[lumenwrites]

Is that really a contradiction? We all have our ideals, and we all fail to live up to them sometimes, because life can be brutal.

[seanhunter]

Socrates allowed himself to be put to death even though his supporters had bribed the jailer to allow him to escape. Given his philosophy of ethics, even though his trial had been unjust, he felt it was incompatible with his teachings for him to avoid the sentence that had been handed down to him.

Some people believe that their ideals are important enough to live up to even though life can be brutal.

[stevenAthompson]

To be fair, Rand herself said (to paraphrase) that because the state took it from her against her will it was fair play to take it back and I think that was self-consistent.

That said, she wanted to let the disabled starve to death so I don't think anyone really has to be fair to her at all. Empathy is only for the empathetic.

[autoexec]

"Selfish person happily takes from the government, but feels bad about having ever given the government anything" seems pretty consistent to me too.

[marknutter]

Ayn Rand did not "want to let the disabled starve to death". What a ridiculous lie.