 This fascinating program suggests that the publication of Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged impacted American culture in ways that the author never intended—most notably due to one very influential fan. The video traces a philosophical line of descent from Rand’s vision of “heroic individualism” to the Silicon Valley pioneers whom she greatly inspired, and who believed that her ideals might be realized through computer networks. Rand-follower Alan Greenspan later convinced the Clinton administration that digital technology could stabilize economies by automatically adjusting for risk, leading to the meltdown of financial markets worldwide. With economist Joseph Stiglitz, Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, and Pixar cofounder Loren Carpenter. A BBC Production. Part of the series All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace. (52 minutes)
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