“A viler evil than to murder a man, is to sell him suicide as an act of virtue.”

—  Ayn Rand , book Atlas Shrugged

Source: Atlas Shrugged

Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "A viler evil than to murder a man, is to sell him suicide as an act of virtue." by Ayn Rand?
Ayn Rand photo
Ayn Rand 322
Russian-American novelist and philosopher 1905–1982

Related quotes

George MacDonald photo

“It may be an infinitely less evil to murder a man than to refuse to forgive him. The former may be the act of a moment of passion: the latter is the heart’s choice.”

George MacDonald (1824–1905) Scottish journalist, novelist

‘’It Shall Not Be Forgiven’’
Unspoken Sermons, First Series (1867)
Source: Unspoken Sermons: Series I, II, III

Niccolo Machiavelli photo

“A man who wishes to act entirely up to his professions of virtue soon meets with what destroys him among so much that is evil.”

Variant: A man who strives after goodness in all his acts is sure to come to ruin, since there are so many men who are not good.
Source: The Prince (1513), Ch. 15; translated by W. K. Marriot

Graham Chapman photo

“A murderer is only an extroverted suicide.”

Graham Chapman (1941–1989) English comedian, writer and actor
Cesare Pavese photo

“Suicides are timid murderers. Masochism instead of Sadism.”

Cesare Pavese (1908–1950) Italian poet, novelist, literary critic, and translator

This Business of Living (1935-1950)

Christopher Morley photo
Anthony Burgess photo
Annie Besant photo
Eugéne Ionesco photo

“That's how we stay young these days: murder and suicide.”

Eugéne Ionesco (1909–1994) Romanian playwright

Source: Man With Bags

François de La Rochefoucauld photo

“We need greater virtues to sustain good than evil fortune.”

Il faut de plus grandes vertus pour soutenir la bonne fortune que la mauvaise.
Maxim 25.
Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims (1665–1678)

Woodrow Wilson photo

“I am inclined to follow the course suggested by a friend of mine who says that he has always followed the rule never to murder a man who is committing suicide, and clearly this misdirected gentleman is committing suicide slowly but sureley.”

Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924) American politician, 28th president of the United States (in office from 1913 to 1921)

Letter to Bernard Baruch (19 August 1916), PWW 38:51
1910s
Variant: Never attempt to murder a man who is committing suicide.

Related topics