As you know, I’ve been gradually rereading Atlas Shrugged. I’m sad to say that this go-round is moving at a much slower pace than I’d like; my not-quite-daily workouts seem to be the only time I get a chance to crack the book open. Related: Mom just reserved a copy for herself from the local library, and I am anxious to discuss her reaction to Rand’s work!

I’m finally making some decent progress (400-odd pages down, 800+ to go), so it’s only befitting I share a small excerpt. This gem comes from relatively early on: a flashback to their late teen years, Francisco is addressing Dagny (perhaps when I quit procrastinating I’ll actually jot down a proper citation).

Dagny, there’s nothing of ay importance in life—except how well you do your work. Nothing. Only that. Whatever else you are, will come from that. It’s the only measure of human value. All the codes of ethics they’ll try to ram down your throat are just so much paper money put out by swindlers to fleece people of their virtues. The code of competence is the only system of morality that’s on a gold standard.