I believe the psycho-epistemology of the looter gives license to the false association that is referred to in the quote above. In a psycho-epistemological sense, the looter projects his own moral cowardice onto those who most cherish moral ambitiousness, i.e. the businessman. That is to claim the looter calls the businessman selfish as a means to denigrate his reputation. But I believe the looter actually defines selfishness through some kind of self knowledge, whether through introspection or his subconscious. Between the projection of "dubious or evil goals" and the narrative of victimhood, the looter has a concoction he uses to sustain and expand his narrative. The source of this projection is not greed, but moral envy, i.e. hatred of the good for being the good. This observation makes clear the reason Galt's Gulch is able exist, while Soviet Russia and Red China cannot do so. As a supporting observation and in similar fashion, this projection is how communists claim capitalism to be imperialistic, all while bullying their citizens as well as those of neighboring countries into accepting the vicious code. The scourge of altruism is, in fact, sustained by this insidious psycho-epistemology and is based in envy.

I like the quote and rbroberg's comment about "hatred of the good for being good."

It seems like altruism is based on the idea people are bad. Catholics have original sin to cover people just born and too young to have done anything bad. Starting from the premise we're born bad, it makes sense that we what we want and what we think are bad. Not doing what we want, according to this thinking, is good.

If we were born good, then using our thoughts and abilities to get what we want would be a virtue.

I wonder why people are willing to accept creeds that start with humankind being evil. It is just a tool of institutions, like gov'ts and religions? I sense that misanthropy, violating people's rights, and altruism are siblings that hang out together. I do not know how which typically causes which, but once you accept one you're on the road to all three.