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...Is it an inspiring sight to see a man commit a heroic gesture, and then learn that he goes to vaudeville shows for relaxation? Or see a man who’s painted a magnificent canvas—and learn that he spends his time sleeping with every slut he meets?”“What do you want? Perfection?”“—or nothing. So, you see, I take the nothing.

...Is it an inspiring sight to see a man commit a heroic gesture, and then learn that he goes to vaudeville shows for relaxation? Or see a man who’s painted a magnificent canvas—and learn that he spends his time sleeping with every slut he meets?”“What do you want? Perfection?”“—or nothing. So, you see, I take the nothing.

Approximate author period: c. 1943 AD · modern

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Attribution & collection notes
Author or tradition
Ayn Rand
Attribution: attributed
Country attributed
Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin.
Historical period
Approximate author period: c. 1943 AD · modern
Approximate author-period anchor from life dates 1905 to 1982; Wikidata Q132524, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q132524 (accessed 2026-10-08). Not a quotation composition date.
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Supplied reference C; CSV row 335341; supplied attribution, independently unverified

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