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What the Gulch is... and what it isn't.

Posted by sdesapio 10 years, 3 months ago to The Gulch: General
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We have a few members leaving the Gulch today. Their reasons are theirs, but suffice it to say the Gulch is no longer meeting their needs. They arrived of their own freewill. They stayed of their own freewill. And now, they will leave of their own freewill. With 20,000+ members, the Gulch continues to grow daily and, as with any growing community, we will suffer growing pains from time to time.

We thank them for their significant contributions to the Gulch.

For those of you remaining in the Gulch, we want you to know that we are listening to you, you are a priority, and we will continue to take strides daily to make your Gulch experience the very best it can be.

Who we are... and who we're not:
1. We are advocates of Ayn Rand's ideas.
2. Our mission is to propagate those ideas.
3. Although Politics is a hot topic in the Gulch, we are not a political organization. The Gulch supports no particular political party.

What the Gulch is... and what it isn't:
1. The Gulch is a "net" which looks to catch the curious, the familiar, the like-minded, and even... the occasional enemy (of reason).
2. Once snared in the net, the goal is to start a conversation, to prod, to push, and to educate - all in the hopes of illuminating.
3. The Gulch is not an "Objectivists Only" forum.

As you'll see in the attached Venn diagram, there are different sections of the Gulch:
1. The Public Gulch forum ( http://www.GaltsGulchOnline.com ) - This is where all the intense debate happens. Everything from religion, to politics, to ethics and morality, are discussed and debated vigorously.
2. The Producer's Lounge ( http://www.GaltsGulchOnline.com/g/produc... ) - This is where we (advocates of Ayn Rand's ideas) go to seek refuge. This is a private section of the Gulch intended to be a place with little debate - a place for the like-minded to relax and enjoy each other's company.

Again, it is our sincere hope that your experience in the Gulch is an enjoyable one and we will continue to work every day to make the Gulch great. It's going to be intense. People are going to disagree... vehemently. People are going to argue... passionately. People are going to contradict themselves... with certainty. And, we're going to propagate Ayn Rand's ideas.

Oh... and Zombies. Look out for the Zombies.


Thank you for being part of Galt's Gulch Online,
Scott DeSapio
Associate Producer, Atlas Shrugged Part 3
CIO, Atlas Distribution Company
Chief Admin, Galt's Gulch Online

- - - - -

"Speak on any scale open to you, large or small— to your friends, your associates, your professional organizations, or any legitimate public forum. You can never tell when your words will reach the right mind at the right time. You will see no immediate results—but it is of such activities that public opinion is made."

- Ayn Rand
Philosophy: Who needs it? "What can one do?"

- - - - -

P.S. Those members that will be leaving the Gulch may join in the resulting conversation on this post. Please be patient and give them the latitude they deserve. Their concerns are valid and should be heard - regardless of how they choose to deliver their message. If they choose to return, they will always be welcome in the Gulch.



All Comments


Previous comments...   You are currently on page 2.
  • Posted by 10 years, 3 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Not at all Matcha. We encourage independent thought and want to hear everything you have to say. You are bound to find those that agree and those that don't. And, that's OK. The idea is to promote respectful debate and civil discourse. You're doing fine.
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  • Posted by Matcha 10 years, 3 months ago
    OK. I get it. This is a place where there is no room for independent thought. We either tow the line on what we think and get judged by how closely we don't stray from group thought. You have to be a fundamentalist. I read Rand's books in at 19 years old. I have applied her philosophy to my life since then. I did shrug, moving to another country. I appreciate what you do and I love the movies. I wish you luck but this is not a place for me.
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  • Posted by woodlema 10 years, 3 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Thank you Blarman and Winterwind, that was indeed the point I was trying to make. Please note I was posing my post as a question more so than any to spur some thought and draw out what it is that this particular "free" market wants to see. I know personally I have changed a few of my viewpoints due to these spirited debates.
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    Posted by $ winterwind 10 years, 3 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I respectfully, but very strongly, disagree with your suggestion, woodlema.
    I have learned much from posts that veer off from their original point., even when it was Objectivism. I have learned much about Objectivism from posts that did not begin with a comment about it.

    I would immediately pull my support, financial and otherwise, and remove myself from any "Forum" in which the Admin decided that we were done speaking about some subject.
    Sounds like Public School [and if you have read anything I've ever written, you know that that phrase is "talkin' dirty"].

