(UPDATE (July, 2010): As I think about taking up blogging again, I’ve looked over some of the original documents with which I launched this site. All in all, I think it holds up pretty well, but there’s one change I’d like to make here: Where I say coordination is the key, I originally intended that to mean top-down consciously coordinated action. But upon reflection, I think effective coordination will actually manifest as a combination of some decentralized group activity and the largely uncoordinated modification of personal behavior. Still helps to try to set an example though!)
In Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged, the novel’s hero John Galt leads a secret strike of the most productive citizens in an America where productivity and freedom is no longer valued. The strike is an act of rebellion and self-preservation, fueled by Galt’s crucial insight that their enemies’ only weapons are the ones the strikers produce for them. By recruiting more and more strikers, Galt precipitates the ultimate collapse of American society.
We in the US are living in precarious times. Productive men and women should be taking a good hard look at the sort of government and society they are being forced to support with their taxes. They should also honestly assess the likelihood of freedom’s fortune improving.
Unfortunately, the options open to those who would be free are limited. There is no political movement large enough to reverse the current political trends through peaceful electoral means, as the majority of Americans believe that they can vote themselves into prosperity by expropriating the property of others. Furthermore, there are no constitutional principles remaining to serve as a bulwark against the economic tyranny of the majority.
Productive men and women find themselves in this situation largely due to their own cowardice, too long hoping that someone else will make the case for liberty, while they continue to produce for their victimizers. This strategy, this wish, has not improved their lot. Instead, their victimizers now feel confident that they can take at will from the producers and expect no resistance.
The time has come to change that assumption.
America is not irredeemable. But America will not be inspired to change by would-be rebels without the courage to match their rhetoric. Producers must show that they are not willing to accept further encroachments on their freedoms, even at high personal cost.
To teach the victimizers an object lesson will require planning and coordination. I believe that a “job action” — a calculated work slowdown — undertaken by enough people will convince people that freedom’s benefits are no longer to be taken for granted.
But coordination is the key. Producers seek freedom, not martyrdom, and they are right to demand that their actions will not be in vain. Certainty that the current path is untenable does not assure that an alternate path cannot be worse.
Such is the mission of this project: To identify the most practical strategy for withholding liberty’s fruits from the world, to the end of showing the public that the destruction of liberty will no longer be tolerated. But developing such a strategy, designed to minimize personal risk, attract the greatest number of adherents, minimize defection/treason, discourage backlash, and ultimately inspire, is a task the difficulty of which can hardly be overstated.
Yet I don’t think there is a more pressing mission in the world at this moment. I invite you all to rise to this challenge, and to plan for the time when the freedom loving producers of the US will “go ‘John Galt’”.
Just found this site thanks to Stephen Colbert. (You really should send him a flower basket or something for the advertising). I like some of the ideas I’m hearing here. I read Rand many years ago and liked her ideas from the start. When Ron Paul ran for president I put aside my political cynicism and campaigned for him. Now it seems that an opportunity is here again for people to organize. I’m all for a strike or whatever other action seems to be the most rational at the time, but it seems like there is something that many people posting here are overlooking. One of the things that is usually assumed in objectivism is that all (or at least most) capable people are also moral people. That is moral by objectivist standards. The universal is definitely not the case and even the majority statement is questionable. Many of the looters are in fact quite capable. Geniuses and hard workers are amongst their ranks. This fact is so often overlooked that it often times becomes an achilles heel of objectivists. The assumption that your enemy is less capable than you are is the surest route to a quick defeat. Sun Tsu should be required objectivist reading. Also for a very well crafted fictional account of how objectivism can go horribly wrong by having this achilles heel I highly recommend the game “Bioshock”. Even if you don’t particularly like video games the story was obviously written by objectivists and is incredibly good.
P.S. Matt your differentiation between feelings and ideas serves no purpose but to feed a false dichotomy that allows one of the two to be held as a higher standard than the other. As a cognitive science researcher I can tell you that there is no clear dividing line between a feeling and an idea. Feelings are a particular subset of ideas, and a set with fuzzy boundaries at that. Respect feelings as ideas, call love a rational motivation, those actions make beggars cringe much more than elevating ideas above feelings.
Blake—-
I will think about that.
