Comments on: What Makes Sammy Run?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 19:53:57 +0000

Ryan,

I noticed you said you’re an idealist. May I suggest Max Barry’s three books, Syrup, Company, and Jennifer Government. They take PR/Advertising>Marketing ideas to the extreme. Thought provoking books presented in a light and wildly entertaining fashion. Not idealist propaganda, but I’d like to know your thoughts on them. Thanks

Travis_Knight@hotmail.com

By: corkhead32

corkhead32 — Tue, 08 May 2007 06:00:03 +0000

I would start with the Fountainhead if you want to read Ayn Rand. I picked it up after hearing an interview with Mark Cuban where he said he’s read it something like 7 times, and it’s become one of my favorite books. I’m actually suprised you haven’t read it, since Rand sends the a lot of same messages that you write about here. Her philosophical preachings can get a little overwhelming at times (especially in Atlas Shrugged), but Fountain is an beautifully written and is a must-read regardless of how whether you can completely apply “Objectivism” is as a life philosophy.

By: Joplin

Joplin — Fri, 04 May 2007 11:13:09 +0000

Haven’t read the book but Sammy Glick sounds like a “simple” combo of NPD + workaholism. He was cruel, arrogant, power hungry, manipulative, aloof, and driven, right?

And Gatsby was kind and hopeful–but also naive, phony, and scheming.

I don’t really think Glick and Gatsby are polar opposites as you seem to suggest. First of all, they inhabit the same class. They are both members of “the accomplished.” And even within that class they weren’t opposite. Gatsby was pretentious, he was a criminal, and he also tried to steal another man’s woman. Not too virtuous. And I’m betting Glick was, or at least had the potential, to be all of those things as well. So the two have quite a few similarities.

Anyway, you can still avoid becoming either Glick or Gatsby, just by becoming yourself. Does it matter that Glick and Gatsby are accomplished, and you want to be accomplished too? Not at all, because the reasons behind your decision fundamentally differ from theirs.

By: Ryan Holiday

Ryan Holiday — Thu, 03 May 2007 15:29:36 +0000

Mike,

Have you read The Virtue of Selfishness? I have it on my shelf but never picked it up. Is it worth reading?

By: Mike Wallenstein

Mike Wallenstein — Wed, 02 May 2007 20:53:23 +0000

This reminds me of The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand, which I’m sure you’ve probably either heard about or already read. If not, get on it. The way she plays the different characters, giving each of them a very distinct theme to represent, intertwines and conflicts them, is genius. And from the sounds of it, the same themes that make up Sammy’s character are the ones she instead divides between each of her main characters.

I read it when I was 17 and it hit me like a brick — not as something new, but as confirmation on everything I had already known but hadn’t been able to figure out yet. Which is what the best books do.

It took me three years to soak in the themes, think about them and live by them and explore them in my own ways, until at 20 when I re-read the book, finding my refined interpretations of it even closer to Rand’s intended message.

For those years I barely read anything, not wanting to distract myself and conscious of the fact that I was taking those years to sort it out. Re-reading it three years later wasn’t something I did on a whim; it was something I was working towards the entire time.

It took me three years to read The Fountainhead, and I’m sure in a lot of ways I’m still going to be reading it. It’s been the launching pad of everything about myself that I’m proud of. It’s “that book” for me.

And hey, if nothing else I know you’re not going to let such a good example of your latest inspirations go unread.

By: Ryan Holiday

Ryan Holiday — Tue, 01 May 2007 19:14:58 +0000

Pieter, you don’t leave your email address? What are you thinking?

And what are you doing in Paris? I thought you’d died or that Hyde Park had gotten to you. What have you been doing man? How’s the music thing?

By: pieter hilton

pieter hilton — Tue, 01 May 2007 17:10:43 +0000

holiday what the fuck… this super trips me out… this girl i met in paris who lives in barcelona tells me to read devilmonkey.net and after a few days of going through white dwarf i notice a link with your name on it… weird.

k that’s it, nice to see you’re doin well with yourself

-pieter (giant)