Every system of ethics that preached sacrifice grew into a world power and ruled millions of men. You must tell people that they¡¯ll achieve a superior kind of happiness by giving up everything that makes them happy. You don¡¯t have to be too clear about it. Use big vague words. ¡®Universal Harmony¡¯-¡®Eternal Spirit¡¯-¡®Divine Purpose¡¯-¡®Nirvana¡¯-¡®Paradise¡¯-¡®Racial Supremacy¡¯-¡®The Dictatorship of the Proletariat.¡¯ Internal corruption, Peter. That¡¯s the oldest one of all. The farce has been going on for centuries and men still fall for it.



Yet the test should be so simple: just listen to any prophet and if you hear him speak of sacrifice- run. Run faster than from a plague. It stands to reason that where there¡¯s sacrifice, there¡¯s someone collecting sacrificial offerings. Where there¡¯s service, there¡¯s someone being served. The man who speaks to you of sacrifice, speaks of slaves and masters. And intends to be the master.



But if ever you hear a man telling you that you must be happy, that it¡¯s your natural right, that your first duty is to yourself- that will be the man who¡¯s not after your soul. That will be the man who has noting to gain from you. But let him come and you¡¯ll scream your empty heads off, howling that he¡¯s a selfish monster. So the racket is safe for many, many centuries.

-ayn rand, the fountainhead-