Pulled out my copy of the art of war. Thumbed through some pages. Great book. So is the prince and two treaties of government.
Matt-
Why are you going into competition with the “soap, ink, and paper companies” and trying to “damage” the economy? Wouldn’t it be more productive to send the prime-movers of these companies copies of Ayn Rand’s works so they too can stop being taken advantage of by people like you? Imagine if the prime-producer-movers of unfairly treated companies like Monsanto, Halliburton and Exxon-Mobile were to stop producing. How wonderful that would be! All the parasites would lose their hold on their minds. It is people like them that need to teach people like you a lesson.
If you stop producing whatever it is that you produce you will have very little impact, not only in the economy (which you very cleverly pointed out), but indeed in the scientific or art world. You are not part of the engine that moves society, the best you can hope to be is a replaceable gear in said engine… perhaps not even that, maybe just a drop of oil in the machinery. The best use of your time is to enlighten some of the prime-shaker-producer-movers of society with the moral truth of Objectivism and hope that in a moment of folly in their infallible, morally pure, producing brains they allow you to enter Atlantis.
Have you considered the idea that our current society is merely the remains of another society where the prime-producer-rational-mover-shakers have already “gone John Galt”? Perchance after the current engine of society is freed from the masses you will be the next in line to form their elite. Maybe then, and only then will you have the benefit of John-Galting the rest of humanity. Surely this must be what you are hoping for, as it is obvious that on a scale from 0 to Ayn Rand you score around a -2.
In conclusion, please drink less of the Objectivism kool-aid and get back to work. Prime-rational-mover-thinker-producer-shakers like me need you to buy our products to increase our wealth. Just kidding, we don’t need anyone.
If I go into direct compitition then I don’t have to pay their fees. I get to keep what I make and if I can sell it cheaper then that puts me at the advantage. Competition is what keeps prices low.
It’s competency that makes the world go around. If You are competent then you have nothing to fear. How long would any of us last if there were incomepetent farmers, or incompetent doctors, or incompetent electricians, or incompetent_______(fill in the blank with occupation).
I respect the Great Minds of the past. Do I wish to be like them? Certainly not. I want to improve their inventions, or increase production or make things easier for myself and inconsequently for everyone else.
Every generation has taken(stolen, looted, mooched) things from the previous generation. and claimed it as their own.
I don’t claim anything i own my as my own creation. Like Monsanto, halliburton, exxon-mobil, microsoft, apple, at&t, sprint, Delta airlines. I know I can’t wire a house, or run plumbing, or roof a house. There are many things I can’t do, but what I can do, I will do and do to the best of my ability no matter how limited that ability may be. That is what I will contiune to do.
John—please don’t delete this post.
Why does everyone equate wealth with money; Dollars and cents?
Wealth is created when something is produced. The Ink I make is wealth. I created my own wealth. I then set that wealth a value, and that value calculated based upon my own sweat, time, and ingenuity and need. Then I can convert that wealth into some other form of wealth that has equal value placed upon it.
Okay, after a few friendly reminders I will change my thinking.
John—have you compiled a list of specific or critical occupations that are needed immediately.
If not here are a few
Lawyers, Doctors, Bankers, IT, smiths of any kind, teachers, farmers, mechanics and masons. Or is this to exclusive to start with. Just a suggestion.I have a few more if needed to go further.
(Matt wrote…)
“Why does everyone equate wealth with money; Dollars and cents?”
Hi Matt,
I don’t… : )
One of the finest ways to honor the money you work to earn is to BUY your freedom with it.
“Wealth is created when something is produced. The Ink I make is wealth. I created my own wealth. I then set that wealth a value, and that value calculated based upon my own sweat, time, and ingenuity and need. Then I can convert that wealth into some other form of wealth that has equal value placed upon it.
I agree… and would add that wealth is also determined by what someone else is willing to pay for a product or service.
In the business world, competence is highly valued. If you can do anything useful, and do it properly… decent people will THROW money at you.
Take Care,
Greg
(I’m not quite certain what I’m saying here that is not allowed by the censor of this site… but my posts have been dropping out like dead flies…)
With all due respect, this is BS. Who are all of these anonymous Kings that want to strike? I’m sure they are NOT captains of industry, but fools that love to over-inflate their importance. The “Divine Right of Kings”, was rejected centuries ago.
