Атлант расправил плечи

           Sincewehavethejudgmenttoact,wewillnotbepermittedanactionofourchoice.Wewillworkunderdirectivesandcontrols,issuedbythosewhoareincapableofworking.Theywilldisposeofourenergy,becausetheyhavenonetooffer,andofourproduct,becausetheycan’tproduce.Doyousaythatthisisimpossible,thatitcannotbemadetowork?Theyknowit,butitisyouwhodon’t—andtheyarecountingonyounottoknowit.Theyarecountingonyoutogoon,toworktothelimitoftheinhumanandtofeedthemwhileyoulast—andwhenyoucollapse,therewillbeanothervictimstartingoutandfeedingthem,whilestrugglingtosurvive—andthespanofeachsucceedingvictimwillbeshorter,andwhileyou’lldietoleavethemarailroad,yourlastdescendant-in-spiritwilldietoleavethemaloafofbread.

           Thisdoesnotworrythelootersofthemoment.Theirplan—likealltheplansofalltheroyallootersofthepast—isonlythatthelootshalllasttheirlifetime.Ithasalwayslastedbefore,becauseinonegenerationtheycouldnotrunoutofvictims.Butthistime—itwillnotlast.Thevictimsareonstrike.Weareonstrikeagainstmartyrdom—andagainstthemoralcodethatdemandsit.Weareonstrikeagainstthosewhobelievethatonemanmustexistforthesakeofanother.Weareonstrikeagainstthemoralityofcannibals,beitpracticedinbodyorinspirit.