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The “Passion” of John Galt (or the end of Jim Taggart)

Atlas Shrugged – Day 102 – pp. 1140-1149

No it ain’t.

“Long coils of wire, like the twisted arms of an octopus, stretched forward across the stone floor, from the machine to a leather mattress spread under a cone of violent light. John Galt lay strapped to the mattress, He as naked; the small metal disks of electrodes at the ends of the wires were attached to his wrists, his shoulders, his hips and his ankles…”

Sounds like an impressive creation. Wonder where Dr F bought the kit for that?

They turn on the machine and hear the buzz from the generator and the amplified sound of John Galt’s heartbeat.

Now he makes a fairly ridiculous sounding demand of Galt.

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Project X – pt. 2

Atlas Shrugged – Day 076 – pp. 822-831

“Project X,” Dr. Ferris was saying, “was devoted to some special research in the field of sound. The science of sounds has astonishing aspects, which laymen would scarcely suspect… And it was discovered that there are certain frequencies of sound vibration which no structure, organic or inorganic can withstand.”

Oh man. Don’t like where this is going.

For effect, Rand describes the goats chained at the farmhouse and a baby kid goat — “barely a week old . . . bounding in a manner of deliberate, gaily ferocious awkwardness. . .”

Adorable. It’ll be too bad when something awful happens to it.

Dr F is describing how these sound waves are controlled and focused. And finally he re-christens Project X. . .

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Project X

Atlas Shrugged – Day 075 – pp. 812-821

But then again, maybe I judge too harshly. Self-interest is the thing that Rand is all about, and Galt is looking out for his interests. OK, maybe he’s not such a liar… Maybe.

Anyway, as they’re saying goodnight, Dagny bursts into a stream of Galt-worship that come dangerously close to blasphemy.

“…my love and my hope to reach you and my wish to be worthy of you on the day when i would stand before you face to face…”

Sounds like a wish of some sort of divine judgment.

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Beating yourself with the blackjack

Atlas Shrugged – Day 057 – pp. 559-568

To climb into Hank’s head for the moment, I’d guess that he thinks they have some evidence about his black market dealings or over-pouring Rearden Metal or something like that.

Dr F pulls a stack of copies out of his brief case. Hotel registries with the name of Mr. and Mrs. J. Smith. (I guess you didn’t need to be so creative back in those days.)

“You know, of course,” said Dr. Ferris softly, “but you might wish to see whether we know it, that Mrs, J. Smith is Miss Dagny Taggart.”

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The book of absolution

Atlas Shrugged – Day 035 – pp. 339-348

Part II – Either-Or.

(What the hell was Part I called? “Non-Contradiction.”  Uh Huh. . .)

Chapter I (we’re resetting the counter.) The Man Who Belonged on Earth. (?)

It’s the book.

We are in Dr Stadler’s office. He’s waiting for Dr. Ferris to arrive. He is distracted by the unusual chill in the air. But more so by the presence of that book on his desk.

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