Moments of Victory (Monica Rodriguez)

Unlike last week, which unfortunately lead to one of my more emotional charged rants, I actually enjoyed this week’s reading. Now, my enjoyment may be partially influenced by some excitement at the prospect of my Sundays no longer being held captive by atlas in the near future, however I do not think that is the only reason why I was smiling to myself while reading this week. I was smiling because I once again am a fan of the industrialist and Dagny, for the most part.

 This week’s reading reminded me of the industrialist’s incredible way of completely derailing (pun not intended) the plans of the looters. The looters always seem to think that they are in control, though they know that they depend on the industrialist because the industrialist are the ones who know how produce at a rate that is necessary for the survival of the economy.  They believe that through politics and social bashing they can exert control over the industrialists much in the same way that they exert control over each other. However, what they fail to realize is that the industrialists have different priorities then they do. The industrialists simply do not care about society’s opinion of them, and because of that they are free to fight back against the looters with a simple weapon, the truth. These moments of pure victory are my favorite parts of the novel and make up for all of the contradictions that the characters exhibit.

We first witness one of those moments when Dagny holds her press conference, some 600 pages ago, where she expresses her total belief in Rearden metal and proves it by participating in the first ride of on track made of it. The looters, who trashed the metal by calling “unstable” and irresponsible to use, are made to look like fools and are forced to try harder to control Rearden by making him the guest of honor at one of their events. Later in the novel we witness Rearden completely destroying the plans of the looters during his trial, where he refuses to give into them and their blackmail by giving them their metal or expressing some sort of remorse. He just tells the truth and in doing so, calls their bluff, leaving those running his trial unable to really punish him. Those moments left me elated with the triumph of the “good guy” but this week’s moment of conquest as completely redeemed Dagny on my eyes and I doubt I will ever be able to dislike her again. All she did was tell the truth, but in doing so she validated the notion that she is the “good guy” (if that wasn’t painfully obvious already) because she is above blackmail. She triumphs over Lillian, who walks into her office so confidently and losses that confidence with every word that Dagny does not say, and looters who cut her off to late during her appearance.