Атлант расправил плечи
The Sign of the Dollar
Notthattheplanencouragedafewbastards,butthatitturneddecentpeopleintobastards,andtherewasnothingelsethatitcoulddo—anditwascalledamoralideal!
"Whatwasitweweresupposedtowanttoworkfor?Fortheloveofourbrothers?Whatbrothers?Forthebums,theloafers,themoocherswesawallaroundus?Andwhethertheywerecheatingorplainincompetent,whethertheywereunwillingorunable—whatdifferencedidthatmaketous?Ifweweretiedforlifetotheleveloftheirunfitness,fakedorreal,howlongcouldwecaretogoon?Wehadnowayofknowingtheirability,wehadnowayofcontrollingtheirneeds—allweknewwasthatwewerebeastsofburdenstrugglingblindlyinsomesortofplacethatwashalf-hospital,half-stockyards—aplacegearedtonothingbutdisability,disaster,disease—beastsputthereforthereliefofwhateverwhoeverchosetosaywaswhichever’sneed.
"Loveofourbrothers?That’swhenwelearnedtohateourbrothersforthefirsttimeinourlives.Webegantohatethemforeverymealtheyswallowed,foreverysmallpleasuretheyenjoyed,foroneman’snewshirt,foranother’swife’shat,foranoutingwiththeirfamily,forapaintjobontheirhouse—itwastakenfromus,itwaspaidforbyourprivations,ourdenials,ourhunger.Webegantospyononeanother,eachhopingtocatchtheotherslyingabouttheirneeds,soastocuttheir‘allowance’atthenextmeeting.
