“The secret dread of modern intellectuals, liberals and conservatives alike, the unadmitted terror at the root of their anxiety, which all of their current irrationalities are intended to stave off and to disguise, is the unstated knowledge that Soviet Russia [was] the full, actual, literal, consistent embodiment of the morality of altruism, that Stalin did not corrupt a noble ideal, [but that his use of brutality was] the only way altruism has to be or can ever be practiced.”

As no less a lightless Communist luminary than Mao Tse-tung expressed it:

" Communism has nothing to do with love.
Communism is an excellent hammer that we use to destroy our enemy."

Absent from the calculus of Ayn Rand is a reflective of Reality notion of what is, in actuality, the rooted in illumined Spirituality nature of true Humanity.

The ennoblement of Man, by Virtue, does make in him a crucially defining difference.

The term "altruism" (unselfish concern for the welfare of others; selflessness) does not align itself in any degree with any part of socialism (communism to fascism). To make the statement even close to some facet of accuracy; altruism would have to be replaced with religion and, morality would need some expletives like "demonic". Altruism, as here defined can never be practiced by force or induced through brutality.

"God loves a cheerful giver". Though Ayn Rand was an atheist, she is correct that charity given at the point of a gun (our welfare system, Obamacare, Section 8 housing, EBT cards/food stamps - any wealth co-opted by government - is not charity given of a free will, and therefore something else entirely. The Bible states that 10%, a tithe, is the proscribed amount for God and good works; yet our voracious government devours much more, in the name of altruism.

Ayn Rand has a very valid point. Altruistic ideals have been the excuse for all matter of evil. Altruism is a rallying cry for collective action -- but how will the actions of the group be coordinated? Sacrificing oneself for the common good is classic altruism. It promotes a victim consciousness -- the common man being in need of 'salvation' from himself -- to be guided of course by an un-common man, a super man or demi-god who is all powerful yet needs the bended knee of the people.

Ayn Rand is absolutely right! The philosophy of altruism is the foundation of statism whether religious or secular. Compelled virtue is not virtue at all but slavery.

And YES "Soviet Russia [was] the full, actual, literal, consistent embodiment of the morality of altruism, that Stalin did not corrupt a noble ideal, [but that his use of brutality was] the only way altruism has to be or can ever be practiced."

Perestroika continues, " Honest and Fair Play " is hard to come by with any democratization. Mr Mikhail Gorbachev knows well the brutality of the collectivization drive in the 1930's. Having suffered greatly with his grandfathers imprisoned. The thaw continues.

This is another example of how a great word "Altruism" and its meaning is turn around to be a negative. The media has done this to the word "Liberal" and "Left" - we have three people who have as much wealth as 50 percent of our population and look up to them as Gods. The recent tax legislation for the rich could have provided shelter for the poor and given food to the starving, and help rebuild our infrastructure - when you pull the chain think of America.... Altruism does not need Stalin to succeed

Nice of "quotes" to glob these three mal- intentioned and cruel dummies into one bucket.