Атлант расправил плечи
The Sanction of the Victim
Onlythemanwhoextolsthepurityofalovedevoidofdesire,iscapableofthedepravityofadesiredevoidoflove.Butobservethatmostpeoplearecreaturescutinhalfwhokeepswingingdesperatelytoonesideortotheother.Onekindofhalfisthemanwhodespisesmoney,factories,skyscrapersandhisownbody.
Heholdsundefinedemotionsaboutnon-conceivablesubjectsasthemeaningoflifeandashisclaimtovirtue.Andhecrieswithdespair,becausehecanfeelnothingforthewomenherespects,butfindshimselfinbondagetoanirresistiblepassionforaslutfromthegutter.
Heisthemanwhompeoplecallanidealist.Theotherkindofhalfisthemanwhompeoplecallpractical,themanwhodespisesprinciples,abstractions,art,philosophyandhisownmind.Heregardstheacquisitionofmaterialobjectsastheonlygoalofexistence—andhelaughsattheneedtoconsidertheirpurposeortheirsource.Heexpectsthemtogivehimpleasure—andhewonderswhythemorehegets,thelesshefeels.Heisthemanwhospendshistimechasingwomen.Observethetriplefraudwhichheperpetratesuponhimself.Hewillnotacknowledgehisneedofself-esteem,sincehescoffsatsuchaconceptasmoralvalues;yethefeelstheprofoundself-contemptwhichcomesfrombelievingthatheisapieceofmeat.Hewillnotacknowledge,butheknowsthatsexisthephysicalexpressionofatributetopersonalvalues.Sohetries,bygoingthroughthemotionsoftheeffect,toacquirethatwhichshouldhavebeenthecause.
