Different ways to Shrug.
Posted by LetsShrug 13 years, 2 months ago to Philosophy
I am interested in hearing from fellow Gulchers on the topic of shrugging. We all have very different lives, jobs, responsibilities, and economic situations to contend with in our efforts to free ourselves from being looted and mooched from.
Personally, the obstacles we (me and my family) contend with are many. Most of them boil down to lack of funds to go anywhere other than where we are. I also have conflicts with our jobs, but we are working on other options...working HARD, but it will take time. I'm not sure we will ever leave our home, but my bigger goal is to be as free as we can be with what we can produce without being counter productive in the effort.
However, I feel I have already mentally shrugged because I am aware of what needs to be done and working towards it. I stay vigilant in studying (history, current events, politicians and their actions) and I am able to converse about what is happening in this country and where we are headed if more people don't wake up and take a stand.
That brings me to another issue. Knowing when to speak up and who's worth talking to. I won't waste my time on the hopeless. Most outside of the gulch seem hopeless, but I don't miss an opportunity to say what I'm thinking even if others get confused by it. Sooner or later, hopefully, some will wonder enough, or start to notice that things aren't right in this country and maybe they'll ask me what I mean when I say certain things and then we can have a real conversation. Maybe not, but I'm still throwing it out there anyway.
Shrugging can mean different things to different people. What does it mean to you?
Personally, the obstacles we (me and my family) contend with are many. Most of them boil down to lack of funds to go anywhere other than where we are. I also have conflicts with our jobs, but we are working on other options...working HARD, but it will take time. I'm not sure we will ever leave our home, but my bigger goal is to be as free as we can be with what we can produce without being counter productive in the effort.
However, I feel I have already mentally shrugged because I am aware of what needs to be done and working towards it. I stay vigilant in studying (history, current events, politicians and their actions) and I am able to converse about what is happening in this country and where we are headed if more people don't wake up and take a stand.
That brings me to another issue. Knowing when to speak up and who's worth talking to. I won't waste my time on the hopeless. Most outside of the gulch seem hopeless, but I don't miss an opportunity to say what I'm thinking even if others get confused by it. Sooner or later, hopefully, some will wonder enough, or start to notice that things aren't right in this country and maybe they'll ask me what I mean when I say certain things and then we can have a real conversation. Maybe not, but I'm still throwing it out there anyway.
Shrugging can mean different things to different people. What does it mean to you?
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Like Khalling said, look at your local Tea Party... Look at the LP... A4P is an AWESOME org, BTW... and become informed, so you can spread the wrd, and hopefully save us from the 2 party black hole fiasco we finds ourselves in... Good luck!!!
I guess you could call it underachieving or laziness on my part. In school I quickly realised I could obtain a C with no effort at all and chose to use my time in areas that interested me instead of buckling down and studying. Each year after testing my Mother would tell me how the teachers would come to her and exclaim, "Do you know how smart your son is?" and "What are we doing wrong?"
As for how underachieving is like going Galt, I would say you could look to Dr. Hugh Akston working as a cook in a diner. The work he was doing to support himself is far below his abilities.
I have a self taught understanding of the law, an ability to be conscious of my surroundings (you may or may not be surprised how few are), an understanding of accounting and budgeting and a quick ability to ascertain important information from lengthy documents or writings. That C in school I was talking about usually came from F's in homework and A's on tests for that reason.
I have started to grow my own vegetables and learning which ones do best with the soil I have. Last year I started raising chickens and at this moment have hatched some chicks from eggs they laid and another batch in the incubator. Later I will be selling eggs and older laying hens as well as surplus vegetables.
What monies I have no immediate need for, I buy silver to hedge against inflation or to use and haggle a price down. I don't consider when I buy or sell something for old silver coins a specie payment, only that I negotiated a lower price. They are still US currency, aren't they?
I'm not a miner of gold but what would be called a recreational prospector. I did camp out one summer for 3 months in a National Forest and came back with a little gold. I could have made a lot more working any minimum wage job for the same amount of hours, but shoveling and shifting through the dirt was much more fun. If I was allowed to use better equipment than a shovel, pan and sluice box I'm sure I could have gotten a lot more. I did join the GPAA for a few years but that is as far as I went.
I don't see the choosing of the lesser evil to be worthwhile in politics. Also, my State and area are solidly 'RED' so I have no fear my vote would change the outcome. I did almost consider voting for Ron Paul the last election, but by the time the vote gets to Alabama the writing is usually on the wall of who will win a nomination.
