To say 'I love you' one must first be able to say the 'I.'
Ayn RandRead
The spread of evil is the symptom of a vacuum. Whenever evil wins, it is only by default: by the moral failure of those who evade the fact that there can be no compromise on basic principles.
Interpretation
Evil prevails when good individuals neglect their moral duties and principles.
Ayn Rand's quote emphasizes that the existence and spread of evil often occur when individuals fail to uphold their moral principles, creating a void that allows malevolent forces to thrive. It suggests that compromises on fundamental ethics lead to a moral vacuum where evil can flourish, thus urging people to be vigilant and assertive in their ethical beliefs.
In practice
In a debate about ethical leadership, this quote can articulate the importance of adhering to principles.
To say 'I love you' one must first be able to say the 'I.'
The difference between animals and humans is that animals change themselves for the environment, but humans change the environment for themselves.
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.
What is the basic, the essential, the crucial principle that differentiates freedom from slavery? It is the principle of voluntary action versus physical coercion or compulsion.
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.
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.
Once established, reputations do not easily change.
The American Dream has run out of gas. The car has stopped. It no longer supplies the world with its images, its dreams, its fantasies. No more. It's over. It supplies the world with its nightmares now: the Kennedy assassination, Watergate, Vietnam.
Religions are all alike- founded upon fables and mythologies.
Faithfulness and truth are the most sacred excellences and endowments of the human mind.
Abusive language and swearing are a legacy of slavery, humiliation, and disrespect for human dignity, one’s own and that of other people.
I seem to have the blind self-acceptance of the eccentric who can't conceive that his eccentricities are not clearly understood.
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