--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am Andrew Ryan, and I am here to ask…" description: "\"I am Andrew Ryan, and I am here to ask you a question. Is a man not entitled to the sweat of his brow? 'No,' says the man in Washington, 'it belongs to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb8/andrew-ryan-28455_andrew_i-am-andrew-ryan-and-i-am-here-to-ask-yo_2601406.jpg" --- # I am Andrew Ryan, and I am here to ask you a question. Is… ![“I am Andrew Ryan, and I am here to ask you a question. Is a man not entitled to the sweat of his brow? 'No,' says the man in Washington, 'it belongs to the poor.' 'No,' says the man in the Vatican, 'it belongs to God.' 'No,' says the man in Moscow, 'it belongs to everyone.' I rejected those…” quote by Andrew Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb8/andrew-ryan-28455_andrew_i-am-andrew-ryan-and-i-am-here-to-ask-yo_2601406.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb8/andrew-ryan-28455_andrew_i-am-andrew-ryan-and-i-am-here-to-ask-yo_2601406.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb8/andrew-ryan-28455_andrew_i-am-andrew-ryan-and-i-am-here-to-ask-yo_2601406.jpg) > “I am Andrew Ryan, and I am here to ask you a question. Is a man not entitled to the sweat of his brow? 'No,' says the man in Washington, 'it belongs to the poor.' 'No,' says the man in the Vatican, 'it belongs to God.' 'No,' says the man in Moscow, 'it belongs to everyone.' I rejected those answers. Instead, I chose something different. I chose the impossible. I chose Rapture.” [Andrew Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ryan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A critique of collectivist claims over individual labor, asserting personal ownership of one's work and the right to create a society based on self‑interest. **In simple terms:** People own the fruits of their own labor. Key Takeaway Defend personal property and self‑determination. Themes individualism property rights political philosophy Mood defiant reflective Type philosophical political When to use this quote - entrepreneurship - political debate - labor negotiations - civil rights activism Key Concepts capitalism objectivism freedom Questions to Reflect On - What does personal ownership mean for societal inequality? - How can we balance self‑interest with collective welfare? A Different Perspective May overlook social safety nets and communal responsibilities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Moscow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moscow/) [Rapture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rapture/) ## Related quotes > [“I believe in no God, no invisible man in the sky. But there is something more powerful than each of us, a combination of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-believe-in-no-god-no-invisible-man-in-the-sky-but-there-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“No Gods Or Kings. Only Man. -Andrew Ryan”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shirley/no-gods-or-kings-only-man-andrew-ryan/) [John Shirley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shirley/) > [The question is not what man can scorn, or disparage, or find fault with, but what he can love, and value, and appreciate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/the-question-is-not-what-man-can-scorn-or-disparage-or-find-fault/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [The decisive question for man is: Is he related to something infinite or not? That is the telling question of his life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/the-decisive-question-for-man-is-is-he-related-to-something-infinite-3/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [It is not a question how much a man knows, but what use he can make of what he knows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-g-holland/it-is-not-a-question-how-much-a-man-knows-but-what-use-he-can-make-of/) [J. G. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-g-holland/) > [I can play, it's not even a question, man. But, you know, sometimes you don't get in the game, man. What are you going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/metta-world-peace/i-can-play-it-s-not-even-a-question-man-but-you-know-sometimes-you/) [Metta World Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/metta-world-peace/) > [The question for each man to settle is not what he would do if he had the means, time, influence and educational advantages, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamilton-wright-mabie/the-question-for-each-man-to-settle-is-not-what-he-would-do-if-he-had-2/) [Hamilton Wright Mabie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamilton-wright-mabie/) > [Whether man is a product of evolution or is 'created' becomes the question, 'Who is man? Is he part of the world or something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alija-izetbegovic/whether-man-is-a-product-of-evolution-or-is-created-becomes-the/) [Alija Izetbegovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alija-izetbegovic/) > [“The key question, it seemed to him, was that of whether man was to obey Nature, or attempt to command her.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bowles/the-key-question-it-seemed-to-him-was-that-of-whether-man-was-to-obey/) [Paul Bowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bowles/) > [“The man who sees both sides of a question is a man who sees absolutely nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-man-who-sees-both-sides-of-a-question-is-a-man-who-sees-2/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Every question in a man’s life answers naturally to the supernatural.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-oyedepo/every-question-in-a-man-s-life-answers-naturally-to-the-supernatural/) [David O. Oyedepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-oyedepo/) > [“Do you want to achieve something or do you just want to make money?” asked a nearby man in a white shirt to another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-amory/do-you-want-to-achieve-something-or-do-you-just-want-to-make-money/) [Daniel Amory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-amory/) > [The man who sees both sides of a question is a man who sees absolutely nothing at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-man-who-sees-both-sides-of-a-question-is-a-man-who-sees/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The great question, whether man is of nature or above her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-perkins-marsh/the-great-question-whether-man-is-of-nature-or-above-her/) [George Perkins Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-perkins-marsh/) > [“The question for the man of sense is: Do we or do we not want to go to hell? And his answer is: No,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/the-question-for-the-man-of-sense-is-do-we-or-do-we-not-want-to-go-to/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) ## More by Andrew Ryan > [Lacking its own ingenuity, the parasite fears the visionary. What it cannot plagiarize, it seeks to censor. What it cannot regulate, it seeks to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ryan/lacking-its-own-ingenuity-the-parasite-fears-the-visionary-what-it/) [Andrew Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ryan/) > [“A man chooses...a slave obeys.