To say 'I love you' one must first be able to say the 'I.'
Ayn RandRead
When you have made evil the means of survival, do not expect men to remain good. Do not expect them to stay moral and lose their lives for the purpose of becoming the fodder of the immoral. Do not expect them to produce, when production is punished and looting rewarded. Do not ask, "Who is destroying the world?" You are.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Evil actions for survival lead to a loss of morality in society.
This quote by Ayn Rand emphasizes the idea that when a society rewards immoral behavior while punishing good actions, it becomes unreasonable to expect individuals to maintain their moral integrity. Those forced into survival situations will gravitate toward actions that promote their survival, even if those actions are unethical, leading to a deterioration of societal values.
Themes
MoralityEvilSocietySurvivalProduction
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech on ethics in business, one could use this quote to illustrate the consequences of a corrupt system.
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It is my eyes which see, and the sight of my eyes grants beauty to the earth. It is my ears which hear, and the hearing of my ears gives its song to the world. It is my mind which thinks, and the judgement of my mind is the only searchlight that can find the truth. It is my will which chooses, and the choice of my will is the only edict I must respect.
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One method of destroying a concept is by diluting its meaning. Observe that by ascribing rights to the unborn, i.e., the nonliving, the anti-abortionists obliterate the rights of the living.
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I think that when in doubt about the truth of an issue, it's safer and in better taste to select the least numerous of the adversaries.
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