"Doubtful that anyone has used her teachngs as a blueprint for their life."

On the contrary, pdq, I am acquainted with several people who attempt to do just that.

I had read Ayn Rand's works early on, and when I, a guitarist and singer of folk songs, was attending the U. of Washington School of Music and encountering comments from some fellow students and even a couple of faculty members such as "When are you going to give up this cowboy music and get serious?" I found the image of Howard Roark in The Fountainhead to be very encouraging and supportive.

But later, I read Atlas Shrugged when it came out, and met a lot of other people were also. I wound up taking a course of lectures from Nathaniel Brandon, a disciple of Ayn Rand's, on "Objectivism," the philosophy—complete with political and economic implications—of Ayn Rand. I also read her non-fiction, such as Capitalism, the Unknown Ideal and The Virtue of Selfishness (!!) along with a group of other people who were taking the same course.

It was reading the two non-fiction books that cured me of my illusions about Ayn Rand and her beliefs.

I grew up fast!

But most of the others DID NOT. And they're still out there!

There are, indeed, people who try to use Ayn Rand's teachings as a blueprint for their lives.

It is said that Paul Ryan "distanced" himself from the philosophy of Ayn Rand. He repudiates her atheism, which would alienate him from many conservative voters in this country—and raises the question: did he really? Or is he saying that because it's politically expedient?.

BUT—he still embraces her economics and politics.

If people who harbor these beliefs get elected to important national office, something akin to fascism, or the feudal system, or a combination of the two will not be far behind!

Don Firth