Matcha, the Oath is Ayn Rand's anti-altruist manifesto from Atlas Shrugged: "I swear by my life, and my love of it, that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another to live for mine." Notice that there are loopholes in this equation, for example when you are willing to risk your life, of your own free will, to save someone who means so much to you that without them life would have no meaning. At least, that was the dramatic option John Galt laid out, and fortunately it never came to that since his friends risked everything to rescue him. The Oath is not for lifeboat situations or fictional suspense but for living in a rational human society where people trade value for value for mutual benefit. I had lived by those principles all my life, before ever reading Ayn Rand's powerful statement.

Welcome to Atlantis, gcarl615.

I am quite sure that you and most Gulchers would be more than capable in that role, freedomforall.

I'd like to sign up as apprentice if there is a vacancy, or room in the back of the lab. I will have to do some study to prepare first though.

Its kind of like getting citizenship to the gulch. Its the right to join it and live there. Violation results in revocation of citizenship and banishment.

its my X-men superpower !

I am a bit of a chemist. Nitrous oxide is something I would have to learn how to make.

I will make use of your services.

I am a mother of 2 young strong boys. They are 4 & 8. They are very intelligent and helpful. We are mechanics and they are learning as well. We are teaching them to think for themselves. They will be of great use to a Gulch even now, they are artists, creative thinkers, and hard workers. I am also teaching them to garden and native trees.
I am currently a homemaker, I sew cook, clean both with commercial cleaners and natural cleaners like baking soda, peroxide, and vinegar. I am learning how to use oils and herbs for healing. I can sew and quilt, as well as mend and crochet. I can garden and have a pretty good eye for mixing dirt for different things. I am also very good at judging people, I have worked in management and customer service most of my life and people are my profession. I can smell a bullshitter from a mile away. I have a degree in business management with emphasis in accounting. I also grew up on a farm raising pigs, chickens, veggies, and most of what we ate on less than 5 acres.
My husband is a machinist and very skilled in metallurgy by memory. He's amazing and a genius. He can figure out anything as long as he's given a little time and less distraction. He can also think on his feet but results may vary. He's an eagle scout, a hunter, has worked in house renovations for most of his early adult years, so he can make a home out of what someone else may consider rubble. He's able to run and fix most machinery as well as being able to drive anything.
We are also both Objectivists and have read Atlas Shrugged. We would both take the oath as well. We believe that life should be more than the life others in this country are trying to push on us. We strive for more in everything. We believe that starting over will most likely be the only salvation for this country. We also believe in the constitution before all the amendments. We believe you'll be alright if you do what is right, based on your heart and mind. I am happy to help those who are willing to help themselves.

Regressing? Should I dust off my old Polaroid? I understand that Fuji is still making 35mm film.

kind of a cross between mechanical and electrical engineer

I am working on that, herbs and wild plants, but its a little tougher if you don't know where its gonna be. Different parts of the world grow different things.

If you keep posting and take no action it might be too late. All the posts about not bringing babies, how to get things to the Gulch are an indication to me that everything has to be perfect for you to make the move. You might be able to do it but it will be harder if you wait. Why not start now. You could find an isolated place now and start setting it up in case you have to leave in a hurry. Each state could have a Gulch where all you people making posts could start to set up. What about container homes. It's cheap. Look at the self sufficient earthship homes. These are my favorite. I honestly think you are at risk if you wait until the last minute. Take your family with you. We moved 3 generations to a foreign country where none of us could speak the language. We also brought our 3 cats and 4 dogs. Other family members will come if things get crazy in the US. It looked impossible when we started. It did take time so if you wait it might be too late. The one thing I would do different is leave everything except my photos and small personal items.

cont.
To answer your question I would bring my books. I would bring what I know about survival with scarce resources. I would also bring supplies that I might think I would need that I might not be able to get once inside. I would also make sure I had my connections on the outside to get things. I use to think about this kind of thing a lot and honestly I had a lower class pot smoking housekeeper that was the most honest person I ever met. She might not get into the Gulch but I promise she has a skill set for survival we don't have. We might do well to have someone like her.

It would certainly help in the above situation to be in a group of like minded people. What will you do if someone takes the oath and doesn't keep it? Will you rely on pure logic to solve the problem? Since I already live in this type of group I can tell you that there are two groups in our neighborhood. On the one side are the people who are very strict in their ideas and on the other side are the slightly more socially liberal. I like and get along with both groups. I had to sit my adult self down for a just me conversation about peer pressure. I decided to just be myself and no park in one group or the other. I told them I might end up alone and I'd be ok but i won't be pressured. These are the most self sufficient and amazing people I have ever known. I am just saying that there will always be problems. To answer your question what is the oath and what if one decided it would be insane to defend it. Who decides these things in the Gulch? I might have a problem since I like to think for myself.

What type of engineer are you, term2?

You're the second Daniel Boone descendant I have met.

I will glad to start things out as being the person who lays pipes and puts in underground sprinkler systems as well, although I'll definitely hire some people to help with the digging.

We'll have to work together, xthinker88. I will need to hire an environmental engineer. I could do that job myself, but I am sure that I will need to contract that part of the job out.

You're hired.

I can garden, raise chickens and I hope to learn beekeeping soon.
Both my husband and I have home building/remodeling skills including plumbing and wiring.
I sew just about anything. He hunts.
We see the potential of things to be more than just what they are...but what they can be.
Resourcefulness will be of the utmost necessity.

Farmer in a small way, can handle large and small animals, successful small game hunter, pretty good shot with both long guns and small arms, have both plus reloading skills, fisherwoman. I also sing, write and paint and will teach anyone who would like to learn. One problem--I am 65 and just got a pacemaker implant. To me it doesn't matter. To be able to live and contribute to a functioning Gulch would be in my very great self interest--to be able to learn and search and discover and interact with others who function with logic and passion. I use the word "passion" and not emotion. Emotion was not the driving force for Hank's metal, nor was it for Dagny's railroad. Taking the oath will require passion. I am willing.

Interesting topic. Lewis and Clark took an air rifle with them on their trip, what 1820. It took someone most of the evening to pump the damn thing up. If I remeber it right, it shot a 50cal ball and could shoot several rounds before needing pumped again. They would demonstrate it to the Indian tribes they encountered along the way just to amaze them and probably cower them a little. The rifle is still on display in the Smithsonian.

Well, Txs.