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Rearden metal???
- Thread starter Drover
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R.A.T.
Randall's Adventure & Training
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From http://www.conservapedia.com/Henry_Rearden
Rearden Metal
Henry Rearden did all his work in the business of making steel. He learned the steel business by working for other steel-making companies. When he eventually decided to run his steel mill, he also decided to have his own small companies to supply him with the iron ore and coal required to make steel.
But he was not satisfied with the properties of steel as a metal, and always believed that he could create an alloy superior to conventional steel. The novel never makes clear what caused him to experiment with alloys of copper and iron, but he might have gotten the idea from studying the properties of bronze, the alloy of copper and tin that had been known since antiquity. Rearden sought, in essence, to use iron instead of tin in combination with copper, and was convinced that that combination would be stronger than steel, yet much lighter.
His true motive for finding an alloy stronger and lighter than steel was to create a new type of bridge. He invented a new type of truss that he knew would require a new metal to build. (He would later discard that design in favor of a truss-arch combination.)
His experiments occupied many years and included many false starts. But at last he had the alloy that he sought. He called this alloy Rearden Metal.
Rearden Metal
Henry Rearden did all his work in the business of making steel. He learned the steel business by working for other steel-making companies. When he eventually decided to run his steel mill, he also decided to have his own small companies to supply him with the iron ore and coal required to make steel.
But he was not satisfied with the properties of steel as a metal, and always believed that he could create an alloy superior to conventional steel. The novel never makes clear what caused him to experiment with alloys of copper and iron, but he might have gotten the idea from studying the properties of bronze, the alloy of copper and tin that had been known since antiquity. Rearden sought, in essence, to use iron instead of tin in combination with copper, and was convinced that that combination would be stronger than steel, yet much lighter.
His true motive for finding an alloy stronger and lighter than steel was to create a new type of bridge. He invented a new type of truss that he knew would require a new metal to build. (He would later discard that design in favor of a truss-arch combination.)
His experiments occupied many years and included many false starts. But at last he had the alloy that he sought. He called this alloy Rearden Metal.
My ABSOLUTE favorite book of all time. I read it any time I find myself in a slump or unmotivated.
I was lucky enough to find in a used bookstore and original first edition (twelfth printing however) of the book. I have 2-3 copies that get loaned out in rotation because people always say "ohh i want to read that some day".
Only book of hers I haven't read is "we the living"
I don't know R.A.T....from your posts it just seems like you're more of a rearden guy - just saying that some of what you've posted don't line up with Francisco's view of money (ala money speech). Granted you have to take that as an aside because of what he was (purposefully) doing to his business throughout the novel where rearden always made the right calls for his customers because for the majority of the story he was none-the-wiser to what galt was doing.
I was lucky enough to find in a used bookstore and original first edition (twelfth printing however) of the book. I have 2-3 copies that get loaned out in rotation because people always say "ohh i want to read that some day".
Only book of hers I haven't read is "we the living"
I don't know R.A.T....from your posts it just seems like you're more of a rearden guy - just saying that some of what you've posted don't line up with Francisco's view of money (ala money speech). Granted you have to take that as an aside because of what he was (purposefully) doing to his business throughout the novel where rearden always made the right calls for his customers because for the majority of the story he was none-the-wiser to what galt was doing.
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I think that she had thought about it too much. Certain concepts, especially in the East (philosphically) don't or shouldn't be explained too much. She did a great job in the Fountainhead but in AS she ran into an expanatory brickwall. I like the AS characters but Roark will always be my literary hero!!!!!
TC
TC
I think it depends on the order you read them in too. I read Atlas shrugged first and preferred it over the fountainhead, which seemed to take forever to make a point (but I guess that's because I already knew a little about AS before going into it).
Anthem was a nice quick read, and I'm hoping to grab we the living soon.
Roark always struck me as an odd character to Rand's own philosophies because of what he did towards the end of the novel with the building before the trial. Then again that was when she was still writing fiction and hadnt yet switched to solely writing philosophy.
Anthem was a nice quick read, and I'm hoping to grab we the living soon.
Roark always struck me as an odd character to Rand's own philosophies because of what he did towards the end of the novel with the building before the trial. Then again that was when she was still writing fiction and hadnt yet switched to solely writing philosophy.
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I just purchased a used copy of Atlas Shrugged. I should get to it by the weekend. I'm just finishing up William Gibson's Pattern Recognition.
But it went against Rand's (later stated) views of private property and ownership. I interpret that as "It's just a story" and moved on, I just found the contradiction to be odd, though maybe one of my premises is incorrect
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Oops, what have I done!
Why Jeff because Fracisco was out chasing tail (or having it chase him since he was rich) and Ragnar was out pirating and sinking ships?
Sounds right up you alley!
R.A.T.
Randall's Adventure & Training
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2004
- Messages
- 10,400
Rand's own life was a contradiction to her philosophy in many ways. I don't take anything (and I do mean anything) as being the only truth or way to live. My philosophy comes from a multitude of sources and other philosophies.
Francisco was the man though. He was out chasing crazy chiks and scheming in the background to take the whole world down! Ragnar didn't have to scheme. He just took your shit at gun point and moved on. Gotta respect that.
Francisco was the man though. He was out chasing crazy chiks and scheming in the background to take the whole world down! Ragnar didn't have to scheme. He just took your shit at gun point and moved on. Gotta respect that.