I’m thinking of making this a weekly feature, in honor of having grown up in Bergen County, NJ where all retail stores were closed on Sundays: I’ll just throw out a few questions and let the readers respond it they feel like it. (Considering I only post a few times a week anyway, the logic of this stunt is even more questionable then it would be under regular blogging conditions.)
1) Not surprisingly, some of the interest in this site and the concept of going John Galt is an expression of resistance to Democratic control of the executive and legislative branches of the US federal government. Understandable I suppose, but it was the October bailouts that spurred me to get this project underway, with a Republican in the White House, and supported by the Republican presidential candidate. So I’m wondering if people think we’d be better off, short-term or long-term, had McCain been elected? (I’ll give my answers later; it’s Blue Law Sunday today!)
2) The unconcealed joy some folks experience at informing us of the futility of our efforts shows a side of human nature I wish I could un-see. But I think those people are overrepresented in political commentary. What’s your gut estimate of the ratio of people who are actively rooting for us to fail vs. people who simply don’t think we can succeed?
% of people rooting for you to fail: don’t care
% of people who don’t think you can succeed: 90+% of objectivists
I think you have two HUGE barriers in getting the producers of this country to go along with a strike:
1) The producers have more than just themselves to worry about. They might subject themselves to a lower lifestyle to make a point, but I don’t think they’ll subject their children, wives and, to some extent, their employees to the consequences of a strike.
2) Don’t underestimate the value of Reason, Purpose & Self-Esteem. I don’t think people who work 80+ hours a week are primarily motivated by money, but rather by the sense of accomplishment it gives them, all of which allows them to gain and/or keep the three primary Objectivist values mentioned above. Much of Atlas Shrugged was devoted to this issue, and it was what made it so difficult for John Galt to carry out his strike.
On the other hand, Galt was ultimately able to convince his targets with a speech on philosophy. Ayn Rand shared that speech with the world 50 years ago, and now more and more people are buying that book. I wonder, will any modern-day producers be spurred to strike after reading the speech.
Even given an Atlas Shrugged effect, it’s dubious that you could get enough strikers to make a significant impact on the global economy (and it is global now, unlike 50 years ago). However, if several producers went on strike AND told the world why they were doing it–i.e. some form of Galt’s speech–that might have an impact.
I think the key to changing the world is still in spreading the right ideas. To the extent that a strike would help this effort, I think it’s worth doing.
Sean
1) Simply, no. I firmly believe that the upper echelons of the Republican party have fallen prey to the same pandering that has long characterized the liberals. As Sean pointed out, it was Republicans who got the economic stimulus ball rolling. With only a few exceptions, every parasite politician everywhere has figured out by now that the US is a fresh corpse, ripe for picking. All they have to do is tear off little strips and wave them in front of people, and they’ll follow them anywhere like mesmerized rats. It’s regardless of political party. In fact, I’ve even heard of a few Libertarians who are like that.
2) There certainly are a lot of Bertram Scudders out there, aren’t there? Every time I come across one, it makes me shudder. But my gut tells me that these people are few and far between. I have a hard time believing that such people would exist in any appreciable numbers. Perhaps I’m a bit naiive in that regard, but I won’t be “going Cherryl Taggart.” I’d say a ratio of 1:99.
there’s nothing like trying to solve a problem caused by greed and ignorance with a greedy, ignorant solution. well done, solipsists.
woot! you got the Colbert bump!!!
Here because of Colbert! I think your website probably just got 50K hits. I couldn’t even ‘land’ right after he mentioned you … Congrats. (Not that I agree with your point of view. But I welcome the diversity.)
Now if you could just get Jon Stewart to mention you, you would “arrive”.
“The unconcealed joy some folks experience at informing us of the futility of our efforts shows a side of human nature I wish I could un-see.”
That’s the same feeling I get when I see your objective and the words of Rand calling the poor moochers grabbing for the money of the more successful. The gods will see you all pay for your miserly ways.
I grew up in Bergen County and know that the blue laws provide some peace and interruption to the mindless and frantic consumerism of the rest of the week. If the upper tier of the pyramid went on strike it would not be very much noticed because the tiers under them, that they are subjugating and exploiting through disproportionate exertion of influence, would simply pick up the slack. It is an absurd and delusional idea that there is some “cream of the crop” that is keeping society functioning, instead of merely exploiting their position, which, because of the structure of society, simply allows them access to progressively more power and benefit.
“– There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old’s life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs.”
http://kfmonkey.blogspot.com/2009/03/ephemera-2009-7.html
You don’t do a strike of capital by percentages. You do it by individuals. You have one gutsy guy who records the next threatened IRS thug audit and puts it out on youtube. That sort of thing is not something that’s a percentage play but it would be a game changer because the mask would slip and the other stories would come out. And then people would have to choose between a society of laws and a society of well connected predators and the sheep they feed off of.
Who is going to stand up and willingly paint that bullseye target on themselves? That’s your John Galt. And the story of his and his imitators’ martyrdoms will create your strike.