Quotes About Quote

We will build a society dedicated to higher ideals, and we will replace the aristocracy of money by—" "—the aristocracy of pull," said a voice beyond the group. They whirled around. The man who stood facing them was Francisco d'Anconia.

If I can't, then that would make it an absolute and you said there aren't any absolutes." "That's different." "How is it different?" "It's the government." "You mean, there aren't any absolutes except the government?" "I mean, if they say it's important, then it is.

This is pity, he thought, and then he lifted his head in wonder. He thought that there must be something terribly wrong with a world in which this monstrous feeling is called a virtue.

The joke is on both of you. Your sanction is the only source of certainty he has.

Their terror had the evasive quality of guilt: it was not the fear that comes from understanding, but from the refusal to understand.

dangers, to Francisco, were merely opportunities for another brilliant performance; there were no battles he could lose, no enemies to beat him.

If his judgment is to be an object of sacrifice — what sort of efficacy, control, freedom from conflict, or serenity of spirit will be possible to man?

Consistency is not a habit of mind which it is wise to practice or to expect of the human race.

She felt an odd, light-hearted indifference, as if she suddenly wanted nothing but the comfort of surrendering to helplessness.

No man can predict the time when others will choose to return to reason.

mind, Miss Taggart? My mind is not on the market any longer.

It's not death that we wish to avoid, but life that we wish to live.

You're unbearably conceited, was one of the two sentences she heard throughout her childhood, even though she never spoke of her own ability. The other sentence was: You're selfish. She asked what was meant, but never received an answer. She looked at the adults, wondering how they could imagine that she would feel guilt from an undefined accusation.

the first word of 'Free, scientific inquiry' was redundant. He seems to have forgotten it. Well, I'll just say that 'Governmental scientific inquiry' is a contradiction in terms.

He telephoned half an hour ago. Mr. Gail Wynand.

Instead of prosperity, socialism has brought economic paralysis and/or collapse to every country that tried it. The degree of socialization has been the degree of disaster. The consequences have varied accordingly.

What if you're placing your virtue in the service of evil and letting it become a tool for the destruction of everything you love, respect and admire?

The punishment she had wanted to inflict on him was the torture of shame; what she had inflicted was the torture of boredom.

entonces los que se odian a sí mismos y los que odian la vida, sólo conciben una única forma equivalente al amor: la destrucción. Lillian lo había elegido por lo mejor de sus virtudes.

glassy rustle which was the East River somewhere close by

The letters said: ". . . in a momentous drama giving the answer to the great problem: Should a woman tell?

those who are loudest in proclaiming their desire to eliminate poverty are loudest in denouncing capitalism.

It was the ultimate form of our admiration for each other, with full knowledge of the values by which we made our choice.

The relief was not in the surrender of responsibility, but in the sight of a man able to assume it.