If the power brokers strike, new ones will arise in time. This site’s “We Don’t Need You” comment policy is quite hilarious. Forget about free speech!
If you think the world can’t survive without you, I dare you to shut down your business.
hypocrisy to the nth degree… when the government which you so disdain is propping up commerce… bailing out the financial institutions that you worship… and the people whom your wealth is absolutely dependent on… how do you people live with yourselves…
especially when your’re party could not survive w/o the christian right… i’m sure Jesus would be going John Galt…
seriously, how do you make it through the day w/o your heads exploding…
It is my fervent hope that the makers of weapons and the right-wing radio community take you up on your idea of “going Galt”
Feel free to strike! Contrary to what Ayn Rand seems to think, the world (and economy) are not dependent on a small group of venture capitalists.
The one thing Ayn Rand got right about her heroes–and the part today’s CEOs get wrong–is the “honesty” bit.
I’m also curious as to WHY you all are so opposed to supporting people without the same resources as you. If we follow Rand’s advice, our taxes support only the army, courts, and police. What about education? What happens to the free market and equality when starting opportunities are so unequal. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer… Then again, Randians don’t seem to have a problem with that.
I think my favorite part of Atlas Shrugged is when Dagny kills a guard. And it doesn’t matter and she doesn’t feel guilty because the gaurd wasn’t thinking for himself (or, more accurately, thinking like her). Therefore, he had no moral standing. Anyone sane who thinks objectivism is an “ethical” philosophy should be cured right there….
As a business owner, I can tell you that the producers are already on a “work slowdown.” They are choosing not invest in the stock market, or build a new house, or buy a big boat or corporate jet. This leads to lower production in manufacturing and loss of jobs. In our business, we a choosing to make less and stay in a lower tax bracket.
Another poster said that there are only so many opportunities available (as if they are a commodity) and that most successful people have inherited their wealth. That is so much bullshit. I know many people from Southeast Asia who came to the Seattle area with nothing but the clothes on their back. They changed their name to something Americans can pronounce and learned English right away. They worked two jobs and pooled their money to buy businesses. They sent their children to college and then went themselves. Now they live in nice houses and own two or three others. Don’t tell me there is no more opportunity in this country! My husband and I started our business by second-mortgaging our home and working two jobs for awhile. We created something from nothing and now provide our employees a good living too.
This movement needs to grow and coordinate with others like the NewAmericanTeaParty.org. I would suggest Twitter as a way to rapidly distribute messages. John- if you put your Twitter address here we can all “follow” you as plans are made.
“Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.” -Benjamin Franklin
No doubt, some form of open mass communication tool will be used to coordinate activity if required (unless I change my mind, I have no intention of doing anything in secret), but it’s way premature. There’s nothing of significance to communicate yet. I’m still in the whiteboarding/brainstorming stage, I’m just doing it in public.
Also, I’d suggest not being distracted by the “is inherited wealth deserved” issue, as it tends to bog down in a fight over the meaning of “deserved” that has nothing to do with property rights. An inspiring anecdote about lifting oneself up from nothing can be very motivating, but even the most worthless heir deserves to keep their property as much as the scrappiest orphan.
Thanks for the good thoughts!
Hi John,
I commend you for your enthusiasm and energy in your efforts to encourage positive change. I would like to share with you my opinion as to why your efforts are futile. Thirty years ago I first read The Fountainhead and immediately proceeded to read everything that I could find that Ayn Rand had written, including going to the library and just reading issue after issue of “The Objectivist Letter” (been so long I am not positive it was called that). I having been going Galt for 20 years and you might say gone Galt 2 years ago after quitting my job for the third and last time.
Over the years I have had discussions with many family members and friends who have read Atlas Shrugged and thought it was a great book and that Ayn Rand was brilliant. I would say less than 10% of them understand Objectivism and Ayn Rand. They could all fall into the same category as one of the comments above like that by Jonathan…
“I agree in principle with much of objectivist philosophy; however, there are at least two major flaws in Ayn Rand’s view which you fail to perceive. “
He then goes on to talk about CEO’s and salaries as if talking about the CEO’s of Merrill Lynch, Bear Stearns, Lehman, etc. is talking about the same thing as Midas Mulligan or Hank Rearden. I always think to myself when I hear this stuff, “did you really read the same book as I did?” My point is, many and possibly the majority, of people who have read Atlas Shrugged don’t get it. What more could you possibly say or explain to them that Ayn Rand couldn’t?
