Ayn Rand Lexicon misquotes ‘The Inexplicable Personal Alchemy’

In-house rules Feb 26, 2024 · By Dennis Hackethal

Misquote: 2 issues found

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Suggested fix

The quote with each unmarked change either marked or undone. It passes the check.

There is a fundamental conviction which some people never acquire, some hold only in their youth, and a few hold to the end of their days—the conviction that ideas matter. . . . . That ideas matter means that knowledge matters, that truth matters, that one’s mind matters. . . . . Its consequence is the inability to believe in the power or the triumph of evil. No matter what corruption one observes in one’s immediate background, one is unable to accept it as normal, permanent or metaphysically right. One feels: “This injustice (or terror or falsehood or frustration or pain or agony) is the exception in life, not the rule.” One feels certain that somewhere on earth—even if not anywhere in one’s surroundings or within one’s reach—a proper, human way of life is possible to human beings, and justice matters.

Original text

There is a fundamental conviction which some people never acquire, some hold only in their youth, and a few hold to the end of their days—the conviction that ideas matter. In one’s youth that conviction is experienced as a self-evident absolute, and one is unable fully to believe that there are people who do not share it. That ideas matter means that knowledge matters, that truth matters, that one’s mind matters. And the radiance of that certainty, in the process of growing up, is the best aspect of youth. Its consequence is the inability to believe in the power or the triumph of evil. No matter what corruption one observes in one’s immediate background, one is unable to accept it as normal, permanent or metaphysically right. One feels: “This injustice (or terror or falsehood or frustration or pain or agony) is the exception in life, not the rule.” One feels certain that somewhere on earth—even if not anywhere in one’s surroundings or within one’s reach—a proper, human way of life is possible to human beings, and justice matters.

Quote text

There is a fundamental conviction which some people never acquire, some hold only in their youth, and a few hold to the end of their days—the conviction that ideas matter . . . . That ideas matter means that knowledge matters, that truth matters, that one’s mind matters . . . . Its consequence is the inability to believe in the power or the triumph of evil. No matter what corruption one observes in one’s immediate background, one is unable to accept it as normal, permanent or metaphysically right. One feels: “This injustice (or terror or falsehood or frustration or pain or agony) is the exception in life, not the rule.” One feels certain that somewhere on earth—even if not anywhere in one’s surroundings or within one’s reach—a proper, human way of life is possible to human beings, and justice matters.

Ellipsis used (if any): ‘. . . .’

Diff

There‧is‧a‧fundamental‧conviction‧which‧some‧people‧never‧acquire,‧some‧hold‧only‧in‧their‧youth,‧and‧a‧few‧hold‧to‧the‧end‧of‧their‧days—the‧conviction‧that‧*ideas‧matter*.‧In‧one’s‧youth‧that‧conviction‧is‧experienced‧as‧a‧self-evident‧absolute,‧and‧one‧is‧unable‧fully‧to‧believe‧that‧there‧are‧people‧who‧do‧not‧share‧it.. . . .‧That‧ideas‧matter‧means‧that‧knowledge‧matters,‧that‧truth‧matters,‧that‧one’s‧mind‧matters.‧And‧the‧radiance‧of‧that‧certainty,‧in‧the‧process‧of‧growing‧up,‧is‧the‧best‧aspect‧of‧youth.. . . .↵
↵
Its‧consequence‧is‧the‧inability‧to‧believe‧in‧the‧power‧or‧the‧triumph‧of‧evil.‧No‧matter‧what‧corruption‧one‧observes‧in‧one’s‧immediate‧background,‧one‧is‧unable‧to‧accept‧it‧as‧normal,‧permanent‧or‧*metaphysically*‧right.‧One‧feels:‧“This‧injustice‧(or‧terror‧or‧falsehood‧or‧frustration‧or‧pain‧or‧agony)‧is‧the‧exception‧in‧life,‧not‧the‧rule.”‧One‧feels‧certain‧that‧somewhere‧on‧earth—even‧if‧not‧anywhere‧in‧one’s‧surroundings‧or‧within‧one’s‧reach—a‧proper,‧human‧way‧of‧life‧is‧possible‧to‧human‧beings,‧and‧justice‧matters.
added in the quote removed from the original wavy not marked as a change ‧ space
Part-by-part explanation
# Part Valid? Explanation
1
There‧is‧a‧fundamental‧conviction‧which‧some‧people‧never‧acquire,‧some‧hold‧only‧in‧their‧youth,‧and‧a‧few‧hold‧to‧the‧end‧of‧their‧days—the‧conviction‧that‧*ideas‧matter*
2
.
× no Deletions must be indicated, eg by ‘. . . .’ or [replacement].
3
‧
4
In‧one’s‧youth‧that‧conviction‧is‧experienced‧as‧a‧self-evident‧absolute,‧and‧one‧is‧unable‧fully‧to‧believe‧that‧there‧are‧people‧who‧do‧not‧share‧it.
✓ yes Deletion is followed by a valid insertion.
5
. . . .
✓ yes Insertion is an ellipsis.
6
‧That‧ideas‧matter‧means‧that‧knowledge‧matters,‧that‧truth‧matters,‧that‧one’s‧mind‧matters
7
.
× no Deletions must be indicated, eg by ‘. . . .’ or [replacement].
8
‧
9
And‧the‧radiance‧of‧that‧certainty,‧in‧the‧process‧of‧growing‧up,‧is‧the‧best‧aspect‧of‧youth.
✓ yes Deletion is followed by a valid insertion.
10
. . . .
✓ yes Insertion is an ellipsis.
11
↵
↵
Its‧consequence‧is‧the‧inability‧to‧believe‧in‧the‧power‧or‧the‧triumph‧of‧evil.‧No‧matter‧what‧corruption‧one‧observes‧in‧one’s‧immediate‧background,‧one‧is‧unable‧to‧accept‧it‧as‧normal,‧permanent‧or‧*metaphysically*‧right.‧One‧feels:‧“This‧injustice‧(or‧terror‧or‧falsehood‧or‧frustration‧or‧pain‧or‧agony)‧is‧the‧exception‧in‧life,‧not‧the‧rule.”‧One‧feels‧certain‧that‧somewhere‧on‧earth—even‧if‧not‧anywhere‧in‧one’s‧surroundings‧or‧within‧one’s‧reach—a‧proper,‧human‧way‧of‧life‧is‧possible‧to‧human‧beings,‧and‧justice‧matters.

Notes

Using four periods in an ellipsis instead of three is unusual. Regardless, there is a difference between indicating an omission at the end of a sentence vs between sentences. Currently, the ellipses indicate that the sentences continue, but they do not – they both end with a period in the original. I’ve added a line break between the two paragraphs in the original (resulting in two line breaks rather than just one) to be charitable as this is arguably a question of style/rendering.

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