Going For Galt's Gulch

The Autonomist ^ | 05/27/05 | David MacGregor

[bluepistolero]

A man-made Utopia, now there's an oxymoron

[zeugma]

I'm suspicious of people who post nothing personal, let alone nothing at all. Could you be a troll in disguise? An agent-provacateur? A puddin'-stick?

Funny. Until very recently, I didn't have anything on my profile page either and I've been here since shortly after the invention of the wheel.

[Vicomte13]

In Michigan, those who live in the northern part of their lower peninsula are sometimes called "trolls", because they live "under the [Mackinac] Bridge.
I once lived in northern Michigan for a time, so in that sense I am, or at least was, a troll.

Otherwise, I have posted far and wide here for some time on many topics, particularly things concerning France and Catholic religion.

I have little to say on my profile page.
I do not wish to reveal who I am, but I do not wish to lie either.

[PGalt]

Thanks for the ping.

[cgbg]

It, and the Author, is limited in its scope, if one tries to twist it into a rational, working philosophy

I have thought a lot about this question lately since my life is hardly one that Rand would have respected, but I have a lot of self-respect and I admire Rand.

I think of Rand's philosophy the way a lot of folks here think about their religion.

She showed what we can do when we are our best. As human beings we sometimes fail to meet that challenge. That dosen't make the goal any less appropriate.

Rand clearly identified correct and proper moral behavior.

A good and great society would be modeled on such ideals.

We have fallen so far from where Rand (and our Founding Fathers) wanted us to be sometimes it is hard to see the trees, the forest, anything at all. :-(

[Honcho Bongs]

Is there a brewery in Galt's Gulch?

If there isn't, then start one. If there is and you think you can do better, compete with it.

Sorry, didn't know you were humor impaired.

[Larry Lucido]

If five or more objectivists could actually agree on a location for a Galt's Gulch, they would immediately have to set up tribunals for the daily excommunications of the not-objectivist-enough among them (Tibor Micham, David Kelly, Nathaniel and Barbara Branden, etc.).

[SamAdams76]

I think the poster you were responding to was referring to the absence of children in her literature, not in her personal life. I have noticed this in Ayn Rand's books myself. It seems that none of her protagonists ever have children. I'm thinking AS mentioned Hank Reardon having children but now I can't remember for sure. Of course, not having children herself, Ayn Rand probably didn't have the frame of reference to be able to write much about them.

Some of Ayn's protagonists like Dagny Taggert remind me of the self-obsessed, childless, over-achieving Yuppies we have today who can be found in Starbucks all over America sipping lattes while banging away on their laptops and working into the night.

Not that there's anything wrong with that...

[Colonel Kangaroo]

Apparently, you haven't read Atlas Shrugged...

No I haven't. I sincerely appreciate you telling me how that works in Rand's world. Rand in some ways was a refreshing change from the socialist tide during the times she wrote. But she was a militant atheist whose atheism was such an integral part of her philosophy that I wouldn't trust her if she asserted that the grass is green.

[FreeKeys]

You did not answer the question.

I made the SPECIFIC DECISION that the pathetic question was DEFINITELY NOT worth dignifying with an straight answer, or couldn't you tell?

Rand discusses children the Chapter, "The Comprachicos" in This book and elsewhere in other books of essays.

As far as the novels go, Rand's book, The Romantic Manifesto points out that her school of fictional literature does NOT write about life "as it is for everyday people," (as the depressing "naturalist" school of literature does) but life "as it could be and ought to be" (including for those who decide for themselves to choose enormous goals and the vigorous life of productivity and virtue). So they are ALLEGORIES NOT snapshots. Can you appreciate the difference?

And who the heck ARE you; where's YOUR profile page?

[FreeKeys]

If five or more objectivists could actually agree on a location for a Galt's Gulch, they would immediately have to set up tribunals for the daily excommunications

If five or more Christians in 1490 Spain would set up tribunals they would not only excommunicate, but sentence suspected non-believers to death. If five or more Christians in 1692 Massachusetts would set up tribunals, they would not only excommunicate, but sentence accused non-believers to death.

Oh, wait; THEY DID!

Oh, wait; NOT ALL CHRISTIANS DO THAT KIND OF STUFF.

Oh, wait; what am I responding to this kind of silliness for?

My apologies for wasting bandwidth.

[Tribune7]

I'm thinking AS mentioned Hank Reardon having children but now I can't remember for sure.

Hank had no kids nor did Francisco or J.G., himself.

And of course, Dagny was childless.

Ironically, Akston considered Galt, Francisco & the Danneskjold his sons. Of course he never had to change their diapers or tell them bedtime stories.

[Honcho Bongs]

Is there a brewery in Galt's Gulch?

If there isn't, then start one. If there is and you think you can do better, compete with it.

Sorry, didn't know you were humor impaired.

Maybe you're just not as funny as you think you are...

Well, in the new spirit of senatorial compromise, I'll try to be funnier if you try to be more polite.

[KC_for_Freedom]

To be sure. When I play using a system, I lose my money systematically.

[Nowhere Man]

Ping

[UnklGene]

Hank, thanks for the ping! Good article.