Over the past 2 years I have switched my income source to trading the capital markets. In that time I have followed the activities in Washington and wall street closer than ever. I haven’t read any of Ayn Rand’s work for over 15 years but feel like I am reading stuff right out of Atlas shrugged almost daily. Google the following bills currently proposed in congress: H.R.1068 (introduced on Friday, February 13th) — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to impose a tax on certain securities transactions to the extent required to recoup the net cost of the Troubled Asset Relief Program. “Let Wall Street Pay for Wall Street’s Bailout Act of 2009”, which aims to impose a 0.25% transaction tax on the “sale and purchase of financial instruments such as stock, options, and futures.” The second one that if passed would probably put an end to mining in the U.S. H.R. 699, the Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2009. It boggles my mind seeing this stuff in the news play out exactly as Ayn Rand described so long ago. It has only served to re-emphasize what an incredible genius she truly was, and her ability to describe how the events will unfold convinces me she also understands the end result.
Here is my main point. Ayn Rand understood better than almost anyone that has ever lived the disease that infects our society. She spent her entire life fighting it. She has presented the cause of the problem and the solution for all rational beings to observe. As she well understood, there is only one possible outcome from these circumstances, collapse of the system. In the same way that she describes how the push-peddler pork system of governing the economy will function, she describes the only possible outcome. There will never be any way that the “producers” alive today can help save the system. This only leads to someone holding a gun to John Galt’s head and telling him to fix the sub-prime crisis. Ain’t gonna happen. A is A.
So what is there to do? Nothing. No group of united concerned citizens can do anything to stop this train wreck. Get out of the way and let it happen, that I believe is what Ayn Rand was telling us to do. True, we can’t all go to Galt’s gulch. In my opinion that is just Ayn Rand’s way of creating another metaphor like “Atlantis” as to how the next civilization will be reborn after the destruction of the current one. It has happened many times in history, it will happen again. In my opinion, the only thing to do as an individual is remove yourself from the system as much as possible and look to create a strong local self sufficient community as much as possible. Focus on health, family and friends and try your best to find the good in this crazy world and enjoyment where you can find it. Good luck in your quest John!
Ok so you’re still in the whiteboarding phase. Here are some ideas to toss up on the whiteboard.
Worst idea first:
1) Violent Revolt: This is a horrible idea. Despite the fact that a small number of very loud and enthusiastic people favor this option it is doomed to failure. If fighting is to be had it absolutely cannot be started by this side. Furthermore “preparing” is a bad idea too. Stockpiling weapons or other survivalist style activities are seen as acts of hostility in this country. If you want to prepare for any form of unfortunate violence that may be perpetuated on freemen in this country then I suggest doing mental preparation and leave it at that.
Next bad idea:
2) Piecemeal strikes: I agree that it is valiant to take a stand alone, quit your job, and remove your mind from the system. If you are at a place in your life where you feel that by mentally contributing to a system that does not respect you then by all means go on an individual strike. But let it be for your own self-fulfillment, not to accomplish some grand task. Even if you are one of the top movers and shakers there’s someone almost as good as you that is willing to take your place. Refer to my earlier comment about not all competent men being moral men and vice versa.
Ideas of Unknown Value:
3)Boycotts: This has been an incredibly successful tool in the past to effect change peacefully. You want to assist the current trends? Make sure that you do no business with any companies that were recently bailed out. If you own a company and have health insurance/disaster insurance/toenail insurance for your employees/property/feet then make sure it doesn’t come from AIG.
4)Peaceful Interference: Remember George Carlin’s answer to “Lead, follow, or get out of the way.” He obstructed. I remember seeing a story last year about an unfortunate arab american who was put on the no-fly list at one point. He decided that since he was a potential terrorist he would aid the FBI in his own monitoring. He kept a constant photo-diary of his life. Hundreds of pictures a week. He sent it to the FBI every weel labeled “Evidence of Potential Terrorist Activity”. The government beauracracy under its own laws was required to inspect each photo. Actions like this are more affective than you might think. A little sand in a big poorly-oiled machine can bring it to a grinding halt.
