 The question arises why Rand thinks that charity, kindness etc. are not major virtues when they meet all the conditions of appropriateness: the recipient is worthy of help, one can afford to help, it is in one’s rational self-interest (or not contrary to it) to help, and so on. Perhaps Rand thinks that they are “minor” virtues because we are not obligated to act on them at all times, the way we are obligated to act justly and honestly at all times. A deeper reason, however, might be her conception of people as essentially agents rather than patients, doers rather than receivers, self-sufficient rather than dependent. Nevertheless, Rand’s view of the unity of the virtues dictates that, even if we are not obligated to act on charity, kindness etc. at all times, they are just as important to possess as the other virtues. Moreover, in keeping with her emphasis on the importance of goodwill towards others and “the benevolent universe premise”, Rand’s heroes are often extraordinarily (and almost always appropriately) kind and generous, not only towards those they love but also towards mere acquaintances, and even sometimes adversaries.  Striking examples include, from The Fountainhead, Howard Roark’s unsought-for attempt to give hope and courage to Steven Mallory, the gifted young sculptor whose failure to get work has driven him to the verge of a spiritual and physical collapse, and Roark’s unreproachful help to his erstwhile adversary, Peter Keating, when Keating falls on hard times. In Atlas Shrugged, Dagny offers support to a heart-broken and despairing Cheryl Taggart who, in the past, has treated Dagny with scorn, and Hank Rearden generously supports his exploitative family before he realizes their  exploitativeness.[8] Rand’s implicit recognition that kindness and generosity are important virtues is shown also in her depiction of her villains as lacking all kindness and generosity.