# Atlas Shrugged ## Metadata * Author: [Ayn Rand](https://www.amazon.com/Ayn-Rand/e/B000APYGIW/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1) * ASIN: B003V8B5XO * ISBN: 0141188936 * Reference: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003V8B5XO * [Kindle link](kindle://book?action=open&asin=B003V8B5XO) ## Highlights All their calculations rested on the premise that I wanted to make money. What if I didn’t?” “If you didn’t, what did you want?” “They never asked me that. Not to inquire about my aims, motives or desires is an essential part of their theory.” — location: [3006](kindle://book?action=open&asin=B003V8B5XO&location=3006) ^ref-47985 --- I believe I made it clear that I am in favor of it, because I am in favor of a free economy. A free economy cannot exist without competition. Therefore, men must be forced to compete. Therefore, we must control men in order to force them to be free.” — location: [3279](kindle://book?action=open&asin=B003V8B5XO&location=3279) ^ref-62447 --- To love a woman for her virtues is meaningless. She’s earned it, it’s a payment, not a gift. But to love her for her vices is a real gift, unearned and undeserved. To love her for her vices is to defile all virtue for her sake—and that is a real tribute of love, because you sacrifice your conscience, your reason, your integrity and your invaluable self-esteem.” — location: [7406](kindle://book?action=open&asin=B003V8B5XO&location=7406) ^ref-32968 --- when he was asked whether he could name a person more evil than the man with a heart closed to pity. “The man who uses another’s pity for him as a weapon.” — location: [7669](kindle://book?action=open&asin=B003V8B5XO&location=7669) ^ref-35726 --- “I mean that there is no way to disarm any man,” said Dr. Ferris, “except through guilt. Through that which he himself has accepted as guilt. If a man has ever stolen a dime, you can impose on him the punishment intended for a bank robber and he will take it. He’ll bear any form of misery, he’ll feel that he deserves no better. If there’s not enough guilt in the world, we must create it. If we teach a man that it’s evil to look at spring flowers and he believes us and then does it—we’ll be able to do whatever we please with him. He won’t defend himself. He won’t feel he’s worth it. He won’t fight. But save us from the man who lives up to his own standards. Save us from the man of clean conscience. He’s the man who’ll beat us.” — location: [13088](kindle://book?action=open&asin=B003V8B5XO&location=13088) ^ref-808 ---