5)Do Nothing: Okay bear with me on this one. I understand that we are watching our society crumble. I understand that there is an incredible urge to do something about it. I feel it too. But this wheel might just be turning so fast there’s no stopping it now. Possibly the best thing to do is try to get out of its way. Build resources as quickly as possible now so that when the walls fall we can rebuild our society with minimal barbarian pillaging.
and a wacky one (that I like) to finish it off
6)Speed up the singularity: Some people may have read some of Ray Kurzweil’s stuff. He and a sizable amount of other people think that something he refers to as “the singularity” is coming. What this amounts to is technological change that while shape our species as much as the containment of fire did (probably more so). Some friends of mine and I believe that there are two clocks ticking. Societal collapse on the one hand and the singularity on the other. They may or may not be mutually exclusive. If you like this perspective read about the singularity and involve yourself in the actions required to make it happen.
Just a few thoughts to throw on the whiteboard.
“I am a son of man.” – Robert Heinlein
Blake –
Agreed, ideas 1 and 2 suck, although I understand those who are just so sick of things that they feel 2 is their best personal option, which serves in a tiny way to hasten 5. If the current momentum makes 5 the best option, well I don’t mind spending a little energy seeing if I can change that fact, because I don’t like the way that outcome looks, not at all. My problem with 4 is that it’s really okay only for those with little left to lose, as laws are frequently malleable, and juries don’t seem to have too much trouble convicting someone simply for being a big pain in the ass. 3 I see as a potential part of any good strategy.
Regarding 6, I know just what you mean about the two clocks (in my mind, I pictured a race). With liberating technology as the inspiration, will man demand freedom? Definitely deserves its own post and comment thread. I’ll do one on this topic soon. Thanks for contributing to the discussion!
Ah, yes, a perfect way to convince America that freedom is necessary – use your freedom to produce less and do your impotent best to continue the economic downturn (brought on, one might add, by laissez-faire economics). Why, that’ll show them!
You folks are funny. This is all a joke right?
The “I am Brutus Publius” guy is particularly funny.
I mean honestly, Going Galt after reading Atlas Shrugged is kinda like reading Lord of the Rings then packing your things and heading to the Shire… again, funny stuff.
I am Brutus Publius.
I am an American.
I am one of the Freemen.
We who love Liberty, must necessarily love peace. The peace of a civilized and free society is the truest goal that any nation can aspire to. Nations and peoples of untold centuries have sought for peace and civilization and only a precious few have enjoyed such for more than a few generations.
We in America are indeed blessed to live in such a time and in such a place as this where peace is so prevalent and so few have known the realities and terrors of war.
We who love Liberty are loathe to abandon peace, even when freedom is under such direct and consistent attack. We hold intently to even the smallest glimmer of peace.
It is wise, however, to view our desire for peace with eyes open and vision clear. We cannot allow ourselves to be deceived by the insidious promises of politicians who have consistently proven themselves unworthy of such faith.
When a long train of abuses have combined to subject us to absolute tyranny, we must acknowledge the failure of our government to place an equally high value on peace. Oh joy, if such was not the case. We who love Liberty would welcome the day of reconciliation and peace.
But alas, it has been made all too clear that there can be no reconciliation, for our politicians have no desire to relinquish their power. There can be no peace, not because we are unwilling to accept it, but because they are unwilling to offer it, except on condition of our subjugation and slavery and that of our posterity.
“Gentlemen may cry, ‘Peace! Peace!’, but there is no peace. The war is actually begun. The next gale that sweeps from the north shall bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms…. Why stand we here idle?… I know not what course others may take, but as for me: Give me Liberty, or give me death!” – Patrick Henry, March 23, 1775
I am Brutus Publius.
I am an American.
I am one of the Freemen.
Again good stuff.
You know, I hate to be so jingoistic about this but let’s get real here. You live in the greatest country on the planet.
Your right to openly call for revolution is protected, even in some cases encouraged, and you talk about tyranny and slavery? What a laugh.
Let’s see the forest for the trees here folks. Us conservatives run liberals into the ground (rightly so) when they suggest that they’re ashamed of their country. When Michelle Obama suggests she’s finally ‘proud’ of her country we jump on her like a duck on a junebug for being unpatriotic.
