Атлант расправил плечи
The Concerto of Deliverance
Hethoughtofallthelivingspeciesthattraintheiryoungintheartofsurvival,thecatswhoteachtheirkittenstohunt,thebirdswhospendsuchstridenteffortonteachingtheirfledglingstofly—yetman,whosetoolofsurvivalisthemind,doesnotmerelyfailtoteachachildtothink,butdevotesthechild’seducationtothepurposeofdestroyinghisbrain,ofconvincinghimthatthoughtisfutileandevil,beforehehasstartedtothink.
Fromthefirstcatch-phrasesflungatachildtothelast,itislikeaseriesofshockstofreezehismotor,toundercutthepowerofhisconsciousness."Don’tasksomanyquestions,childrenshouldbeseenandnotheard!"—"Whoareyoutothink?It’sso,becauseIsayso!"—"Don’targue,obey!"—"Don’ttrytounderstand,believe!"—"Don’trebel,adjust!"—"Don’tstandout,belong!"—"Don’tstruggle,compromise!"—"Yourheartismoreimportantthanyourmind!"—"Whoareyoutoknow?Yourparentsknowbest!"—"Whoareyoutoknow?Societyknowsbest!"—"Whoareyoutoknow?Thebureaucratsknowbest!"—"Whoareyoutoobject?Allvaluesarerelative!"—"Whoareyoutowanttoescapeathug’sbullet?That’sonlyapersonalprejudice!"
Menwouldshudder,hethought,iftheysawamotherbirdpluckingthefeathersfromthewingsofheryoung,thenpushinghimoutofthenesttostruggleforsurvival—yetthatwaswhattheydidtotheirchildren.
