Alexander Herzen: Of course I'm an egoist! How strange people are!-- taking pride in humility . . . in servitude to others . . . and the whole system of duties designed by authority to keep us quiet and as little different from each other as possible . . . Why should we damp down everything in us which is our uniqueness, the salt of our personality . . . the tiny furnace which needs to be constantly fed with self-esteem to keep us warm and vital, and yes, of use to our brothers and neighbours? Egoism isn't an acquired vice. It's not an acquired virtue either.. It's just part of what comes with being human, to keep us free, to create our own destiny, and our values. It's not the enemy of love! It's what love feeds on. That's why without you I'd be destroyed.

Tom Stoppard, Salvage