Milton Friedman on Ayn Rand

The other day, I found my way to an interview with the late Professor Milton Friedman back in the 1990s (the interviewer, Brian Doherty, died recently). I think that Friedman had wise words on various matters, and I was particularly struck by his views of Ayn Rand (whom he never met): “As I always have said, she had an extremely good influence on all those who did not become Randians. But if they became Randians, they were hopeless.”

That makes sense. Atlas Shrugged dramatizes the results of government trying to take over everything and manage the economy. Some of Rand’s essays standing up for liberty are also memorable, and make cogent points. But you should not mistake her for the great philosopher she thought she was.

Or, as someone said after the 2008 election, “You can disagree with her philosophy, and you can say that her heroes aren’t realistic. But you have to say one thing for her: it has now become clear that her villains are pretty realistic.”

And now to work.

Bridged at Last

This afternoon, I went to the dental office, where the dentist and his assistant installed a permanent bridge in my left lower jaw. I hope that this proves permanent, and that my first bridge is also my last.

I remember that when I was a small child, my paternal grandfather, who was a couple of years older than I am now, had false teeth, and would sometimes take them out to show me. Thanks at least in part to improved dentistry, I have so far not needed false teeth to replace the natural-grown ones, and I hope that this remains the case. I may, however, still have more than three decades ahead of me, if I live to my grandfather’s exceptional age, so I may suffer considerable decay over such a span.