Back again this week with another chapter review of Atlas Shrugged. I am actually way ahead, so I have slowed down a little this week so we can read along together.

This chapter starts with a business meeting about a cabal of industrialist talking about forming a new trade group so that no monopoly occurs. Another way of looking at things is that they are really dividing up regions to conserve the strength and revenue where it already is. Not only will there be no monopolies but there will also be no new competitors.

Speaking of monopolies, I think we subject to the same set of propaganda when we were in school: Monopolies are bad, Teddy Roosevelt and the ‘trust busters’ and all that. In my personal opinion, there was possibly a time and place for that kind of thinking but today, unlikely. My line of thinking is that any product or service will eventually fail unless they maintain being the best (as long as acting legal/ethical).

Another point that come to mind around monopolies is guess where the true, legal monopolies exist? Why the government of course. Who permits the one garbage company or the one electrical choice? I remember distinctly a teacher espousing how this was a modern miracle all of this order and control. I don’t have a lot to say about my particular providers but without competition there is a high risk the service is what the service is. Hopefully good.

Also in this chapter, I think that we have gotten to the first theme that people in the freedom/survival/conspiracy genre peak interest. “The only justification of private property is public service” – Orren Boyle Railroad Industrialist. The elitist are expressing their true colors. That sounds pretty temporal doesn’t it?

This chapter is broken into two sections. The second half describes Dabny Taggert, the vice president of operations for the Taggert Transcontinental Railroad. From what I gather she is a woman in a man’s world. It appears that she is pretty competent as Rand contrast to her brother James. The truth is I don’t know where this story line is going yet but it certainly there is a strong sentiment for women’s equality and/or some statement about the best person for the job.

End Your Programming Routine: I am getting into the book now. Sometimes when books are so long, I sort of dread getting started because of the commitment. Since I am trying to keep my reading pace with my writing, it makes it a little less intimidating to start (as long as I stay ahead). From the looks of things, this book is going to fit onto the reading list as it is hitting the right themes and targets.