Chapter 16, "The Divine Right of Stagnation", Nathaniel Branden (1963) Summary and Analysis

In this chapter, Branden discusses humans' need to grow and develop in order to survive as a race. Whereas in animals, maturity stops at physical growth, humans have the ability to grow and develop rationally and intellectually even after they have ceased their physical growth. Humans must meet the challenges of existence by never ceasing to invent, create, and improve upon their inventions and creations. One must exert one's efforts to improve upon one's conditions throughout one's entire lifetime, and peoples must exert their efforts to improve upon the conditions of all humans throughout the entirety of human existence.

Branden expands his discussion to industry. He believes that the necessity for humans to progress demands that their industries change. For example, when new machines are...