And here you all are: Glenn Beck is crying about the coming totalitarian state, (as if such a state would even allow him a forum to suggest such a thing). Rush Limbaugh, a face for radio celebrity can actually engage the administration in dialogue (even if it is second grade name calling). The foundering GOP, even without any kind of legislative power is managing to direct, even dominate the political debate. All of this while the nation is in the midst of an economic 9/11.
I just don’t get it. You want tyranny? Go to Iran, where bloggers get thrown in jail and then mysteriously commit suicide. Go to Rwanda, or to Sudan, or to Serbia. Considering all of the other places in the world you could live, I don’t understand why you don’t fall on your knees every day and thank heaven that you were born in this country. It’s weird.
Even in crisis we’ve got the goods, the world is falling into recession, possibly depression, and who does the world look to… yup the U.S.
Trouble in Iran, who does the world look to? the U.S.
Negotiations with a newly empowered Russia (talk about a rising totalitarian state…) who stands against the bear? U.S. again.
In this time, in this place, quoting Patrick Henry as some kind of defense of your decision to remove yourself from your responsibilities as a citizen doesn’t make you a patriot, it makes you a coward.
Henry, as you certainly know, after his famous speech went on to fight aggressively against the adoption of the constitution, he lost. After that loss, did he go to Galt’s Gulch? No, he fought just as hard to make sure a Bill of Rights was attached, and that fight he won. You remember that part of the constitution don’t you? The one that protects your right to spout your nonsense, and own a gun, and protects you from illegal search and seizure, and protects your right to gather and protects your right to speak against the government. That’s what Patrick Henry is and should be remembered for.
In this case, I think it’s best to leave Henry in his place and look to Lincoln, who paraphrased Jesus and said, ‘every house divided against itself cannot stand.’
Now there’s some quotin’ words.
Kevin
“Gong John Galt” properly cannot be done alone. It requires enough producers and contributors to make their absence felt nation-wide. Enough to populate the CITY of “Galt’s Gulch”, in fact. Can something like that be organized? If so, who’s doing it, and where are they going?
John a few suggestions for the operation
1.Take up gardening. Plant heirloom seeds of whatever variety you desire.
2.Learn to sew, stitch, or someother kind of needlework.
3.Learn to do be a carpenter or sheetmetal fabricator
4.Learn basic medical care; stitches, set broken bones, make plaster casts, draw blood and such
5.quit using credit cards
6.if allowed raise pigs, chickens, goats, sheep or what ever you are comfortable with
7.take up fishing
8. take up hunting
9. learn about medicinal plants.
10. Talk with neighbors.
I know everyone cann’t do everything, but do what you can.
This year I am going to make ink, because I can. If Ican also get enough lint gathered I will make paper(not high grade) because I can.
I can’t make clothes. but my wife can. I am also going to invest in a loom and try to make dye’s from the plants in my yard.
I found another reason for “going John Galt,” namely, sustainability. I got involved in a discussion over sustinable practices, and I realized: the economic system really can’t support all these people, can it? Admittedly, we hadn’t even been aware that it was an issue until recently; however, this is largely because, until recently, there weren’t enough people on Earth to make it an issue. We’re seeing an unexpected effect of false wealth: population explosion. When people have enough perceived wealth, they procreate. Or, lacking appropriate means to support children, if they believe that someone richer — say, the guilt-ridden citizens of industrialized countries — will bail them out, then they will also procreate. It is an effect observed by Jeff Allen, the hitchhiking tramp in Atlas Shrugged, among the serfs of the Twentieth Century Motor Company. Meanwhile, true wealth — the products of men’s labors — cannot keep pace when produced by sustainable means, so corners get cut. Arable land is over-farmed, timber is cut for building and replaced with farms, and food is manufactured — not prepared — using artificial chemicals and additives. The sad fact is that Earth’s current population is unsustainable, a fact that thus far has not been mentioned in regards to the current economic crisis. I never thought I would ever say this, and it pains me to refer to humans in terms of herd management, but unless we see a major correction in the world’s population, we will never recover from this economic crash. Oh, you’ll see market upturns, and then downturns, as one money-manufacturing scheme after another is tried and fails, until finally the whole system freezes — and mass extinction of humanity results.