The movies so far have been great and I'm anxiously awaiting the third one. I enjoyed them so much I insisted my Father watch them also. He said, "These movies should be shown to every child in school."
Hope this has helped answer your questions khalling, if you have any others feel free to ask, as well as anyone else who has a question.
This sits on a small document posted on the noteboard outside the door of my office... where it always makes me smile;
"Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark. In the hopeless swamps of the not quite, the not yet, and the not at all, do not let the hero in your soul perish and leave only frustrationfor the life you deserved, but have never been able to reach. The world you desire can be won, it exists, it is real, it is possible, it is yours."
Guess who wrote that? ;)
The pilot episodes will be available for all to view May 1 and beyond. The more views we get, the faster we can greenlight the rest of the series.
Hope you enjoy!
we laugh about other things though :)
I'm actually launching a new business May 1 - www.ARGnetworks.com. It is an online TV network with all original programming.
The game of capitalism looked a certain way as I was growing up. Being married with three young boys, reading AS, turning 40, launching a new business in this economy - it looks different to me now. It looks more like a chess match, which makes me think of Francisco and his efforts to take down his own company.
In many ways, I still see the world with Reardon's perspective, one where the battle can still be waged. That is certainly true. I remain convinced that we have not yet hit a point of no return.
In other ways, I understand Francisco's methodology as well as Galt's.
Like Galt was called to stop the motor of the world, I'm called to build this media alternative and do my part to reshape culture and society using the same tools the rest of the media world employes to deceive.
I'm not shrugging, at least not by my definition. I'm fighting.
To address your last paragraph, LetsShrug, I'll tell you who I believe is worth talking to. I generally ask people if they've read AS. That alone can answer a lot. If they haven't, I ask them their thoughts on the place of capitalism in our modern society. The correct answers open the door to further engagement. The wrong answer means I take note to not waste time on someone who has been brainwashed into being a looter.
The third category includes the masses we will entertain with my shows. Shows which will have messages in favor of Capitalism and the greatness of our country woven throughout. It is through those shows I intend to have a broad impact on society. In the mean time, I'll gladly accept advertising dollars from advertisers whose values do not always line up with mine, although they value the eyeballs I can deliver. This part makes me feel a bit like Francisco. :)
There is a lot wrong in the world.
There is a lot right in the world.
What is right still needs a champion for that cause. I suppose that's why I still feel like I more readily identify with Hank than Galt. So for now, I will Go Reardon until I'm called to Go Galt.
To our respective success!
Tony
$
I guess they're combing the bleeding hearts for another host today, huh.
I won't buy anything new inside my own state if I can help it. It's all mail order and free shipping option through out-of-state companies.
If I have to get something quick, I go local through CraigsList.
I convert my cash to bullion - not because I expect to make money, but to keep them from stealing from me through inflation.
I intend later this year to take an unpaid leave of absence for the sole reason of denying the government that tax money they thought they were going to get by putting the social security tax back to 6.2%. I have drawn a line in the sand. They will get no tax dollars beyond that line, and if it means I produce less, so be it.
I record all sales and misc taxes paid and make efforts to eliminate the top sources. Haven't quite figured out how to reduce my #1 (Diesel). But my #2 (Cell phone) is being radically reduced with a move to Skype.
I'm leaving my state for one that doesn't have an income tax.
The 401K will be out of their reach once I arrive at the new state. The money is coming out and going to bullion.
The Cyprus incident has me thinking that I might want to just have my company mail me my check, and I'll get it cashed at Walmart.
How it all happened? We had an annual dues of $100 to pay for our expenses during our one big annual event. Not a biggie. Had it budgeted, and all of us came up with a plan, and spent the $$$. Then, during the event, it became a "We need this and that" (mainly those who were otherwise unemployed and somewhat destitute) looking at me to come up with the $$$ to do it. Even tho everyone knew the cupboards were bare. Between the 3 of us with jobs (and money) they looted us for a few thousand before I said, "Oops, sorry, I'm broke". All of the sudden I became a "dictator" and no one liked the way I ran our gig (of course, I was sterling as long as my wallet was open, right?) and worse, they wanted to have a "people's committee" to make all the decisions once my wallet was closed...
What was the sign on Wyatt's Torch? Oh yeah...
"I am leaving it as I found it. Take over. It's yours."
God, I love it! ;)
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