Shimoniskey

Well, assuming they are a rational or mostly rational being, there is no way you could get anything good out of them by force (what a nice world that would be). Unfortunately though, there are many people who refuse to recognize that they should exist only for themselves and would go along with the forced sacrifice enough that it could possibly outweigh the advantages of not forcing them.

Indeed, I knew it was rather fantastic, but it is indeed "wondrously fantastic." Its a very valid point that this is pretty much an impossible situation, as even your power would be dependent upon thousands of others in a chain of command. Also, that is an excellent way of dealing with extreme ethical (and other) hypotheticals, Ill be sure to use it, as I have a friend that vastly over uses them.

I agree. If we take it to an extreme for the sake of discussion though, what if I am the most powerful man on the planet? Then why would it not be in my interest?

I thank you for a very good answer. On the last point, It would seem to me that by forcing others (or even merely being a non forceful moocher) I am relying on someone else's moral shortfalls as a substitute for my own motive force and value. This is degrading to my own human spirit because I know that I am nothing better than a looter or a second hander. I think this is why it feels so wrong to get something that you don't deserve/ haven't earned. Because it actually is wrong.

The closest thing I can come up with is that not violating the rights of others is nearly always in my interest because then I can get the full potential of their minds, particularly if they are a "fully rational" (or close to it) being. The problem is that there are a lot of people, especially ones who are effectively irrational, who could conceivably benefit me more if I did violate their rights. There are two parts to John Galt's oath: 1. I swear by my life and my love for it that I will never live for the sake of another man 2. nor ask another man to live for mine. I understand the objective basis for number 1, but I'm having a hard time finding one for number 2.