Atlas (1,4) Never Had Any Feelings
Jul. 12th, 2012 12:03 pmDagny naturally gets her way over her antagonistic brother Jim. They will be using the new Rearden metal for the Rio Norte Line, and any old loyalties are trumped by the cold economic reasons of expediency and cost. As she leaves the office, Jim gives her a parting shot, and we get another look at the Ayn Rand mind and philosophy in action.
_ _ _
She had turned to go, when he spoke again - and what he said seemed bewilderingly irrelevant. “That’s all right for you, because you’re lucky. Others can’t do it.”
“Do what?”
“Other people are human. They’re sensitive. They can’t devote their whole life to metals and engines. You’re lucky - you’ve never had any feelings. You’ve never felt anything at all.”
As she looked at him, her dark gray eyes went slowly from astonishment to stillness, then to a strange expression that resembled a look of weariness, except that it seemed to reflect much more than the endurance of this one moment.
“No, Jim,” she said quietly, “I guess I’ve never felt anything at all.”
-- “Atlas Shrugged” by Ayn Rand
_ _ _
The true Ayn Randian is a creature of pure reason, moved by evidence and logic alone. The rest of us are flailing away in superstitions, senseless traditions, and murky sentimentality, which can often lead us away from the true and zealous pursuit of the only thing that really matters: our naked self-interest.
_ _ _
She had turned to go, when he spoke again - and what he said seemed bewilderingly irrelevant. “That’s all right for you, because you’re lucky. Others can’t do it.”
“Do what?”
“Other people are human. They’re sensitive. They can’t devote their whole life to metals and engines. You’re lucky - you’ve never had any feelings. You’ve never felt anything at all.”
As she looked at him, her dark gray eyes went slowly from astonishment to stillness, then to a strange expression that resembled a look of weariness, except that it seemed to reflect much more than the endurance of this one moment.
“No, Jim,” she said quietly, “I guess I’ve never felt anything at all.”
-- “Atlas Shrugged” by Ayn Rand
_ _ _
The true Ayn Randian is a creature of pure reason, moved by evidence and logic alone. The rest of us are flailing away in superstitions, senseless traditions, and murky sentimentality, which can often lead us away from the true and zealous pursuit of the only thing that really matters: our naked self-interest.