Atlas Shrugged, now non fiction.
I have been thinking a lot about this lately. And I am going to share a monologue out of Atlas. It is not one that people think of, such as parts of John's speech, or Henry Reardon before the Unification board. It isn't Francisco D'Anconia's speech to Henry Reardon and the guests at James Taggert's wedding reception. Those are all amazing, and each is worthy of reading. This one is far more relevant today.
James Taggert is the brother of the protagonist of the story, Dagney Taggert. He "runs" the railroad, meaning he sits in the big chair, does lots of deals that have little to do with the running of the railroad. He inherited his position literally, but is not even a shadow of those that had run the railroad previously. Dagney in reality runs the company. For those that haven't read the book, which you should do, here is brief description of what is happening.
The United States, the last non-communist (or People's State) nation in the world, is falling into a Venezuelan reality. This is mostly due to the ever increasing regulations, taxes, and laws that make it impossible for anyone to make a profit. The giants of industry are disappearing, and not just them. Men with minds are ceasing to be productive. Think it can't happen today? When France a few years ago implemented a 75% income tax, many of those effected moved across the border to Belgium. They had less revenue that year than the year before. They got rid of that tax.
So, James, or Jim, Taggert is complaining about the state of things. His sister had just returned from a month long disappearance, and is trying to figure out how to run a railroad that for all practical purposes had been nationalized. I am going to edit out the description of the scene.
"Dagney, I'm your brother..."
"Dagney, I want to be president of a railroad. I want it. Why can't I have my wish as you always have had yours? Why shouldn't I be given the fulfillment of my desires as you always fulfill any desire of your own? Why should you be happy while I suffer? Oh yes, the world is yours, you're the one who has the brains to run it. They why do you permit suffering in your world? You proclaim the pursuit of happiness, but you doom me to frustration. Don't I have the right to demand any form of happiness that I choose? Isn't that a debt which you owe me? Am I not your brother?"
"It's your sin that I suffer! It's your moral failure! I'm your brother, therefore, I'm your responsibility, but you've failed to supply my wants, therefore you are guilty! All of mankind's moral leaders have said so for centuries-who are you to say otherwise? You're so proud of yourself, you think that you're pure and good-but you can't be good, so long as I am wretched. My misery is the measure of your sin. My contentment is the measure of your virtue. I want this kind of world, today's world, it gives me my share of authority, it allows me to feel important, make it work for me! Do something! How do I know what? It's your problem and your duty! You have the privilege of strength, but I, I have the right of weakness! That's a moral absolute! Don't you know it! Don't you? Don't you?" The italicized words were highlighted in the original text.
Dagney's response? "You bastard".
Why can't I have my wish as you've always had yours?
Why aren't I given fulfillment as you always fulfill yours?
Don't I have the right to demand any form of happiness I choose?
You've failed to supply my wants, therefore, guilty!
It allows me to feel important.
I just wanted to isolate a few of those, And so on. Sound familiar?
The whole segment from Dagney's return, Reardon's divorce, and this exchange was ignored in the making of the movies. Too bad. Especially missing was Dagney's radio interview. Sometimes what you want to say, or in this case, describe was already done to perfection.
Of course, credit for the quotation is Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged.
James Taggert is the brother of the protagonist of the story, Dagney Taggert. He "runs" the railroad, meaning he sits in the big chair, does lots of deals that have little to do with the running of the railroad. He inherited his position literally, but is not even a shadow of those that had run the railroad previously. Dagney in reality runs the company. For those that haven't read the book, which you should do, here is brief description of what is happening.
The United States, the last non-communist (or People's State) nation in the world, is falling into a Venezuelan reality. This is mostly due to the ever increasing regulations, taxes, and laws that make it impossible for anyone to make a profit. The giants of industry are disappearing, and not just them. Men with minds are ceasing to be productive. Think it can't happen today? When France a few years ago implemented a 75% income tax, many of those effected moved across the border to Belgium. They had less revenue that year than the year before. They got rid of that tax.
So, James, or Jim, Taggert is complaining about the state of things. His sister had just returned from a month long disappearance, and is trying to figure out how to run a railroad that for all practical purposes had been nationalized. I am going to edit out the description of the scene.
"Dagney, I'm your brother..."
"Dagney, I want to be president of a railroad. I want it. Why can't I have my wish as you always have had yours? Why shouldn't I be given the fulfillment of my desires as you always fulfill any desire of your own? Why should you be happy while I suffer? Oh yes, the world is yours, you're the one who has the brains to run it. They why do you permit suffering in your world? You proclaim the pursuit of happiness, but you doom me to frustration. Don't I have the right to demand any form of happiness that I choose? Isn't that a debt which you owe me? Am I not your brother?"
"It's your sin that I suffer! It's your moral failure! I'm your brother, therefore, I'm your responsibility, but you've failed to supply my wants, therefore you are guilty! All of mankind's moral leaders have said so for centuries-who are you to say otherwise? You're so proud of yourself, you think that you're pure and good-but you can't be good, so long as I am wretched. My misery is the measure of your sin. My contentment is the measure of your virtue. I want this kind of world, today's world, it gives me my share of authority, it allows me to feel important, make it work for me! Do something! How do I know what? It's your problem and your duty! You have the privilege of strength, but I, I have the right of weakness! That's a moral absolute! Don't you know it! Don't you? Don't you?" The italicized words were highlighted in the original text.
Dagney's response? "You bastard".
Why can't I have my wish as you've always had yours?
Why aren't I given fulfillment as you always fulfill yours?
Don't I have the right to demand any form of happiness I choose?
You've failed to supply my wants, therefore, guilty!
It allows me to feel important.
I just wanted to isolate a few of those, And so on. Sound familiar?
The whole segment from Dagney's return, Reardon's divorce, and this exchange was ignored in the making of the movies. Too bad. Especially missing was Dagney's radio interview. Sometimes what you want to say, or in this case, describe was already done to perfection.
Of course, credit for the quotation is Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged.
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