Feline Musings

Peer pressure and the fact that I called myself an avid reader, with a penchant for philosophical reading, made it imperative for me that I read the much-acclaimed book, “The Fountainhead” by Ayn Rand.

Most people I met had already read it (or claimed that they had read it back-to-back and were thoroughly inspired by it). Surprisingly, even people who didn’t have much time or inclination to read for leisure, swore by the deep impact the book had in their lives. It amazed me initially that how a book could be so potent as to inspire the not-so-regular-book-lovers to fancy the intent and content of The Fountainhead. And slowly, I was inspired to get my own copy! Inspired by peer pressure, not so much by gut-instinct or a relentless “I-must-read-it” feeling, which most of my proudly-in-possession-of books have stirred in me!

My gut-instinct got it absolutely right. Nothing in the book struck a personal chord with me; except for may be the dedication and passion that the protagonist feels towards his work. The passion was inspirational; the idealism was downright “unworldly”. I guess most readers mixed up the two words – idealism and philosophy. Philosophy need not be idealistic, it can be very practical and down-to-earth, ethical but not moralistic, and it can be a way of life and thought but not benumbing enough to alienate philosophical people from the common man’s world.

Karl Marx had a philosophy, even Rumi and Kahlil Gibran professed a spiritual philosophy, and our Bollywood film-makers have a philosophy, which need not translate itself into idealistic self-glorification. In most cases an idealism that goes overboard can spell disaster in the social context. A closer to home example, can be the philosophy of Satyajit Ray who gave us real-life flicks meant for the common man. In contrast we have Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s psychedelic view of an idealistic world that has oft incurred the critics’ wrath. Then, why as common people are we so intent on loving and trying to live the ideology of what I call, “a-social-recluse” like Howard Roark.

Coming back to “The Fountainhead”, I could never complete the book. The soliloquy at the end of the book really got on my nerves and I put the book down. I was too perturbed by my reaction towards one of the world’s best selling author’s work. I self-doubted my intelligence. The world was going gaga over Ayn Rand. I was irritated by “her philosophy”. Something was really wrong with the intellectual lobe of my brain!!

I lived with this self-inflicted fear for quite some time, and then lo behold, I come across this article by Ranjona Banerji that is aptly titled: “Shrugging off the Fountainhead”. Thanks to this article I realized that I was not alone in my misgivings about the “philosophical idealism” of Ayn Rand. As Banerji puts it. “Rand fans of course belong to another world. Where ultra-rational beings have rectangular eyes and lot of money to make sure they get their way.”

For my part, I am glad to be a part of the world, where a debate on the depleting Ozone layer has greater imperative than contemplating on life’s mysteries while standing naked on a cliff.

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