I, for one, refuse to go extinct.
Ok, responses to several people:
Brutus: Peace? Who said anything about peace? The price of freedom is eternal vigilance, to paraphrase Jefferson. I think violence is a bad idea, but non-violence is not synonymous with peace.
Matt- All of those are good ideas, but they would really be most useful during an interim period. The goal here as I understand it is not to go back to a pre-industrial society. With that in mind I would suggest that this be added to your list of preparations:
DOWNLOAD THE INTERWEBS!
Not necessarily everything, but everything you believe to have intrinsic value. If we continue pacing Rome’s progression as I believe we are then the libraries burn in the not too distant future. We need to preserve knowledge.
salmongirl: I think the problem of the population will solve itself. We are approaching population cap rapidly. We will either engineer something that will increase the population cap (i.e. water-based/space-based living, synthetic food sources, quantum energy sources or something even more far-out) or we won’t. In which case we experience die-back. This is different from extinction. It’s a completely natural process that happens in every species. Population cap gets surpassed, die-back happens, population growth resumes. Wonderful circle of life.
Thanks, Blake. “Die-back” is what I meant to say.
Blake–Theburningof the library of Alexandria set humaity back thousands of years and I sometimes wish it never happened. Oh the glorious technology, philosophy, physics, science, and matamatics that was lost on that fateful eve.
We will have to take a step back for a short period while things get going again. iron, copper, silver, gold and other metals will be hard to come by. We need to be educated on how to retreive the ore and make it useable. Coal miners will be needed. I do appreciate all they do. So Thank you Coal companies for providing me electricity.
Epiphany—The whole point of Atlas Shrugged was that the Producers were not appreciated for their briliance, their competent hard work,or their vision of the future by the masses. That is why John Galt left the plant. He didn’t want to be exploited by the unappreciative and unproductive.
So to all those that help make life easier for themselves and others I say THANK YOU.
Most people are still speaking of “going John Galt” as a solo effort. The point of my earlier post is that to accomplish its purpose, it must be an organized effort of many people. Is anything like that going on now?
I only personally know of one guy who’s putting something like that together, and he’ll let me know if he want to publicize it. And of course, that’s exactly what I’m trying to do here eventually (to achieve my aim, it has to be coordinated, but not everyone commenting here has the same aim), but I’m not going to try to organize anyone until I have better ideas to implement.
Hello, I am Italian, and do not speak English. I used google language tool to translate, so please forgive syntax errors in the hope of being understood, however.
Watching what happens in the last few years I seem to be back for 1000 years. By feudal lords (the politicians), vassals (the government) and serf (power output).
now our lord does not know the meaning of work and free enterprise.
in Europe we are accustomed to watch the America and the American people as an example to follow. As the bearer of a single principle: freedom and free enterprise. the American dream.
personally place great hopes in the American people, because unlike Europe, has never done buying by politicians. has never been done to put the wool over the eyes.
some signs are beginning to be felt. this is the only European politician who cries outside the choir. http://www.klaus.cz/klaus2/asp/clanek.asp?id=88EY96UW9zlp current President Vaclav Klaus in turn of the European Community.
I hope. Otherwise the only alternative will be truly ‘Atlas shrugged’.
ITALIAN VERSION
Salve, sono italiano, e non parlo inglese. Ho usato google language tool per tradurre, quindi perdonatemi errori di sintassi nella speranza di essere comunque capito.
Guardando ciò che succede in questi ultimi anni mi sembra di essere tornato indietro di 1000 anni. Con Feudatari (i politici), vassalli (la pubblica amministrazione) e i servi della gleba (la forza produttiva).
ormai i nostri lord non conoscono il significato del lavoro e della libera imprenditoria.
in Europa siamo abituati a guardare l’America ed il popolo americano come esempio da seguire. Quale portatore di un unico principio: libertà e libera intraprendenza. il sogno americano.
personalmente ripongo enormi speranze nel popolo americano, perchè al contrario di quello europeo, non si è mai fatto comprare dai politici. non si è mai fatto mettere il fumo negli occhi.
alcuni segnali si cominciano a sentire. ecco l’unico uomo politico europeo che grida al di fuori del coro. http://www.klaus.cz/klaus2/asp/clanek.asp?id=88EY96UW9zlp Vaclav Klaus attuale presidente di turno della Comunità Europea.
