Quote #7

'Ernest Van Den Haag, a sociologist, wrote a fascinating book called The Jewish Mystique. I read that book, got a lot out of it, and went over to Ayn and said, 'I've got to tell you something shocking.' Because we never thought of ourselves as Jewish in any important way, I announced, laughing, 'We are both exponents of the Jewish messianic tradition. We believe we are here on earth to be signposts pointing to the good life.' What I got out of that book was how Jewish that was. The whole idea of these prophets coming along, or however he was describing it-it fit Ayn and me to a tee. I thought that was very funny.'[7]

More from Nathaniel Branden

  1. 'Objectivism comes on, sometimes, as if the most important issue you have to understand is the issue of egoism versus altruism. But that's …
  2. 'In order to have any sense of control over our own life, we need to know that we're able to make sense out of our experience, in all of it…
  3. 'I'm very aware of that over-application of the trader principle, as if that's all you need to know to understand human relationships. Good…
  4. '[H]e has been a very underestimated man by his opponents. I think that his understanding and handling of our relationship with the Soviet …
  5. '[F]or somebody who presents herself as a champion of the joy of living, [Rand] has very rigid rules about the path you must walk on in you…
  6. 'Most of the time, I regard the judgment of people as a waste of time. I regard the judgment of behavior as imperative.'[10]
  7. 'When your principles seem to be demanding suicide, clearly it's time to check your premises'[3]
  8. It would be hard to name a more certain sign of poor self-esteem than the need to perceive some other group as inferior.

All Nathaniel Branden quotes