Атлант расправил плечи
The Egoist
Buttherearealsothesinsofomissiontoconsider.Tofailtosavealifeisasimmoralastomurder.Theconsequencesarethesame—andsincewemustjudgeactionsbytheirconsequences,themoralresponsibilityisthesame.Forinstance,inviewofthedesperateshortageoffood,ithasbeensuggestedthatitmightbecomenecessarytoissueadirectiveorderingthateverythirdoneofallchildrenundertheageoftenandofalladultsovertheageofsixtybeputtodeath,tosecurethesurvivaloftherest.Youwouldn’twantthistohappen,wouldyou?
Youcanpreventit.Onewordfromyouwouldpreventit.Ifyourefuseandallthosepeopleareexecuted—itwillbeyourfaultandyourmoralresponsibility!"
"You’recrazy!"screamedMr.Thompson,recoveringfromshockandleapingtohisfeet."Nobody’seversuggestedanysuchthing!Nobody’severconsideredit!Please,Mr.Galt!Don’tbelievehim!Hedoesn’tmeanit!"
"Ohyes,hedoes,"saidGalt."Tellthebastardtolookatme,thenlookinthemirror,thenaskhimselfwhetherIwouldeverthinkthatmymoralstatureisatthemercyofhisactions."
"Getoutofhere!"criedMr.Thompson,yankingFerristohisfeet.
"Getout!Don’tletmehearanothersqueakoutofyou!"HeflungthedooropenandpushedFerrisatthestartledfaceofaguardoutside.
TurningtoGalt,hespreadhisarmsandletthemdropwithagestureofdrainedhelplessness.
