Atlas is not going to shrug.
I remember reading Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged in the mid 1980′s. I had just turned 20 years old, and the logic seemed perfect and complete. The events and conclusion of the book gave me confidence, a feeling of security that the world 
could never get out of balance because the logic of capitalism would correct any inequity. A few years later when the movie Wall Street was released, I mentally defended Gordon Gecco as simply a capitalist trying to achieve productive commercial results.
How easy it was to be an self-centered 20-something yuppie in the 80′s. No need to be concerned about sustainability of anything, or the reality of human nature. Simply mold the world to fit your own individual wants and needs, and justify everything as capitalism.
As real-world examples of illogical mechanisms within society and commerce emerged, I kept waiting for Dagny Taggart to emerge. When the DOJ called Microsoft a monopoly and threatened anitrust litigation, I almost expected Bill Gates to disappear and a dollar sign ciggarette to be found in his office. Although busy with my own enterprises and life pursuits, I kept passing off the mounting fascism and socialism as simply a buildup to the backlash that was sure to come.
At some point, I started to realize flaws in Rands position. First, a philosophy built on the logic of financial capitalism presumes that humans are logical. Short-sighted greed and psychotic criminality skew the results of even business systems, so that “market forces” do not always resolve and regulate industry. At first, I figured that even this would be adjusted when consumers realized that some businesses were less than honorable, and flock in droves to competitors. Madoff and cable TV rates prove that the lack of due diligence exists at both ends of the consumer spectrum.
It is now apparent, that Atlas will never shrug. Entrepreneurs and business leaders will not have the motivation to revolt against oppressive regulation and sovereignty. Successful industries and businesses have too much to lose by bucking the system. An ultra-wealthy earner, taxed at even 80%, still keeps 20% of a large sum. Better than 50% of a much smaller sum. Industries which are in worse shape have even more incentive to accept restrictions and financial burdens: bailouts. In exchange for digesting restrictive regulation, and draconian supervision, dysfunctional companies are allowed to continue with government bailouts or buyout.
No, libertarians, you can stop waiting for the Rapture of the Shrug.
Even the battered dollar, on paper a worthless instrument, is not going to be replaced. Why not? According to even the most interested proponent of alternate currency, Russia, the prospect of replacing the dollar is “…would be extremely difficult and even impossible to launch…” That is the answer to why no serious insurrection to the dollar, nor any other flawed proposal from authority will never emerge; it’s too hard.
When we think of rebellions agains dictatorships, uprising against fascism, movement against socialism, or even our own revolution against the English Crown, it gives humans comfort to believe that official control could get out of hand, because citizens would rise up with pitchforks against any over-reaching regime. Glen Becks clever stage prop notwhithstanding, pitchforks and uprisings require despair. When the basic human needs of food, shelter, and daily comfort are ubiquitous in society, almost any other bridle is bearable.
When we think about George Washington freezing in the Pennsylvania woods with his troops over the winter, history frames this as a bold sacrifice to secure freedom. True, to be sure. The sacrifice is made an easier decision when the alternative was freezing and starving in your own home. The living conditions today are much less conducive to any uprising. I suspect that Joe Sixpack would endure M1A1 US Army tanks rolling down his street, so long as the noise did not drown out the playoff game. Sally SixPack would deal with inferior public government schools so long as the kids get some type of diploma, she has paid for health care.
Look, sarcasm aside, the bottom line is that citizens with creature comforts are not going to rock the boat. This has been proven with the likes of GM employees, bank executives, and air travellers. GM executives were scolded like children when they arived at congrressional hearings by private jet. Nevermind that this mode of transportation may have been the most efficient to get the execs down to DC, and back in the shortest time so they could attend to the more important business of saving their companies. For all of their wealth and presumed understanding of the law, not one of them dared reply with a fearless “Fuck You” to any congressman who questioned their business decision.
Reaction to the proposed $500,000 limit on executive pay came mainly from mainstream mediatainment reporters, rather than financial industry leaders. At the other end of the spectrum, flyers obediently endure the groping and inefficiency of airport security workers without much complaint. The Athenians explanation to the soon to be subjected Melians – “the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must” may be an apt metaphor.
In all cases, the reason is the same; humans with a comfortable life are unlikely to protest relatively minor inconveniences. Even though the transgressions technically encroach certain “unalienable rights”, who defines these rights as critical? Maybe we will discover that these rights were more important 200+ years ago, when that is all a person had. When humans have good food, a safe environment, and comfortable shelter, giving up a little liberty might not be as serious. The faces of people most vocal in their opposition to losing “rights” is getting less mainstream 
everyday. Even the popular comedy series South Park has latched onto the out-of-touch nature of some who complain about losing rights in this country. Fringe complainers are lampooned in this clip in the same way Scientologists, Transgenderism, and Mel Gibson have been roasted in other episodes.
In the meantime, copies of Atlas Shrugged are flying off the shelves. Instead of a manifesto for action to preparing libertarian freedom-fighters, perhaps this batch is a form of placebo, a fantasy-league playbook for people to pretend what they would do if they could. The Utopian world of Rand objectivism and romantic setting within John Galts secret society of producers would be perfect. But the current real world is not so bad yet for most people. Everyone knows who John Galt is, and it is the American citizen, and the silence is deafening.
I wonder if part of the reason people are buying Atlas Shrugged is to better know their enemy, Alan Greenspan.
Exactly, it almost could not be written any more relevant to what is happening today.