“Well done, ” says Rand. “Your hard work and rational abilities have allowed you to excel in your own goals. And a nice side benefit is that your knowledge will also benefit others in your community. You are ready to move on to another enclave.”
“Thank you,” you reply proudly accepting the volume from Rand as you strut back to the carriage. “This will make a wonderful edition to the library.”
You feel the weight of the book from the egoism enclave on your lap. The gentle swaying of the carriage and steady hoof beats of the horse put you in a reflective mood. Forging ahead and facing the unknown can be intimidating. But you’ve just been inspired by the talk of heroic personal achievement and building a new world. To reconstitute the library, to restore civilization—these are important things. You’ve demonstrated your knowledge of egoism, both psychological and ethical, and feel justified pride swelling within you.
You begin to day dream. You see your friends joyfully welcoming you home, putting the new book on the library shelf, and then having a wonderful party. Maybe they’ll honor you with a parade…you might even receive a medal. Wow! You catch yourself and wonder, is it about helping my city and restoring lost wisdom, or is it just all about me? How much is altruism, how much is self-interest? You ponder how your private inner world with its fears, hopes and dreams, intersects with your friends, loved ones, and the larger world itself.
