I first heard about AS a few years ago, but read AS maybe a couple years back, when I found an old, beat up softcover of it in a 2nd hand store just to see what it was about... little did I know then it would change my entire outlook on life, and way of living! I know, way too long...

Since then, I've seen both I and II (and have the DVDS, so I can look at them again when I get the urge)... even better, I was also given an almost pristene hardbound edition of AS (from my other 1/2 ;) ) for Christmas last year...

Anyway (don't laugh) I frequently thumb through it... especially now that we're living in the looter's world Ayn so acutely spoke of... and recognize it as the cancer on society it is... and smile, knowing that, in the Gulch, I am not alone!

7in from the midday sun here in the gulch :)
how you and your family are doing it is courageous, as long as you're not sacrificing happiness. Actually supporting infrastructure that does not allow to be mobile, makes no sense to me. I know others feel strongly about taking a stand on their land in the US. That would make me less happy in the short term. I wish I had done what you are doing now, sooner. My family would have been fine, maybe better, and I would have had more time to focus on the Renaissance of Reason and preparedness for the Fall, which is really what we're all about in here. wow, no basement. no toys in your house :)

Wow, impressive move.... how long has it been since you read AS ?? or was it the movies ?

what a courageous step you took. did you work for a non-profit? :)
tell us more stories about the conversations in that organization. Sometimes, it's easy to hone in on code phrases they (looters) use, sometimes we are desensitized to them through conditioning. It's always a good to hear "new" ones, in order to develop quick responses that eviscerate them. who cares about educating the ones who create them as a means of intimidation or guilt-trip, but then sometimes people unwittingly repeat them-like high school aged students hearing things teachers and other classmates say.

Nice, you are in the right place here. Many of us tell similar stories. Only in the "official gulch."

Seriously, its a state of mind more than a web site or any physical location. And you are there.

To me, it's even deeper than that - if you look at the example of the actual gulch in the book, the strikers had pulled their collective minds from the looter's world, and reformed a world where there was no mooching, but a sense of collective value by value produced. That's probably (to me) the most important aspect - to deny the looters and moochers of what they gain by the theft from Producers, while simultaneously doing what one can to support, increase, and enforce the producer ethos.

I just went through a very uncomfortable episode where I was in charge of what ended up being a group of looters. Serious. If it came from someone else, then it was theirs to spend - to paraphrase one of their comments "All of the products for all of the people". It was all coded drivel saying, essentially, "We'll steal what we can to scrape the cream off, and give to other moochers what was produced by someone else". I found solace - thank you, Ayn and you fellow Gulchers - in walking awway - no explanation, no reason, no nada. In essence, I went on strike. I will no longer be a participant as a producer in their mooching and thieving ways. Period.

Even better - I had, years ago (when I was younger and much dumber) paid for a lengthy web service for this group. They sucked it up like syrup. When I walked, they wanted me to renew this service, even tho they knew I was no longer involved with their shenanigans. I was gone. A few weeks back - someone broke into the account and attempted to do a renewal (using my credit card on file, of course), which had been cancelled. I got the notice the transaction was denied... ;)

Its things like that which make me realize just how *right* Ayn was. What makes me sad now was how much of my life I threw away subscribing to the looters whole crooked and immoral philoosophy, and how a few simple words - written by a woman about the time I was born - changed my life so completely, and gave me the integrity I never had, let alone understood.

Sometimes the best thing you can do... is to walk away, and let them collapse under their own weight. While I feel sad for their naiveity, I neither empathise or sympathize with their failure to recognize the spiral to annihilation they are participating in, and trying to suck others into.

In closing, I remember (before I struck that idiocy, and as my integrity was awakening) moochfest quipping to one of their "senior members" one of my favorite lines - "Who is John Galt?". His response was to start with "F*** John Galt" and this nonsensical diatribe on why it was "evil" to be self-responsible and a producer rather than a parasite off the wealth of others... At that point, I realized just how futile (and fatal) that whole group was.

Have a happy and prosperous Monday!!!

