Please enjoy this endless stream of Atlas Shrugged fans cosplaying as "John Galt"
“Who is John Galt?” is a line that appears numerous times throughout Ayn Rand’s 1957 magnum opus Atlas Shrugged. The semi-rhetorical question refers to a mysterious character who is essentially the physical embodiment of Rand’s anti-regulation, pro-self-interest philosophy and it’s become somewhat of a calling card for Rand-heads over the years. That’s why, when the first part of the Atlas Shrugged trilogy adaptation was set to hit theaters, producers called on fans of the novel to record themselves declaring, in Spartacus-like fashion, “I am John Galt.” These clips would later be compiled into what film historians will one day call, “The most embarrassing DVD extra of all time.”
Luckily, we don’t have to run out and buy a copy of Atlas Shrugged on Blu-Ray to experience this cringe-fest. Twitter user @NoChorus spent the weekend reposting every single clip they were smart enough to rip off YouTube back in the day. Each confessional is uniquely weird and yet they are all perfect representations of hyper-libertarian Ayn Rand worshippers.
Want to see more? You’re in luck! There seems to be no end to this parade of “people you would hate to sit next to at the DMV,” and @NoChorus has got them all.
Or, if you’d rather go straight to the embarrassing source, here’s the actual DVD special feature from the 2011 film Atlas Shrugged with an equally dorky and poorly shot intro from the film’s online marketing director.
There are plenty of valid criticisms that can be thrown at Rand’s Objectivist philosophy, but these videos highlight an incredibly important one: If you’re going to build your life around morally justified egoism and put your own personal gain above the welfare of others, there won’t be anyone around to tell you how dumb you look talking into your shaky camcorder on your lunch break.
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