To say 'I love you' one must first be able to say the 'I.'
Ayn RandRead
America's founding Ideal was the principle of individual rights. Nothing more - and nothing less.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Individual rights form the cornerstone of America's founding principles.
This quote by Ayn Rand emphasizes the significance of individual rights as the fundamental ideal upon which America was built. It suggests that the recognition and protection of each person's rights are essential to the American identity, and that these rights are both the starting point and the ultimate goal of the nation's values and governance.
Themes
Individual RightsFreedomPhilosophyAmericaLiberty
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the importance of civil liberties, one might quote this to emphasize individual rights.
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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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The problem is one of opposition between subjective and objective points of view. There is a tendency to seek an objective account of everything before admitting its reality. But often what appears to a more subjective point of view cannot be accounted for in this way. So either the objective conception of the world is incomplete, or the subjective involves illusions that should be rejected.
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It was a hollow victory they gave me. A crown...it was the girl I prayed them for. Your sister, safe... and mine again as she was meant to be. I ask you, Ned, what good is it to wear a crown?
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And out of good still to find means of evil.
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Always remember that you belong to no one, and no one belongs to you. Reflect that some day you will suddenly have to leave everything in this world - so make the acquaintanceship of God now.
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I'm interested in the balance between big currents in history - the economies, the ideologies, social structures, and so on - and the decisions that people have to make. At the heart of all these great decisions to go to war, there are human beings who have to say, 'Yes, let's do it,' or 'No, we won't do it.'
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These are the things which might conceivably and truly make men forgive their enemies. We can only turn hate to love by understanding what are the things that men have loved; nor is it necessary to ask men to hate their loves in order to love one another. Just as two grocers are most likely to be reconciled when they remember for a moment that they are two fathers, so two nationals are most likely to be reconciled when they remember (if only for a moment) that they are two patriots.
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