Posted on 04/01/2009 12:56:58 AM PDT by The Duke
The state of the US economy and the anticipation of increased taxation has inspired numerous references in recent weeks to the book "Atlas Shrugged", by the late author and philosopher Ayn Rand. In her fictitious book Rand anticipates a time when those who create wealth within the social order, and from whom that wealth is forceably extracted for the benefit of others, eventually express their frustration by ceasing their labors. Those drawing the parallel to today’s reality suggest that we are now approaching a scenario when the real producers of today’s society will cease to produce, resulting in dramatic social upheaval.
While contemplating these allusions I have been tempted to conclude that, in the real world, it would be difficult for the producers in our society to “shrug” due to the economic dependencies between the various actors involved. For example, while one may be tempted to cease production in protest of the taxes incurred, that impulse is mitigated by the affects such a disruption would have on those innocents who are dependent on the creator’s work. So, the glue of social relationships serves as a strong deterrent to the shovelers of our economy casting aside their shovels.
The other day, while dropping of a car for re-upholstery at the home of a local at-home upholsterer, I contemplated the question “Can and Will Atlas Shrug?”. While occupied with these thoughts I took note of the beautiful Spring morning, and the activities of squirrels and tropical birds in this wonderfully-relaxed Central Florida neighborhood. And it was then that I realized how Atlas can and will shrug.
You see, the workman I had hired and who had offered me very low pricing for his work had not driven to some central place of business to perform the work. Rather, the arrangement was for me to drive across town to his home to leave the car for repair. In this case the producer was charging me my own time and inconvenience to allow him to work in an environment that offered reduced expense to him, in addition to increased quality of life. This workman had not shrugged completely, but he had shrugged substantially. And in doing so, while his income had been reduced he had gained the important (but intangible, and virtually in-taxible) quality of life!
And so I have my answer. The producers in our world can and will not react to onerous taxes by simply abandoning their work completely. Rather, they will begin to abandon substantial portions of their work at a time and in a manner of their choosing, in exchange for the subsequent intangible benefits they can award themselves. And, to society the loss of twenty percent of five workers differs little (if any) from the loss of one hundred percent of one worker. Additionally, the worker had shifted some of his real burden to me, the consumer of his work.
And so, Atlas will, by degrees, begin to shrug, and society will suffer the proverbial “death by a thousand cuts”. The upheaval will come by degrees.
Like all my graphics, I saw it on the web and copied it! Stolen fair & square...
...sorry. Here’s that link in better format.
Anti-reason on guns: Kaine vetoes five bills despite evidence as well as public support
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2219562/posts
And yes, things are messed up all over. Some out-of-touch, elite folks (the real firearms control herds, for example) just need to relax a little and stop being so generally afraid of the rest of us.
I shrugged yesterday (abusive work situation that HR only exacerbated and refused to address). Trusting the Lord entirely, ‘cause this shrugee has a home and car payment.
I’m so proud of you!
I very much agree with this. I don't get as much exercise as I really need right now, but I do work in the yard and garden each weekend. Every little bit helps and if I can get out and walk around the neighborhood once a day, that will help immensely.
Upholsterers can also easily engage in barter. Trucks of all kinds need upholstering or repair. Lots of farm machines have seats, not to mention tarps needing repairs. The plumber usually owns some furniture, and the fisherman’s boat has a seat. The carpenter’s wife might have a camper that needs a few wooden seats tufted. Even the funeral home director has a fancy limo that will need new drapes eventually.
We’ve been in that scenario for over 30 years. In the past year, we have cut back even further on expenditures and while we still work and run our businesses, we do so at a lesser volume and a leaner environment, not all of which is voluntary.
Both of us seem to consistently find various other sources of income derived from using our tools and skills to make something/fix something/provide some service for others who are just like us. We all need cash for property taxes, fuel, energy. We provide our own health insurance. While not off grid, we have contingency heating, power, food and water sources that at least help reduce our dependencies.
But lowbrow is as lowbrow does, IMO. We read. We have friends with active minds. We do not feel culturally deprived.
We have tinkered with our toys to make them more affordable. The skills we have learned are now paying off in terms of working for others who want to continue their activities on less income.
I disagree that going Galt is a sin. But not all of us can do so and besides, we have no magic valley and no Ragnar to provide us with gold. We are just denying the rulers as much of their tribute as we can by producing less without becoming dependents.
Our quality of life is just fine. We will work as long as we can. The work itself keeps us fit and mentally agile. We have luxuries. We have our pride and our self-esteem. We are not isolated. We are more in control. Above all, we do not whine. It takes too much energy and is self-destructive.
