To say 'I love you' one must first be able to say the 'I.'
Ayn RandRead
The action required to sustain human life is primarily intellectual; everything man needs has to be discovered by his mind and produced by his effort.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Human existence relies on intellectual discovery and personal effort to meet our needs.
This quote by Ayn Rand emphasizes the importance of human intellect and effort in sustaining life. It suggests that all the resources and necessities for living must be identified and created through human thought and hard work, highlighting the intrinsic value of human reasoning and productivity.
Themes
IntellectEffortDiscoveryHuman LifeSustainability
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech to illustrate the power of human potential.
More from Ayn Rand
All quotes βThe difference between animals and humans is that animals change themselves for the environment, but humans change the environment for themselves.
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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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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.
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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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I also think there are prices too high to pay to save the United States. Conscription is one of them. Conscription is slavery, and I don't think that any people or nation has a right to save itself at the price of slavery for anyone, no matter what name it is called. We have had the draft for twenty years now; I think this is shameful. If a country can't save itself through the volunteer service of its own free people, then I say: Let the damned thing go down the drain!
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