Ayn Rand apparently never understood the concept of "Altruism" correctly. She routinely confused the governmentally coerced assistance to others, or more accurately to the State, (whether by taxation, draft, or whatever), with the willing sacrifice of one's own benefit for the sake of others. To see the difference more clearly, imagine that the US military REQUIRED its troops to throw themselves on a hand grenade that fell nearby, at the risk of being court-martialed if they didn't (what she incorrectly refers to as "Altruism"), and compare that with the selfless action of a squad member who voluntarily does so to save his mates (which is TRUE "Altruism"). In the former case, we could expect to see troops who increasingly distrusted their officers and squad mates, who were increasingly unwilling to obey their orders, whose morale was in decline, etc. - indeed, exactly what we saw with civilians in the USSR. In the latter case, we find heroes whose behavior on behalf of others is lauded, rewarded (even if posthumously), and whose impact on morale and unit cohesion and effectiveness is extremely beneficial. THAT is the impact of TRUE "Altruism," as opposed to coerced behavior for the benefit of "the state."