Атлант расправил плечи

           What’sreasontothem?What’sscience?

           Youdon’tknowhowdeadlytheyare!Youdon’tunderstandthem!Theydon’tthink!They’remindlessanimalsmovedbyirrationalfeelings—bytheirgreedy,grasping,blind,unaccountablefeelings!Theyseizewhatevertheywant,that’salltheyknow:thattheywantit,regardlessofcause,effectorlogic—theywantit,thebloody,grubbingpigs!...Themind?Don’tyouknowhowfutileitis,themind,againstthosemindlesshordes?Ourweaponsaresohelplessly,laughablychildish:truth,knowledge,reason,values,rights!Forceisalltheyknow,force,fraudandplunder!...John!Don’tlookatmelikethat!WhatcouldIdoagainsttheirfists?Ihadtolive,didn’tI?Itwasn’tformyself—itwasforthefutureofscience!Ihadtobeleftalone,Ihadtobeprotected,Ihadtomaketermswiththem—there’snowaytoliveexceptontheirterms—thereisn’t!—doyouhearme?—thereisn’t!...Whatdidyouwantmetodo?Spendmylifebeggingforjobs?Beggingmyinferiorsforfundsandendowments?Didyouwantmyworktodependonthemercyoftheruffianswhohaveaknackformakingmoney?Ihadnotimetocompetewiththemformoneyormarketsoranyoftheirmiserablematerialpursuit!Wasthatyourideaofjustice—thattheyshouldspendtheirmoneyonliquor,yachtsandwomen,whilethepricelesshoursofmylifewerewastedforlackofscientificequipment?Persuasion?HowcouldIpersuadethem?WhatlanguagecouldIspeaktomenwhodon’tthink?...