Атлант расправил плечи
“This is John Galt speaking”
Youdamnedman,youdamnedexistence,youdamnedthisearth,butneverdaredtoquestionyourcode.Yourvictimstooktheblameandstruggledon,withyourcursesasrewardfortheirmartyrdom—whileyouwentoncryingthatyourcodewasnoble,buthumannaturewasnotgoodenoughtopracticeit.Andnoonerosetoaskthequestion:Good?—bywhatstandard?
"YouwantedtoknowJohnGalt’sidentity.Iamthemanwhohasaskedthatquestion.
"Yes,thisisanageofmoralcrisis.Yes,youarebearingpunishmentforyourevil.Butitisnotmanwhoisnowontrialanditisnothumannaturethatwilltaketheblame.Itisyourmoralcodethat’sthrough,thistime.Yourmoralcodehasreacheditsclimax,theblindalleyattheendofitscourse.Andifyouwishtogoonliving,whatyounowneedisnottoreturntomorality—youwhohaveneverknownany—buttodiscoverit.
"Youhaveheardnoconceptsofmoralitybutthemysticalorthesocial.Youhavebeentaughtthatmoralityisacodeofbehaviorimposedonyoubywhim,thewhimofasupernaturalpowerorthewhimofsociety,toserveGod’spurposeoryourneighbor’swelfare,topleaseanauthoritybeyondthegraveorelsenextdoor—butnottoserveyourlifeorpleasure.Yourpleasure,youhavebeentaught,istobefoundinimmorality,yourinterestswouldbestbeservedbyevil,andanymoralcodemustbedesignednotforyou,butagainstyou,nottofurtheryourlife,buttodrainit.
