How do you conservatives carrying around your copies of Atlas Shrugged feel about the fact that Ayn Rand was an atheist, anti-Christian, and pro-choice? http://www.aynrand.org/site/PageServer?pagename=faq_index#obj_q5 so much for your "hero"
Not being a conservative (nor Libtard), perhaps I shouldn't respond... but I don't see those points as issues. America USED to be about FREEDOM... freedom to believe or not believe.
This country would be far better off if it were run by people like Ayn Rand and Ron Paul. Instead we've got to tolerate these political hacks that have no idea what they're doing. "Government "help" to business is just as disastrous as government persecution... the only way a government can be of service to national prosperity is by keeping its hands off. " -- Ayn Rand
Perhaps that were her redeeming feature. As for the rest of her "contribution," she was a lazy man's philosopher: no thinking required. Simple self-righteousness will suffice: it's all about you.
"Studied?" I don't know about "studied." But I read her magnum opus, Atlas Shrugged, and The Fountainhead. Tripe.
I would read "Atlas Shrugged" if I was locked up in solitary confinement, in a maximum security prison.