Am I immoral?

Posted by CapitalistFred 12 years, 4 months ago to Philosophy
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First, a little bit about myself. I am in my 40s, have a wife and 3 kids, and am the founder and majority shareholder of a small chain of retail stores on the east coast. I am in a recession proof sector of retail, and have grown from 1 store 5 years ago to 12 today.

I am unwilling to even seriously consider going Galt, and will continue to grow my business, create wealth, employ the best people I can find, and yes, enrich the looters through the money that they confiscate from me at the point of a gun.

My reason for staying and continuing to fight is essentially a selfish one: I get great joy from continuing to succeed and grow in spite of all of the obstacles thrown in my way. I am proud of every dollar that I have earned, and it pleases me to be able to employ many who share my ideals and vision.

I am aware that the looters depend upon men like me to finance their oppression, but I am still unwilling to forego the pleasure that I get from continuing to prosper and grow amidst the carnage.

I am, as I have said before, more Rearden than Galt.

Does that make me immoral?

What say you?

All Comments

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  • Posted by Profit-Posse-dotcom 12 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Thank you for your service! If your in here we probably are lucky to have you there. I didn't know that about Federal judges or the layoffs. I had the impression there was a shortage of Federal judges.
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  • Posted by Profit-Posse-dotcom 12 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Find a need > Create Value > participate in Capitalism and Free enterprise > restore America...
    I thought Government or it's "chosen" few were the only ones booming. But, it seems you've stuck to the basics (including a lot of hard work I imagine). Congrats!
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  • Posted by Profit-Posse-dotcom 12 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Find a need > Create Value > participate in Capitalism and Free enterprise > restore America...
    I thought Government or it's "chosen" few were the only ones booming. But, it seems you've stuck to the basics (including a lot of hard work I imagine). Congrats!
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  • Posted by CapitalistFred 12 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I make my money by ensuring that the customers in my retail stores get outstanding customer service and an excellent value. I am neither one of Obama's "chosen ones" nor a profiteer of the disastrous socialist policies of the current administration.
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  • Posted by CapitalistFred 12 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    There os ALWAYS room at the top, and many individual businesses are doing quite well, even in industries that are hurting.

    I am in retail, andthat is a sector that has done poorly, but there are well run copanies that are opening stores and growing profits, and my company is among them.
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  • Posted by DragonLady 12 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    You've got the "chosen ones" right, but the judicial branch (for the most part), is NOT booming. Federal judges make far less than lawyers in private practice, as I would in the private sector working for a law firm, and there were massive layoffs last summer. The lucky ones (those with vested retirement) were able to take early retirement. We lost some productive people. I had always planned to retire at 62, and here I am still working at 65, and will be until 72.
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  • Posted by khalling 12 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    You are wrong. Rand "galted" by leaving the USSR. People have been galting for centuries. they have left Cuba, China, Ireland, Viet Nam, Korea, India...and those who stuck around when Stalin, Mao, or Hitler were in charge at some point became at least complicit in perpetuating the evil. When people leave it has consequences for those countries.
    For example, productive industries such as chemical factories producing fixed nitrogen fertilizer. They were productive. They kept playing the game. But at some point they handed over the "gun" to the people who were going to kill them.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_...
    The whole damned point of Atlas Shrugged is that Hank and Dagney were just facilitating their destroyers.
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  • Posted by khalling 12 years, 4 months ago
    There is not enough information here to answer. I guess, the point is, everyone has to decide for themselves when or whether to galt. However, if you are making money off the disaster that is Obama or the disaster happening to the US and LOVING IT, it is hard to see that you are truly someone who appreciates the work of Ayn Rand.
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  • Posted by Profit-Posse-dotcom 12 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Charles Givens said "if you don't like the rules, build your own ballpark." I think they call it entrepreneurship. I'm doing just that. I didn't like the unethical and dishonest atmosphere typical in my industry. When my company closed and laid evreyone off (thousands), I may have been the only one not to take another similar job or go on unemployment. Instead, I started a small business. Not easy, but much more satisfying! I decide who I work with...including clients!
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  • Posted by CapitalistFred 12 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    That's always been my opinion as well. I never have seriously considered going on strike, nor do I think that it makes any sense for me to do so.