Spero. Altrimenti l’unico alternativa sarà veramente ‘Atlas shrugged’.
So what happens if American “Producers” do go Galt and their jobs are just shipped of to Mexico or China or Canada, like steel workers or auto workers when their demands and strikes got too much? BTW, this is the coolest comedy site after “Cracked” on the ‘Net. The trouble is that most of the posters think it is serious, which makes it even funnier! Thanks for the lols and keep up the good work!
Last August I took my money out of the stock market and bought rental properties. Now I pay no taxes, and make sure my income equals my expenses, and It’s a good investment. I used to be a homebuilder, but now I will just remodel (with no permits) and keep the money I earn. I live in Sacramento, California, with 75,000 government workers.
I’m sorry, but your idea is hopelessly flawed, just like Rand’s theories. You cannot create a society of personal responsibility by “minimizing personal risk”, they are just about the antithesis of each other. If you choose to maximize personal risk, then your group will be some of those hit hardest by societies collapse that seem to think is eminent.
As for the theory in general, it is relies on a huge misunderstanding of history. Society is not created or driven forward by the ‘createive’ or ‘productive’, but rather, the masses do the boring, simple jobs which create a system which allow for the innovators to provide their small revolutions.
John – You may publish my new site if you wish. Its called notdependent.com. Please contact John L directly if you can, and let him know.
The sites focus is currently the networking of producers, and drastically simplifying moving abroad.
To simplify things, the networking part will be focused on the most obvious types of producers.
My progression to “Go John Galt” has been successful. I have managed to decrease my economic footprint on this world by over 35%. Though I am driven naturally to produce, solve, design my new goal of decreasing my lootable income has focused my efforts to conserving by abilities. I have had to lay off good people and change business strategy, but I have decreased my “aide” to government by $45,000 in 2009. Protesting never felt so good. To quote Legends of the Fall “Screw ‘um”
There’s a bit of a problem with the premise of “going Galt” in that the modern economy is not nearly as simplistic as that of Atlas Shrugged. Most top producers don’t subscribe to Objectivism and those who do have plenty of nearly comparable replacements pushing their way up the ladder, in all corners of the globe.
We need much more than a “slowdown” if we are to promote Objectivism and Liberty. In fact, I would argue that such action is counterproductive in that it reduce the power of the participants far more than it does that of the looters.
Galt’s Gulch lives in New Hampshire. Check out http://www.freestateproject.org.
I love the irony of yuppies, real estate agents, investors, brokers, insurance jerks, c.e.o.’s, bankers, and managerial types considering themselves the Producers. What a joke! The only things they make are misery for the masses. These fools are the actual Looters that they believe to be calling out. Systems of taxing are developed to help those who are actually producing something.
If you truly believe you’ve never received benefit from a tax, you’re either a liar or a fool. If you want taxes gone, leave. Go find an island with the money hoarders. We’ll see what’s actually produced without population for labor, transportation, medical services, etc. Oh wait, we’ve already witnessed what happens next.. it was called Slavery. What a great system that turned out to be!
The Dems are not the Looters. Taxing is not Looting. Capital Imperialists are the thieves. Reality is not a fictional story or philosophy-in-a-vacuum written by Ayn Rand. Get a job doing real labor – being paid less than a livable wage while your boss takes a trip to The Cayman Islands or Italy – and we’ll talk about perspective again.
There are a few industries that could make a lasting impression/statement on the current political system in which we are forced.
Since I am closest to farming, I will say that “if” we could get a coordinated effort from 75% of the farmers in California’s Central Valley (a.k.a. the bread basket of the world) to not produce any food product for one season you would see wide spread panic, probably world wide concern, and a shift in attitude about who really has the power in this country.
As it stands, “government of the people, by the people, for the people” is a meaningless, valueless and often disregarded conception by those believing the Constitution is outdated and no longer useful in our current day. When I say “those,” of course I’m referring to the vast amount of politicians currently living large off the tax payer.
No one man or small group of people will accomplish anything under the latest (last 10-15 years) Washington rule.
Real change will come when people are hungry!