One other of my favourite passages from Atlas shrugged. which doesn’t qualify for the blockbuster class is an announcement by Francisco d’Anconia. Jim Taggart, who’s about to enter his ultimate yr of school, tells Francisco that the thousands and thousands of {dollars} he’s about to inherit are usually not for his private pleasure however quite for a “belief” which needs to be used for the advantage of the deprived and the poor.

Francisco responds, “It’s not advisable, James, to danger unsolicited opinions. It’s best to save your self the embarrassing discovery of their precise worth to your listener.

I nearly by no means appreciated unsolicited recommendation. I attempt to mannequin that by not giving recommendation with out first asking if it is welcome.

The passage tangentially jogs my memory of an Allan Sherman tune titled “Good recommendation.” I nonetheless bear in mind the refrain:

And it was good recommendation, good recommendation,

Good recommendation prices nothing and is definitely worth the value.