Hero Worship in The Fountainhead

You probably didn’t expect this email from me. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ Friend, You probably didn’t expect this email from me. It’s not about a new film or a political beef… but something deeper: philosophy and literature. Like many of you, my wife Sam and I were deeply inspired by the novels of Ayn Rand, The Fountainhead, and Atlas Shrugged. Sam identified with the character of Dagny Taggart fending off “moochers and looters,” while I connected with Howard Roark’s pursuit of artistic integrity. It wasn’t until recently that I began to think of another one of Rand’s prophetic themes: her celebration of the masculine ideal — of strength, independence, and decisiveness as masculine virtues. Yet today, masculinity is under attack — and has been for decades. No wonder so many boys and young men are feeling alienated, confused, and anxious. First, we’re the butt of sitcom jokes. Eventually, the most masculine of us were considered “the bad guys.” Now, it seems like any form of masculinity is the "toxic" type. From the time these young men start attending school, they are lectured about their “male privilege” and inculcated with guilt as “oppressors,” even as they’re being marginalized and silenced themselves. What’s more, boys and girls alike are bombarded with messages in school and especially on social media about so-called “gender fluidity,” an ideological assault not just on masculinity and femininity but on the very concept of Objective Reality itself! If young people could discover the literature of Ayn Rand — and her distinctly masculine heroes like John Galt and Howard Roark — perhaps they’d be inspired, as I was, to embrace masculinity and heroism and cultivate the personal virtues of reason, integrity, independence, and pride in achievement. But here’s the rub: in the 1970s, 70% of young people were reading books every day for fun. Today, that percentage has plummeted to just 12%. How, then, to inspire young people to commit to reading a 1,000+ page novel?! That’s where The Atlas Society comes in. Sam and I were introduced to the work of The Atlas Society by its CEO, Jennifer Grossman (JAG). We became friends with JAG when Sam and I lived in Southern California — I met her when I had to rescue her from a flat tire (talk about masculine virtue!). Joking aside, we were brought together by our shared admiration for the literature of Ayn Rand — and since then, have been actively involved with the organization: with Sam emceeing their annual gala, appearing on panels, and joining in their weekly podcasts. What struck us about the approach of The Atlas Society was how they leverage art and technology to engage young people with Rand’s ideas — adapting her novels and screenplays into graphic novels, producing viral animated videos, hosting rollicking student conferences — that make philosophy fun and accessible. [I told Jennifer Anju Grossman (JAG), the CEO of The Atlas Society, that I would help them raise $30,000 this month. You can help them inspire young people to embrace their heroic nature by donating $10, $20, $50, or even $100 today.]( [Donate]( But I’ll tell you another reason Sam and I warmed to the work of The Atlas Society. It was an op-ed JAG published in The Wall Street Journal: “Can You Love God and Ayn Rand? As deeply devout Christians, we love Rand’s fierce defense of individualism and capitalism — but we part ways on the issue of faith. And for that reason, we appreciated the warm, and non-dogmatic attitude of The Atlas Society — welcoming religious and non-religious Ayn Rand fans alike. The Atlas Society’s programs have reached MILLIONS of young people through their events, graphic novels, and online content! Your generous donation will help them reach even more of the next generation with the virtues of reason, individualism, and achievement. Click any button to show your support. [Donate $10]( [Donate $35]( [Donate $50]( [Donate $100]( [Donate $250]( [Donate $500]( [Donate ANY Amount]( The literature of Ayn Rand can help young people not only discover a new respect for men and masculine values — but for MAN as a heroic being, with reason as his only absolute and productive achievement as his noblest activity. You can inspire the next generation to embrace their heroic nature by helping me raise $30,000 for The Atlas Society this month. [Please click here to donate $10, $20.24, $48, or any amount you can generously afford today >>]( [Donate]( God bless, Kevin Sorbo The Atlas Society is a 501(c)(3) Not For Profit Organization. All donations are tax-deductible. Patriot Values Defense PO Box 461 Fort Collins, CO 80522 [unsubscribe]( | [manage data preferences](