    If you re-read Scott's couple of paragraphs on what the Gulch is, and isn't, the point is made that this is NOT strictly a venue to discuss Objectivism. It is intended to be wider than that, I think especially by those who pay to be here.

    More strictures is never the answer, no matter what the question is.
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  • Posted by $ nickursis 10 years, 3 months ago
    I myself, am not involved with the detailed structure of being objectivist. I had to stick to high level explanations and decide if it fitted what I felt. After listening to the whole AS novel, I felt that AR understood what was going on a long time ago and I had a great respect for that. My take on discussions is that I cannot be pulled down by people who may or may not be deliberately baiting or manipulating me, I do not have the time or the patience to worry about it. Our situation on this earth is so dire because of the Looter structure taking everything out of it and stifling innovation that one troll or arguer or just cantankerous person is not something I want to try to judge on. If a person seems particularly vicious or vindictive I just down vote and hopefully a couple others will validate that and it will go bye bye. Other than that, maybe someone who voted twice for Obama might actually be so confused that they cannot separate fact from fiction, and so seem to wobble all over the place. Maybe I never got into the discussions that generated the angst over this, but I would ask the Producers to please consider that fighting with one idiot does not a battle make: we have a whole civilization to try to convince is crazy. I do not see us ever changing them as they are to addicted to the Looters payoffs... but hopefully we can find a way to start over after they whole thing tumbles down. And we all know it is doomed to tumble, no Looter civilization can continue if just because entropy will take over and squish it.Thisquote I put at the bottom of everything I can in the hope someone will realize how true it is:

    “The hardest thing to explain is the glaringly evident which everybody has decided not to see.” - Ayn Rand
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  • Posted by conscious1978 10 years, 3 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Zeus' Electrified Nads!!!

    This disappointingly sucks. I'm not asking you to stay for any of us; I'm asking that you not undervalue the enjoyment and satisfaction you get from interacting on this website...in Spite of any errors by an Admin. Continue to be yourself, here, and comment according to your values. If you are removed, then your case is clearer and stronger; if you are not removed, then it's likely we've all gained value from the ensuing education and interaction...site management included.

    I make this same selfish appeal to LS, RMP, NMA, and any others thinking of leaving. Yeah, it's just a website, but I'd wager that you enjoy more here than not.

    Ticks are temporary and y'all being here is the best medicine.

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  • Posted by LetsShrug 10 years, 3 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I'm tired of the kudos for politeness...give me facts and honesty, that's all I care about.
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  • Posted by $ blarman 10 years, 3 months ago in reply to this comment.
    So you would allow them to induce your temper and goad you into ceding logic for the passion of argument? I can't see where doing that leads anywhere but to irrationality - their court. And if their goal is to goad and inflame the passions, if we allow ourselves to be so goaded do they not win the argument? Patience and forbearance are wisdom in and of themselves and demonstrate mastery over emotion.

    "Pain leads to fear. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hatred leads to suffering. Such is the path to the dark side." - Yoda
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  • Posted by $ blarman 10 years, 3 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Oh, I agree, and it is at that point that you leave the discussion. But I've seen some of his posts that were spot on. I guess it all depended on the day.
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  • Posted by $ blarman 10 years, 3 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Disagree. The whole purpose of Objectivism is to discuss how people view reality in a structured and thoughtful manner. EVERY idea, concept, ideology should be on the table for discussion. Then we should look at the principles which espouse _reality_ and adopt them. THAT is Objectivism. The problem is that people get tied up in the emotion of their arguments rather than looking at them from a purely "objective" does-it-match-reality-or-not-discussion. And once reason cedes the field to emotion, civilized discourse and joint opportunity turns into a contest of ego. The best way to demonstrate Objectivism is to void our conversations of the petty ad hominem attacks on those whom we disagree with. And we must also be willing to give them their say, because they might spur us to contemplate some idea that might be beneficial.
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  • Posted by dbhalling 10 years, 3 months ago in reply to this comment.
    No he is not. He would be brave if he had an honest opinion, but he is just a propaganda machine.
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  • Posted by 10 years, 3 months ago in reply to this comment.
    That would be a failed attempt at introducing a note of levity. They can't all be home runs.
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