That is exactly the analogy my husband has given to our kids, as far back as 7, 8 years ago. (I'm sure it is longer ago than that, actually). We have striven to educate our kids to keep their eyes open, to read everything they can get their hands on, and to stay informed.

they will have to figure it out. I am very sad that their future is likely to be a hard struggle.
there has to be an intellectual agreement across the country that stealing from others is not OK just because the majority votes for it.

All during the day we just felt surreal. It was so shocking. I'm sure, the false peace currently is going to play out with devastating consequences.
How could someone vote for someone who hates the history of our country.?? It made our decision to leave for good much easier, however, because it killed my hope.
Election showed just how traitorous the so-called "establishment republicans" really are. Electability. Electability. We can go through posts in here before the election, where Gulchers were saying that. Now, some will say viable third party. I say Fall of Rome

I wanted to jump off the roof election night. We had friends staying here because they were still without power at their house in NY from the hurricane. Our friend Keith was swearing up a blue streak! Justifiably. His wife is the woman from Iraq, and she was visibly shaken. She said this is how it starts, the oppression, over regulation by an over bearing government. It was the most depressing night of my life, other than when my mom and, later, my stepmom died.

We have discussed alternatives to living in CT, and have come across a few. Our obstacles at this point are the prospect of selling a house in this area, and also uprooting our kids who have really grown up here. My husband is in a postion in his career where he can command a very good salary, but it's makes us sick to see what a HUGE chunk of that gets siphoned off for the benefit of moochers. It makes me sick. But we have to find a place where his work ethic meshes with a prospective employers. He has a very low tolerance for stupidity and laziness when it comes to business ethics. I can do what I do anywhere, so for me I'm most concerned with the education that would be offered in a place we might choose to live. As far as people we would miss, well we have friends we've known for years, and we are all over the country. The ones we feel are important in our lives are still there. We have shed those with whom there are great divides in thinking, politically, ethically, etc. There are a few who share our pain over what we see happening in the country, and we try in our small way to to change that. It's sadly an uphill battle because so much of the populace believes the shit being spread by the liberal govt and its minions in the media. I guess I could say we have shrugged those with whom there is no common ground in logical thought, and unfortunately it has included family. But I'd rather not have someone like that in my children's lives, clouding reality.

That election meant that the economy would continue to struggle, that we'd have to endure Obamacare, and four more years of a slide torward the fictional reality of Atlas. If Romney had won, I think at least finances would have been solved somewhat. There would still be a moral crises, but it would have been digestable. What we all had to deal with was how much of that we wanted to shoulder. For me, it's not much.

A lot of that stuff I produce I do for those who are just now coming to the place in their minds where many of us were two and three years ago. Putting the info up for free makes it easy for them to learn what they need to do. At the Overmanwarrior Wisdom site, even though my production is free to the public, it is still cheaper than making it a "for profit" enterprise where the government sticks their nose in my business. If people learn something and start asking questions, I will profit down the road by having a society that I can deal with. But right now, it's the money speech. People of little value do not understand money. They think more of it means more for them. That's how the Fed gets them, and why they can print money like there is no tomorrow. Mankind has lost its value for itself, which is reflected in the money.

I'm tryin' I'm tryin'! :)

Teach them a skill or skills that can be used in tough times and teach them history as we know it.. then send them on their way to discover the world with the principles of capitalism...

I see a common thread here...election night. What a kick in the thinker. (Except kh, who's always ahead of the game.)

I was just thinking that earlier today....what will our kids' lives be like? We might be able to squeak by til we die without having to be subjects for looting, but it won't be so easy (not that it's easy) for them to accomplish. The gov has it's tentacles in EVERYthing and it's getting worse by the second. This next generation is so entitled and superficial, and that alone is frightening without all the other hurdles to overcome. I seriously fear for their futures.

Wow, I texted one of my best customers, military group, that my place was officially for sale...at midnight, election night.... I was so disgusted. Going Galt is hard when you have worked your whole life to accomplish something, but probably is the best thing to do. Still contemplating the right move, but know it will be after this season...the question is what to do afterward..there is no Galt's Gulch to go to that is hidden from the rest of the world. Take a menial job that provides health care and coast, enjoying the rest of your days, but then what are our children left with ????

