the open concept and idea of individualism nipped in the bud and ad absurdum. The
is much too simple equation: genius + + reckless indifference to other people = individualist. The trivial possibility that one can go even in the spirit of individualism, his own way, if you are not constantly malochen, socially incompetent people enemy alone for his work burns and himself can endure only in the role of a creative production machine of the same, takes the edge out of the question (and not the reverse of the possible existence of compliant, carrier, not the approach of individualistic spirit animated egoists). There are only selfish, independent reviews of foreign individuals or altruistic assessed, coquettish conformists, sycophants and toadies, eke out a morally reprehensible, parasitic existence. This rigid and, above all massive normatively charged coupling of various attributes of personality is preserved unmodified throughout the whole novel through and eventually comes in long Roark Defense monologue in court again for supporting (Roark's designs for a social housing project could not previously be implemented in its original form and in accordance with the agreed conditions, after which the site Roark summarily blown off.). Nietzscheanism inspired by the conflicting theories on this one or the other neo-liberal myth and enter into a highly adventurous liaison. A rogue who begins to harbor negative associations with words like these:
"Men have been taught that their first concern is to relieve the suffering of others. But suffering is a disease. Should one come upon it, one tries to give relief and assistance. To make that the highest test of virtue is to make Suffering the most important part of life. Then you must wish to see others suffer - in order that he may be virtuous. Such is the nature of altruism. The creator is not concerned with disease, but with life. Yet the work of creators has eliminated one form of disease after another, in one's body and spirit, and brought more relief from suffering than any altruist could ever conceive. " Such statements are evidence at best of an illegal shortage and the denigration of what man in the holistic sense, not from genuine understanding of a free-spirited individualism '. Certainly it is, the person, even those larger than life creator and demiurge in the service of one's cause, the edge by means of her novel such an awesome monument is, - but at the same time he is also so much more: dreamer, dreamer, lover, patron, friend, admirer, benefactors and yes, at certain times also weakling and vanquished, the reason has his right to life has not yet forfeited. discovered
edge that suggests, as the title of her novel-the source of greatest joy and strength to have pretending to see, that the only true and eternal source can be found only in the abundance and diversity of life, but not in the form of a obsessive, single track and the fierce devotion to the habitus of hardening personal transcendence in our own factory, which of course makes even an important and fundamental part of our own existence, but still only, albeit important, aspect maintained. Variety and diversity to their respective individual components should ideally keep the balance is the magic formula, not one-sided insistence on a single component of human essentiality.
Undeniably, the individual is a delicate Pflänzlein which-is always beset on all sides, absolutely worthy of protection, just as the demand for absolute selflessness for the good of the collective over the course of history took sometimes actually escalating forms, which are not cheap. It is not wrong to be how after all this is to create a healthy and narcissism of the day, as it is in no way reprehensible and, consequently his own way, even if one is consequently forced to individuals and upsetting to have to offend. Against this background, bold edge, which tends to over-subscription may vehemently understandable and comprehensible. Nevertheless, all this does not legitimize those represented by the edge, fundamental questioning and rejection of any social or charitable achievement. To excess-driven self-assertion is at least as harmful as excessive exercised self-sacrifice. It does differ from case to case basis. Some people are it is more valuable than others, that she is letting on and come to terms with them. Edge and thus also their hero Roark differentiate in this area is not. Your individualism invariably claimed universal validity and continuous and does not allow any deviation. What remains is a totalitarian flavor.
Conclusion: a literary ideal and quite impressive epic, but the content fails way too biased.
for storytelling and eloquence I forgive, therefore, 4 stars, however, there are point deductions for the basic ideology-heavy tone of the novel, which is so loud and in your face "to the fore urges that it is unfortunately extremely difficult, indulgent to disregard the fact.
As a result, only 2.5 out of 5 stars.
Teresa Maienschein
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