    Since there is no actual gulch where I can go to create wealth without the looters coming after me, my best course, as far as I can tell, is to continue to find ways to outwit and outwork the looters and moochers, and to live well while doing so.

    And besides, I enjoy the hell out of it!
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  • Posted by png 12 years, 4 months ago
    Just remember that "shrugging" was created as a plot device. It made for a great novel, but it was not meant as practical advice. Rand didn't do it herself, and as far as I know she never told others to do it. What she said was that we should never do work that destroys what we value. If you were employed as an office manager for the Democratic National Committee, I would certainly advise you to quit that job. But what you're doing creates value, and I'm sure that Rand would have approved.
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  • Posted by terrycan 12 years, 4 months ago
    Since you make your money ethically you are a moral man. When is it time to go Galt? That is a question only you can answer. I'm not ready today. I am working on it.
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  • Posted by wgingram1 12 years, 4 months ago
    As long as you are ahead of the game you would be a damn fool to go "Galt".
    If on the other hand the system creeps up behind you and nibbles here and there until you are spending more time just trying to put food on your table, pay your house payments, buy gasoline to get to work (ETC) then you go "GALT"
    I went "GALT" because I had reached the age that companies no longer wanted to hire me because I was just to old and they wanted younger (more creative?) minds to take my place. What they found out that the majority of the graduating students were FAR from being anything but creative, so they went out of business or soon will (or will be bought out by some other fool company that thinks they have the proper solution.
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  • Posted by CapitalistFred 12 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    It is interesting to me that you believe that I "have to ask others what is the right thing to do".... you read a lot into my asking a simple question.

    I asked the readers here whether they think I am immoral.

    For myself, as I have said, I will not even consider shrugging, because I derive selfish pleasure from my money making activities.

    Since my own joy and prosperity is the aim of my life, my enjoyment of creating wealth makes it right for me. I have far too much self respect to ask others to set my priorities.

    I see that others here espouse going in strike, and I am curious how the strikers feel about my stand, as well as how many strikers vs non-strikers are here in the gulch.

    I dont believe that going Galt would bring me joy, nor do I truly believe that Rand herself meant for producers to literally strike.

    If a real life Galt creates an actual Gulch and invites me to join with the other creators, I will consider it, but unless and until that happens, I, and mine, will stand and fight.
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  • Posted by ObjectiveAnalyst 12 years, 4 months ago
    Greetings CapitalistFred,
    No. It is those who create the conditions that cause you to question your success that are immoral!
    Respectfully,
    O.A.
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  • Posted by CapitalistFred 12 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Au contraire. I feed the beast many tmes more than would be needed merely to survive. The so called "progressive" tax system, and the highest corporate tax rates on earth ensure that I pay quite a bit to feed the east.

    I create as much wealth as I am able, which leads to higher tax revenues for the looters in "Mordor on the Potomac".

    I feel no guilt or shame over it, but my selfish economic activities DO benefit the moochers.
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  • Posted by fivedollargold 12 years, 4 months ago
    There is nothing immoral about honest work. I'm sure you feed the beast not one penny more than necessary to survive. Until Midas finds his valley, we will have to bide our time. You put your time and capital at risk to become a maker, a concept unpopular with the current regime.
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  • Posted by Non_mooching_artist 12 years, 4 months ago
    Wallowing. And happy to be in a position to enjoy the fruits earned. Waiting to hear the results of earnings as I write this. Husband is a vp and general counsel of a company that, let's just say, is booming as a result of the disaster of Obama's re-election. We also are in our 40's, 2 kids, east coasters.
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