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ryan/a-man-chooses-a-slave-obeys/) [Andrew Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ryan/) > [Altruism is the root of all Wickedness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ryan/altruism-is-the-root-of-all-wickedness/) [Andrew Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ryan/) > [What is the difference between a man and a parasite? A man builds, a parasite asks 'Where's my share?' A man creates, a parasite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ryan/what-is-the-difference-between-a-man-and-a-parasite-a-man-builds-a/) [Andrew Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ryan/) > [It was not impossible to build Rapture at the bottom of the sea. It was impossible to build it anywhere else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ryan/it-was-not-impossible-to-build-rapture-at-the-bottom-of-the-sea-it/) [Andrew Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ryan/) > [With the sweat of your brow. Rapture can become your city as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ryan/with-the-sweat-of-your-brow-rapture-can-become-your-city-as-well/) [Andrew Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ryan/) > [Stop, would you kindly? 'Would you kindly'. Powerful phrase. Familiar phrase? Sit, would you kindly? Stand, would you kindly? Run! Stop! Turn. A man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ryan/stop-would-you-kindly-would-you-kindly-powerful-phrase-familiar/) [Andrew Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ryan/) > [To build a city at the bottom of the sea: insanity. But where else could we be free from the clutching hand of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ryan/to-build-a-city-at-the-bottom-of-the-sea-insanity-but-where-else/) [Andrew Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ryan/) > [An artist strives to frame his ideals in an image; to challenge his audience and to make his vision immortal. But the parasites say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ryan/an-artist-strives-to-frame-his-ideals-in-an-image-to-challenge-his/) [Andrew Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ryan/) > [God did not plant the seeds of this Arcadia. I did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ryan/god-did-not-plant-the-seeds-of-this-arcadia-i-did/) [Andrew Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ryan/) > [“Before the final rat has eaten the last gram of you, Rapture will have returned. I will lead a parade. "Who was that," they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ryan/before-the-final-rat-has-eaten-the-last-gram-of-you-rapture-will-have/) [Andrew Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ryan/) > [A free man chooses, a slave obeys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ryan/a-free-man-chooses-a-slave-obeys/) [Andrew Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ryan/) > [A man has a choice. I chose the impossible. I built a city where the artist would not fear the censor, where the great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ryan/a-man-has-a-choice-i-chose-the-impossible-i-built-a-city-where-the/) [Andrew Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ryan/) > [Could I have made mistakes? One does not build cities if one is guided by doubt. But can one govern in absolute certainty? I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ryan/could-i-have-made-mistakes-one-does-not-build-cities-if-one-is-guided/) [Andrew Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ryan/) > [Whenever anyone wants others to do their work they call upon their Altruism. 'Never mind your own needs,' they say, 'Think of the needs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ryan/whenever-anyone-wants-others-to-do-their-work-they-call-upon-their/) [Andrew Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ryan/) [Explore all 19 Andrew Ryan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ryan/) ## More Andrew quotes > [ When Andrew \[Ridgeley\] first met my family, he heard my mom calling me "Yorgos." 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It's not my idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-parker/i-do-not-wanna-write-a-song-like-coathanger-so-andrew-breitbart-can/) [Graham Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-parker/) > [I was born in St. Andrew's and raised in Kingston then I attended the Alpha Boy's school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-dekker/i-was-born-in-st-andrew-s-and-raised-in-kingston-then-i-attended-the/) [Desmond Dekker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-dekker/) > [“Andrew raised an eyebrow in appreciation. “Damn…what is it with this town?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-gregory/andrew-raised-an-eyebrow-in-appreciation-damn-what-is-it-with-this/) Amy Gregory > [In the years since The Life and Extraordinary Adventures of Private Ivan Chonkin, Voinovich has sharpened his satire, and Monumental Propaganda is a novel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kalfus/in-the-years-since-the-life-and-extraordinary-adventures-of-private/) [Ken Kalfus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kalfus/) > [When have you ever seen a one on one match up on this platform? 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If I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/he-looked-back-at-the-page-got-one-last-glimpse-before-the-match-blew/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) Browse all 290 Andrew quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I am Andrew Ryan, and I am here to ask you a question. Is a man not entitled to the sweat of his brow? 'No,' says the man in Washington, 'it belongs to the poor.' 'No,' says the man in the Vatican, 'it belongs to God.' 'No,' says the man in Moscow, 'it belongs to everyone.' I rejected those answers. Instead, I chose something different. I chose the impossible. 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