LR Podcast, S3E17: Will Atlas shrug?

One of the chief themes of Galt's speech is the idea that society had begun to hold sacrifice as its highest virtue, but Galt points out that in society's twisted morality, societies concept of sacrifice was not that of noble self-sacrifice, it was responding to the demands of others that was held as a virtue. Virtue, in this fallen system, was to accede to the demands of others, even to the point of going against one's own best self-interest. This “virtue” of sacrifice stemmed from or perhaps caused a widespread sense of entitlement. People had stared to believe that they were entitled to the efforts of others.

Analysis of John Galt’s speech: Sacrifice

One of the chief themes of Galt's speech is the idea that society had begun to hold sacrifice as its highest virtue, but Galt points out that in society's twisted morality, societies concept of sacrifice was not that of noble self-sacrifice, it was responding to the demands of others that was held as a virtue. Virtue, in this fallen system, was to accede to the demands of others, even to the point of going against one's own best self-interest.