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"Francisco's Money Speech" ("So you think that money is the root of all evil?")
Ayn Rand
| Ayn Rand
Posted on 03/05/2009 10:11:35 AM PST by jessduntno
"Francisco's Money Speech" by Ayn Rand (August 30, 2002)
"So you think that money is the root of all evil?" said Francisco d'Anconia. "Have you ever asked what is the root of money? Money is a tool of exchange, which can't exist unless there are goods produced and men able to produce them. Money is the material shape of the principle that men who wish to deal with one another must deal by trade and give value for value. Money is not the tool of the moochers, who claim your product by tears, or of the looters, who take it from you by force. Money is made possible only by the men who produce. Is this what you consider evil?
"When you accept money in payment for your effort, you do so only on the conviction that you will exchange it for the product of the effort of others. It is not the moochers or the looters who give value to money. Not an ocean of tears not all the guns in the world can transform those pieces of paper in your wallet into the bread you will need to survive tomorrow. Those pieces of paper, which should have been gold, are a token of honor--your claim upon the energy of the men who produce. Your wallet is your statement of hope that somewhere in the world around you there are men who will not default on that moral principle which is the root of money, Is this what you consider evil?
"Have you ever looked for the root of production? Take a look at an electric generator and dare tell yourself that it was created by the muscular effort of unthinking brutes.
TOPICS: Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: atlasshrugged
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To: jessduntno
An interesting anecdote: George Koether, who knew Ludwig von Mises and attended his NYU seminars, related that Mises told him that Rand got money right in this speech.
There's a talk by Koether on mises.org:
Reflections on Mises and Rothbard wherein he relates the story. The linked page has an mp3 of Koether's talk you can download for free.
41
posted on
03/05/2009 3:51:33 PM PST
by
Mike Fieschko
(et numquam abrogatam)
To: Mike Fieschko
“The linked page has an mp3 of Koether’s talk you can download for free.”
Thanks!
42
posted on
03/05/2009 4:04:59 PM PST
by
jessduntno
("Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! Moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue!")
To: Billthedrill
‘Ear ‘ear!
Ohhhhhhhhhh say you didn’t........
43
posted on
03/05/2009 4:21:01 PM PST
by
jessduntno
("Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! Moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue!")
To: chuckles
"let me give an example. You own an apartment and your renter is a day late. You contact them and say, "Your late, Get out!" He says, "I can pay tommorrow". Do you throw them out and wait for another renter, or wait to see if they pay"? There has to be some rational mercy" No, there doesn't have to be. You just feel the need to impose your views in a landlord/tenant dispute. Feel free to dispense mercy to whatever deadbeat renter you like. I'd fight for your right to do so. If you try to interfere with the management of another's property, however, then you may find yourself in a dust up. Start a charity if you are concerned. You are free to do so in a free society.
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To: Mike Fieschko
45
posted on
03/05/2009 8:29:39 PM PST
by
Tired of Taxes
(Dad, I will always think of you.)
To: Mike Fieschko
Just want to laugh at one comment on the Amazon site about the R.W. Grant book, The Incredible Bread Machine. It said, “Dr. Seuss meets Ayn Rand”. LOL.
46
posted on
03/05/2009 8:32:38 PM PST
by
Tired of Taxes
(Dad, I will always think of you.)
To: jessduntno
The verse is:
“For the LOVE of money is the root of all kinds of evil.”
Money is just a medium of exchange. The lusting after money above all other things, even godliness and God, this is what they are talking about.
47
posted on
03/05/2009 8:40:22 PM PST
by
Secret Agent Man
(I'd like to tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.)
To: I see my hands
I agree completely with what you say, but if EVERYBODY conformed to the rule that you were late you are out and the law will back me up, it changes society in a negative way and causes an over correction. Some examples would be drug use has brought us Zero tolerance and suspended students for aspirin and Abortion is OK with no notification of parents so we don't trample the “rights” of a 13 year old, never mind the adults. The 1930’s brought us mean landlords so we get what we have today. Try to throw someone out and the Sheriff will arrest YOU if you can't wait 3 MONTHS. Having a moral character generally works better than Ayn Rands objectivity. Atheists make their morals up as they need to. Find someone with rent property and I can assure you they have some horror stories. The only way around it is to NOT let them sign a lease. No proof of anything.
Rand's philosophy is fine except for her atheism.
48
posted on
03/06/2009 12:33:10 AM PST
by
chuckles
To: ClearCase_guy
Ayn Rand had her own little free love collective going back in the day. She was a stone atheist. Randism is good up to a point but is toxic past that
I despise big government drones too and their over regulation. But Randites and libertarians have a huge blind spot when it comes to the excesses of our financiers on Wall Street and the mega-banks
49
posted on
03/06/2009 12:42:11 AM PST
by
dennisw
(Archimedes--- Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum to place it, and I shall move the Earth)
To: chuckles
"if EVERYBODY conformed to the rule that you were late you are out.." I didn't suggested that was a rule or law to which everyone must conform. It's up to the landlord and his tenants to agree on terms. I'm saying it's a rule that you don't interfere with my business. That rule is paramount, non negotiable, and one that would be wise to heed. If you'd like to help out the deadbeat tenant, enabling him to pay his rent then that is between the two of you. It's useful to think in terms of "I" rather than "everybody", IMO. I think you and I are the least of each other's worries though. There are some bad people we have to knock down before we negotiate the niceties of contract law ;)
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