Timeline

One woman. One movement. One head. One destiny.

September, 1952: Later that year a small Objectivist study group in New York City is joined by a fanatical young drama critic (part-time) from the New York Times. His forceful personality and demands for support of Rand's ambition split the membership, most of whom are only there to discuss applying Objectivism to crossword-puzzle-solving or pet-counting. He forces an election for the leadership of the group; he loses mightily. After the dust settles, the young man takes those who have joined him and starts a radical Objectivist faction called "A=A", with him as its leader. Redundantly, he begins to style himself "The Leader".

The Leader decides that placing Rand's head in geosynchronous orbit is the next logical step in surpassing death. His decisions are based on what he insists are prophetic references to Rand found in an Aztec pyramid, portrayed in that month's National Geographic. At a hastily-called emergency meeting of A=A he announces his revelation, waving the magazine at them from an orange-crate podium. Over the weak protests of the Objectivist shock troops, he collects what little money they have with them so that he can have inspirational posters of the pyramid printed up for each of them.

Located in modern-day Chiapas, the identity of the woman portrayed in the head at the top of the pyramid -- a head made of solid gold, and weighing over seven tonnes -- has never been satisfactorily established by archaeologists. Despite The Leader's frantic enquries, however, most describe the idea that it depicts Rand as "stupid."