Probably more than any other quotation, this one summarizes where America is today, unfortunately. This transformation has been underway for years since Rand wrote the book, but here we are. Very depressing.... and scary.
Ayn needed to add runaway inflation to the mix-—she alluded to it, they used gold in Galt’s gulch, but she never said everyone else in America was devastated by fiat currency-—just collapsed industry.
Every BS law in the country is grounded on this principle. Zero tolerance, hate crimes, domestic violence, drug laws, and the whole slew of child endangerment/abuse laws are all aimed at this goal. First, they are felonies, which will deprive you of your right to possess a firearm. Second, as felonies, many states then deprive you of your right to vote. Third, the glorification of the single mother and vilification of the deadbeat dad gives rise to the power of the state to deprive men of their rightful place in society, evidenced by the levying of exorbitant child support, then withholding the mean by which men can earn their living to pay such support.
The whole prison complex is another example. Once convicted of such bogus crimes, you then become a parolee on release. The system is then gamed to make it difficult to succeed, guaranteeing your return to prison. this guarantees a steady job for corrections officers. I live in CA and the corrections union is the most powerful in the state. I see CDC personnel gaming the system on a routine bases.
I know a lot of the law and order and WOD FReepers aren’t going to like my opinion on this, but there it is. Flame me if you wish, hit the abuse button, even ban me. But it has to be said. BTW, in no way do I endorse the release of true criminals into society, junkies buy heroine OTC, or pedophiles living and working amongst children. My point is that the system that is supposed to protect the righteous and law abiding citizen has been turned inside out and perverted into a system to control sheeple.