John Galt is Prometheus who changed his mind. After centuries of being torn by vultures in payment for having brought to men the fire of the gods, he broke his chainsโand he withdrew his fireโuntil the day when men withdraw their vultures.
Ayn RandWhenever destroyers appear among men, they start by destroying money, for money is men's protection, and the base of a moral existence.
Ayn RandIt's the hardest thing in the world - to do what we want. And it takes the greatest kinds of courage.
Ayn RandThe man at the top of the intellectual pyramid contributes the most to all those below him, but gets nothing except his material payment, receiving no intellectual bonus from others to add to the value of his time. The man at the bottom who, left to himself, would starve in his hopeless ineptitude, contributes nothing to those above him, but receives the bonus of all of their brains. Such is the nature of the 'competition' between the strong and the weak of the intellect. Such is the pattern of 'exploitation' for which you have damned the strong.
Ayn Rand