![]() ![]() Ryan wasted no time in contacting like-minded individuals and marshaling his resources into realizing his vision. When the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki ended the Second World War, and the USSR was on its own path to nuclear weapons, Ryan foresaw the inevitable destruction of humanity in a war ending in nuclear fire. He explored the idea of a closed-off society, of collecting achievers and those who believed in the empowering of the individual and allowing them to flourish in some remote location uncontaminated by the rest of the world. He had come to view workers' unions, left-wing collectivists, politicians selling altruism, and organized religion as Parasites ruining man's life on Earth. He had escaped Belarus just before it became a part of the Soviet Union under the rule of Communism and had worked his way to become an industrial mogul in America. Ryan had begun contemplating such a place at least a decade before a viable location was chosen. Rapture began as a dream of Andrew Ryan's long before its construction. Andrew Ryan's hostility and growing paranoia towards "Parasites", and others he suspected of undermining his vision kicked into motion a chain of events that would ultimately lead to his downfall and that of his city. This system alienated Rapture's less fortunate citizens, who, as their situation deteriorated, began to resent Ryan's society as cold-hearted and elitist. This allowed many industries to flourish at first, but also led to unscrupulous, dangerous business practices. With no restrictions on businesses and labor, there was nothing but competition and customer's choice. Even police and fire departments were subscription-based private companies such as Poppadopolis Police Department and Fontaine Fire Fighters. This included the city's food, healthcare, sanitation, and even its oxygen supply. In Rapture's purely capitalistic society, there were no public services everything within the city was privately owned and hence came at a price. Instead of abiding by the traditions and moral systems imposed by those institutions, values such as ambition, scientific reason, and free thought were to guide the inhabitants in their pursuit of achievement. The "world’s best and brightest" would be granted freedom of will and choice in Rapture, unrestrained by government, religion and other such established institutions. The original goal of Rapture was to create a laissez-faire society free of religious and government interference of any kind, where any citizen could prosper for their own gain, without being hindered by the needs of others. It differs from a commune in that it is uniquely freedom-focused and so upholds individual and property rights, but does not operate by the rules of a collective community. In terms of its philosophical underpinnings, Rapture can best be described as a "gulch", (a term derived from Galt's Gulch in the Ayn Rand novel Atlas Shrugged), which is a localized underground economic and social community of free-minded individuals. Main article: Society in RaptureĪndrew Ryan named his city after the goal he set in mind: to create a paradise free from the influence of those he deemed "Parasites" a place of true rapture. It is located within the northern Atlantic Ocean at 63° 2' N, 29° 55' W, approximately 433 kilometers west of Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland.Ī memorial replica of Rapture's foundation on November 5th, 1946. It was first established on November 5, 1946, and construction of the city itself finished in late 1951. Rapture (also known as the North Atlantic Project and the Rapture Colony) is a massive underwater city forged from the personal dreams of Andrew Ryan to escape from the political, social and religious constraints of a post-World War II world. And with the sweat of your brow, Rapture can become your city as well.” ― Andrew Ryan Where the great would not be constrained by the small. Where the scientist would not be bound by petty morality. A city where the artist would not fear the censor. Is a man not entitled to the sweat of his brow? 'No,' says the man in Washington, 'it belongs to the poor.' 'No,' says the man in the Vatican, 'it belongs to God.' 'No,' says the man in Moscow, 'it belongs to everyone.' I rejected those answers. ![]() “ I am Andrew Ryan, and I am here to ask you a question. ![]()
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