• • • Ayn Rand's 'Atlas Shrugged' is radical tip of wide range of political thought 
John Petkovic, Plain Dealer (Cleveland) Alan Greenspan  |Atheism  |Atlas Shrugged movie  |Atlas Shrugged  |Capitalism  |Celebrity Admirers  |Egoism  |Paul Ryan  |Personal life  |Image  |Video  | “I grew up reading Ayn Rand, and it taught me quite a bit about who I am and what my value systems are and what my beliefs are,” said [Paul] Ryan in a 2005 speech before the Atlas Society, a group of Rand followers. “It’s inspired me so much that it’s required reading in my office for all my interns and my staff.” More recently, Ryan has disavowed Rand because of her atheism, her belief in the “virtue of selfishness” and her contention that social-welfare programs are part of government tyranny. Therein lies the problem with Rand, says Mindy J. Peden, associate professor of political science at John Carroll University. “She’s more of a pop-culture figure than an important thinker,” says Peden. “Her idea that all of society benefits from individual greed is basically a justification for greedy behavior.”   Published: 2012-10-20