[cross-posted at Austro-Athenian Empire]

Tom Knapp’s remark yesterday that “[t]he big problem with [Ayn] Rand was that over time she made it a point to isolate herself from anyone and everyone who demonstrated the kind of character that might lead them to run up the bullshit flag on her when necessary” reminded me of a critical remark made about abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison by one of his contemporaries. I can’t remember the author or the exact wording and I haven’t been able to find it online (anyone out there recognise it? I believe I heard it quoted on a Knowledge Products tape, one of a batch that I unwisely lent to a friend years ago and never recovered), but it does an excellent job of summing up a dynamic that is evident not just with Garrison or Rand but with all too many other intellectual leaders. It went something like this:

“How to Create a Pope: Find someone in whom the habit of having been often correct in many things has prepared him to be convinced that he is always correct in all things, and bombard him with praise in these matters until you have succeeded in helping him so convince himself.”

On an unrelated note, I recently came across an autobiographical sketch of Rose Wilder Lane that I hadn’t seen before, apparently done as part of some 1930s WPA project.

Jesse Walker - 6/18/2007

Dan Quayle has a son named "Benjamin" and another son named "Tucker." I asked a former Quayle aide about this once, and he assured me it was just a coincidence. I'm eager to believe him.

David T. Beito - 6/17/2007

Ah.....that brings back memories of the 1970s.

David T. Beito - 6/17/2007

Yes, I have. Lane was quite a hard-core libertarian.....though her Vietnam writings are an unfortunate exception.

Roderick T. Long - 6/16/2007

Speaking whichly, have you seen this?

Roderick T. Long - 6/16/2007

Maybe it's short for Krugerrand. :-)

David T. Beito - 6/16/2007

I just found out that Ron Paul's son is named Rand Paul. Isn't that interesting????

David T. Beito - 6/16/2007

I never knew about the Lane profile. This will be helpful for an article I am writing.