If/when SHTF, then the rulers are going to suffer more than we are. I think it will happen and I think millions of us will then be in a position to pick up the pieces and rebuild the country in which we grew up.
Thank you for the positive feedback. I’ve been meaning to update that profile page for many months. :)
I fell into that trap also.
HR works for the Company and only the Company's interest is represented by them.
The ONLY thing that works in that situation is the magic incantation, "I have a lawyer who is an employment Law specialist".
And then you can forget any advancement or future, and likely working anywhere else. My wife successfully sued an employer (Outrageous abuse with assault), and ended up with an involuntary Shrug, as no one in that industry would ever touch her with a ten foot pole.
So you did what you had to do, and you may have a bad year or two, but you will look back on it as a blessing, if it was that kind of place.
Thank you..it makes me feel better. Honestly, we are just getting by, and miss being able to buy anything we want, etc.. The work is hard and the hours are long, and there is more concern about money than there used to be, so it's a tradeoff. And to continue being honest, sometimes I wonder if it would not just be easier to back to a "real" job.
But this does not last. I usually long for the good parts, then pull out my files, such as reviews and paycheck stubs, and realize that I never belonged in that environment in the first place.
I do miss the Social aspect of "Belonging", and do feel my social skills are deteriorating. I just wrote an old VP I used to work for, and broke him up laughing, "It has not come to the point of humping womens' legs in supermarkets yet, but fear in another year or two it might be a better idea to send my wife shopping".
Agree
Bravo
Atlas Shrugged ping!
Yesterday I listened to the John and Ken show from Monday (KFI 640 AM, Los Angeles, available on the internet via podcast). Ken asked callers to tell him how they intended to avoid the new higher sales taxes and car tag taxes. There were some pretty creative ideas.
Here are a couple of ways to get free stuff, or without sales tax:
Yard Sales
FreeCycle
Craigslist
Ah yes. But no one can escape the Nauga Liberation Front.
Home gardening offers ways to trim grocery costs [Survival Today, an on going thread]
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1990507/posts
It is now time for Atlas to Shrug...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2125287/posts
Live on Less and Love It
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2129863/posts
Operation Thrift
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2128937/posts
Is Recession Preparing a New Breed of Survivalist? [Survival Today - an On going Thread #2]
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2181392/posts
My yard guy has offered me a 20% discount if I pay him in cash so the government never sees a dime of it. He’s “shrugging” in his own way.
I was trying to explain this to some liberals.
It isn’t just that “shrugging” is a form of protest...it’s also the issue of how much a person is willing to sacrifice his personal/family time to devote to work.
If he/she feels there is good benefit to the extra hours they will do so.
If they feel they’d rather go home, read to their kid, and take in their son’s baseball game instead of handing 90% of their overtime pay to Obama - it’s a no-brainer.
You said...
...trying to avoid going Galt. I believe that is an expression of despair and I believe that is a very self-destructive sin.
This is one line that I do disagree with though. If we continue doing what we have been doing, knowing that it will ultimately lead to our own destruction, wouldn't that be a sin?
I believe that 'going Galt' is an act of taking responsibility. Shrugging is not any easier than working your regular job, indeed, it is probably more work but you benefit directly from your efforts and, as a bonus, you starve the beast.
If we continue doing what we have been doing, knowing that it will ultimately lead to our own destruction, wouldn't that be a sin?
I would say that positively contributing to the success of political thieves is a sin. To have voted for the current president was a mistake in those honestly fooled by his flummery. For those who saw through the persiflage and voted thinking they could join in on the resulting spoils, it is certainly a grievous sin. They are the ones who have enabled this disaster.
If politicians can ride roughshod over the founding documents of this country, short of openly rebelling or going Galt, there is basically nothing honorable I can do. If they intend to tax me into the poorhouse, then I will be a burden on them if I do not simply and completely go Galt. So I think the more precise way to say what I was trying to say is to point out that going Galt is the nuclear option: it is the very last resort for an honorable person, being what one does to avoid being financially destroyed and made a literal dependent of the State. Short of that, it is precipitous. Better to do what one can to get off the grid because that is actually a lot to be doing.
And then, pray constantly.
Then, if one is truly reduced to penury by the ongoing Federal policies, going Galt would be the only honorable way to go.
>>>If/when SHTF, then the rulers are going to suffer more than we are.
Maybe the people (the takers) that voted for them will suffer more than their exalted leaders.
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