Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers received backlash on social media after revealing he owned a book by author Ayn Rand.
During an appearance on ESPN's "Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli," Rodgers told the Manning brothers that he had Rand's famous novel "Atlas Shrugged" on his bookshelf.
Alexandra York explained Rand's philosophy in a recent Newsmax opinion column.
"To state the core of her philosophy succinctly, Rand’s 'objectivism' holds that no individual (or government) may initiate force against any other individual (or their property)," York wrote on Nov. 30, "and every individual has the right to think or do anything they wish as long as they do not infringe on the right of others to think or do anything they wish without infringing on the same right of others."
Rodgers on Tuesday was trending on Twitter, receiving a lot of backlash from progressives for saying he owned the Rand novel that promotes individualism, innovation, and hard work.
"Aaron Rodgers brags he has Ayn Rand's 'Atlas Shrugged' on his bookshelf. Explains everything," Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Marcus Hayes tweeted Monday night.
Manny Twitter users commented to Hayes' post.
"Being a grown adult person and proudly pointing to a copy of 'Atlas Shrugged' on your shelf is a bit like pointing to a toilet and telling people you can go by yourself now. Like: okay, great, but that's really something much younger people take pride in," Ken Tremendous tweeted.
"On his bookshelf' but did he read it? Similar misdirection as 'Yeah, I’m immunized.' Has anyone told him to ‘shut up and pass?'" Teri Blevins DiPerna tweeted.
"If Aaron Rogers couldn't throw a football, he'd be a night manager at Denny's. GMAFB," THEE Saxon Walker tweeted.
"This is what happens when you mix a Cal-Berkley student and CTE [chronic traumatic encephalopathy]...," Reverberocket tweeted.
"@AaronRodgers12 Rodgers brags about having Ayn Rand's 'Atlas Shrugged'. Somewhere @oliviamunn and @DanicaPatrick both say 'Bullet Dodged,'" tweeted realBob, referring to two of Rodgers’ ex-girlfriends.
Rodgers also had supporters on Twitter.
"I'm 3/4 of the way through Atlas Shrugged and so far the message I've taken away is: 'It's wrong to take the product of other people's time/effort by force.' Can someone explain to me how that is selfish? Seems like the opposite of selfish to me," BTCrhythm tweeted.
"Anyone who dismisses the importance of Atlas Shrugged either 1) Hasn't read it or 2) Is in the education industry," Damir Mandic tweeted.