I remember wondering where the heck you had gone after the election, but I too was in a major funk and couldn't see straight for a while. It was a life changer for me, a huge wake up call that I'm still recovering from. I felt like I fell off a cliff. I started reorganizing our future the minutes after the election was called (and after my husband yelled, "The vampire has been invited into the house...AGAIN!!!" Sigh.) Planning and being prepared and producing happiness is what we are left with...until the masses awaken....IF they are even capable of that. I always enjoy your posts and comments Overman :) Keep up the good fight!

I am with you. After the election I was in a funk where I was really ready to run off into the mountains and say "forget it." Instead, I bought a couple of new computers for my wife and I and we became involved in an online mmo game for a couple of months.

http://overmanwarrior.wordpress.com/2012...

That's why I didn't say much here for a while. We played that game for many hours which felt like another world. In it, there was a freedom that just isn't there in real life, which is pretty sad when you think about it. I found it a very interesting experience that was refreshing. I can see why so many kids get into those games. You get to keep what you earn, because there are no taxes in that particular MMO environment and you can go where you want anytime you want to and do pretty much whatever when you get there.

It is of course a simulated reality, but I went there for the freedom and the vacation from the world for a couple of months. And it did recharge my batteries. But I was certainly shrugging!

http://overmanwarrior.wordpress.com/2013...

Thank you for your input :) All good stuff and nice to know I'm not the only looking around at people all the time and thinking "What the hell are they thinking??" Living below your means to keep from assisting the siphon is excellent. And I have about 18" of sun here. Want some?

Your comments echo exactly my views. Especially your last paragraph. To think of all of who attacking us and on how many fronts, it tends to overwhelm and drain me of my mental focus and energy ~ the drive for life.

I agree with the idea of pulling back on productive effort ~ done that before and really didn't like it. It felt as if I wasn't being honest with who I am and my work ethic. The sick part of that is, it's exactly what one must do when living under the control of looters and moochers: you can't be who you really are and have to put on a mask of pretend. Pretending to be content when you're really not, pretending to stupid & aloof when you're intelligent and alert...basically splitting yourself just to get by in this "utopia" the Libs believe they are creating. It reflects, I believe the mental/emotional conditions of Liberals: split.

For my family situation, shrugging means driving both of my cars even though one is nearly 200k miles and the other over 154k. I could get newer ones, but why? To give more $ to the State in taxes? Nope. I deny them.

Shrugging means taking my family of 4 and living in a 2-bedroom townhouse with no basement at an incredible rent price. Could I afford more & better? Absolutely. But then my $ goes to the utility companies (Obama did say Energy prices would have NECESSARILY skyrocket) and have less to spend on the essentials like food, gas, clothes, etc.

This is what I can do that's within my power. I can also influence those who are willing to listen and have the courage to face the truth, but those people are few and far between. But it only takes ONE person. One person can make a difference.

That's my .02. Oh yeah, there's about 12 inches of snow outside. :)

Excellent response kh. In particular I appreciate the "happiness" aspect of planning that you have suggested. After all that IS what it's all about...and we have the natural and unalienable right to pursue it, along with life and liberty. Maybe that, in itself, IS the real meaning of shrugging. :) The pursuit, uninfringed.
Damn...I forgot to mention the part about being prepared for the worst in my post.

What is shrugging?
To me, it is the withdrawal of your productive effort from a corrupt country or world.
Beginning the Process.
Like you have said, it starts by acknowledging your country or World has become SO corrupt that the normal political process and its exposure in the media (today's term) have become ineffective. As well, the Rule of Law has become subverted. reason is no longer an accepted way to resolve disputes and you are left with force.
The Process:
How can you best maximize your happiness? How much does it bother you that you are aiding your enslavers? This is the intellectual part.
Execute a plan. Goal is to effect happiness, minimize the support given to corruption(this is not just a federal or state or even local govt level-this includes friends, family and neighbors advancing the corruption (unwitting or not)
As a result, answers for each person or family will be different, depending on resources-this includes skills, comfort zones, pleasure and happiness, philosophical beliefs, importance placed on geographic location, etc. (I am interested in other factors people have that I have not listed).
Review the plan often and make necessary changes as your knowledge increases. After all-many of us were born in a much freer country, and levels of contentment fluctuate depending on the factors listed above.
provocative post, LS-looking forward to the discussion in here