Like any extremist philosophy Rand's writings contain elements of truth. The problem is that they offer a philosophical fig leaf for the rich and powerful to fully exploit their situation in business and politics without regard to the negative effects they may have on the rest of society.

A successful civilisation needs to understand the limitations of both sides of the argument and take the best of both worlds.

*Quality

Boosting this quality contribution up in the Hot Listing - declared quality by Sagemind.

All I remember of these books is the character flying out of the closet while jerking off.

I've never read Rand, but today's forgotten word of the day seemed apropos...

Chrematistics: the science of wealth. From the Greek chremata, wealth. -John Ridpath's home reference library, 1898

In short-Aristotle established a difference between economics and chrematistics that would be foundational in medieval thought.[1] For Aristotle, the accumulation of money itself is an unnatural activity that dehumanizes those who practice it. Trade Exchanges, money for goods, and usury creates money from money, but do not produce useful goods.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrematistics

I imagine Rand was not a believer in chrematistics.

Already said everything I need to on Rand

Pretty sure you're thinking of Ragtime by EL Doctorow.
I read it in High School English and it's the only thing I remember about it too (apart from the title).

I hate hearing people try to sell me on the speech at the end of the Fountainhead.

It doesn't matter how you dress it up, we call people who blow up buildings terrorists.

A Karl Marx for rich people? Funny how if you extrapolate contrary ideas they converge.

I thought it was in the Fountain Head, but I'm so far removed from AP English at this point I am likely mistaken. All that means is that I found The Fountainhead to be completely unrelatable and boring to the point that I don't remember a damn thing about it. Kind of like Anna Karenina.
Nothing like early Russian politics and the rise of socialism to pique a high schoolers interest. I was more interested in when the next Dragonlance novel was due out.