David Kelley Quote

"To say "I have to" is to speak the language of compulsion, duty, authority -- the language of injunctions imposed on us from without. Objectivism is not a duty ethic, but an ethic of values, the ultimate value being one's own life and happiness. The language of values is "I want" and "I will": I want this, and I will do what it takes to get it."

by:	David Kelley Executive Director Institute for Objectivist Studies, Ph.D.
Source:	I Don't Have To, IOS Journal, Volume 6, Number 1, April 1996.
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Categories:	Compulsion, Duty, Ethics, Responsibility, Self-Determination
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Ayn Rand's Objectivity!  -- Cal, lewisville, tx
"an ethic of values, the ultimate value being one's own life and happiness."...Exactly!  -- J Carlton, Calgary
-- jim k, Austin, Tx
Be free of "have to" today, join us, become a Libertarian. Take the test - you may not know that you are a Libertarian already...? Join us at: LP.org  -- Carol Dorrough, Estero, FL
Carol, I voted for H W Bush in 92, but Libertarian ever since. Hopefully it will be Rand Paul when he runs against Hillary in 2016.  -- Cal, lewisville, tx
Ever since I was a kid I could hardly wait to 'grow up' and be able to live my own life my way. I have been ordered around by adults, teachers, nuns, and 'authorities' of all stripes each with their own self-professed claim to some aspect of my life, body, property, even my thoughts and choices. Over 50 years later, there are still those that seem to believe I should be doing things their way, following their rules, and 'sacrificing' myself for the 'common good' as they define it. Thankfully I never waited until I 'grew up' to stand my ground, challenge authority, question blind obedience, and have the guts to walk my own path. Every once and a while I met someone along the way who has done the same thing, and even though we may be in the minority, it has been all I needed to carry on. There is only one life -- this one -- and I am not going to waste it on someone else's social work project. What a grand gift life has been, and what a pleasure it is to truly give of myself, not out of compulsion, not out of duty, but from the heart -- from me. ;-)  -- E Archer, NYC      1
Amen Archer!  -- J Carlton, Calgary
In general, I like it a lot.  -- Mike, Norwalk

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