[Still Thinking]

Who is John Galt?” Stadler doesn’t like the expression but says he once knew a John Galt, now deceased. Had he lived, the whole world would have talked of him. Dagny points out that the whole world is talking of him. Stadler reacts in terror: “He has to be dead.” Why the terror? This isn't the first character in the book to be afraid when John Galt is mentioned, I believe.

I thought about that awhile myself. My assumption at this point is like how Bromden thinks about McMurphy is Cuckoo's Nest, that it's better for him to be dead rather than enduring the current state of affairs. IOW, "How terrible if John Galt were to be living in a world like today's!"

[CottonBall]

Interesting. I didn’t even think it could’ve had a compassionate cause. The two characters I remember so far showing fear that Galt might be alive seemed more like ones that would be happy he was - so your interpretation makes more sense. Thanks for the insight!