Saving the country’s morale

Atlas Shrugged – Day 078 – pp. 842-851

“How many trains have been discontinued in the country in the past three weeks?”

“It has eliminated thirty per cent of the trains run in the country,” said Eddie. “The only competition left is in the applications to the Board for permission to cancel trains. The railroad to survive will be the one that manages to run no trains at all.”

That’s quite an explanation.

What’s going on in Dagny’s head?

Just a couple days ago, she was in capitalist paradise. Now she returns to a situation that has grown exponentially worse in just three weeks. The road down the hill to oblivion is steepening and their decline is accelerating. Seriously, at this point, what does she think she can do?

Jim goes on a bit about “what the hell was he supposed to do? … let a transcontinental railroad go broke?” blah blah blah.

Meigs leaves and Dagny wants to know what other business Jim has.

He’s scheduled her to be on the Bertram Scudder radio show that evening.

What?!?! (That’s her reaction. We readers are not surprised.)

He’s scheduled, in conjunction with the office of the “Morale Conditioner”

“…that you should make a speech to the nation, a morale-building speech, you know, saying that you haven’t quit.”

“Why?”

Why?! Because the country is on the brink of chaos. Because revolt against the looters may be looming. Because they’ve had to develop a weapon of mass murder to keep everybody in line.

Now, it would seem to me, that this would actually be an opportune time for her to come clean. To say “OK Jim,” and then go on the air and say “Rise up people, these bastards in Washington are living high off the sweat of your back — kind of like Goldman Sachs (oh wait, that hasn’t happened yet.)

I mean, if she really wanted to come back to save the world like she said when she left Colorado, wouldn’t this be the perfect opportunity?

But then she thinks of what Hank said before.

“They need some sort of sanction from us. I don’t know the nature of that sanction — but Dagny, I know that if we value our lives, we must not give it to them.”

Dagny sees the trap Jim has laid. He’s put her in a position where a refusal would harm him as much as anyone. And he’s counting on her to save him and the railroad.

She refuses. She’s fallen back to Hank’s way of thinking — not to give sanction — which is, in its own way, sort of the John Galt way of thinking. (Except that they have some moral imperative to hang around and let the looters kick their asses.)

Now that doesn’t really make sense. If she wanted to have a positive effect, she should be in front of the microphone setting things straight. Oh well.

And by the way, what the hell is the “office of the Morale Conditioner?” Wasn’t there some similar branch of the G in “1984?” (Where’s my book…)

A couple hours go by with Dagny working at her desk, when she receives a call that Mrs. Rearden is there to see her.

Lillian?

Yes, Jim’s called Lillian to come “persuade” his sister.

She sits and tells Dagny that she will be on the show.

Why?

She explains the reason that Hank gave up his most important dream, his most important possession, the center of his universe — Rearden Metal — to the state. To protect her honor. They have all the proof.

If she doesn’t go on and make her speech, they’ll go public with the scandal and Hank’s sacrifice will all be for naught. He’ll have given up his world for nothing.

I wonder what John Galt would have done different had he been nailing Dagny and the G demanded his motor. Would he have done the same? Actually, the end results were the same.

They left great creations in the hands of those who didn’t have a clue how to use them. The only difference was their motivations. One did it as a sacrifice for Dagny, the other did it for a “higher” principle.

So what is Rand’s “higher good?” End results or Motivation?

And isn’t John Galt behaving a little like Hank now? Coming back to earth to keep the door open for Dagny?

Grrrrrrrrrr.

OK. Dagny’s in.

Cut to the radio show. Bertram Scudder is introducing her in his most effusive tone. The heroine of the hour. Brilliant businesswoman. Ladies and gentlemen, Dagny Taggart.

“I came here to tell you about the social program, the political system and the moral philosophy under which you are now living.”

Ooooooh!

Curve ball coming??? Stay tuned.