If we were living in Atlas Shrugged...

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Peter Barker on July 15, 2009 at 8:23pm

My copy of Atlas Shrugged has 1,084 pages.

I think the answer to your question depends upon who is asking and which edition they read.

Suggested: That we are at the point where Eddie Willers (representing the common man, neither an inventive geniuses nor a leader, with no ability to create a new society of his own, but too able and honest to ever to adjust to collectivism) begins to be defined by the author.

In the past 11 months I have witnessed so many people who never cared about “politics”, begin to ask others “What’s going on here?”; “This is not what I voted for”.

Thanks for asking,
- Peter

Permalink Reply by George Daily on July 16, 2009 at 8:15am

Mine is 1,168 pages and most are at least 1,000, I'd guess. Another correspondent of mine wrote the following:

"The Goldman Sachs quarterly report reminded me of the part where Jim Taggert got his railroad to be profitable by government fiat rather than actually running the business well. So, we are maybe 300-400 pages into it now?"

If you think about it, "going Galt" is happening all the time. Californians have been "going Galt" for ten years by moving to Nevada. Outsourcing to India and moving plants to El Salvador is a version of "going Galt" as well.

I'd like to see the Tea Party movement develop into a "John Galt Protest". What if 10 million workers stopped in their tracks at 10:00am on a Wednesday for two hours? That would make a statement.


Peter Barker said:

My copy of Atlas Shrugged has 1,084 pages.

I think the answer to your question depends upon who is asking and which edition they read.

Suggested: That we are at the point where Eddie Willers (representing the common man, neither an inventive geniuses nor a leader, with no ability to create a new society of his own, but too able and honest to ever to adjust to collectivism) begins to be defined by the author.

In the past 11 months I have witnessed so many people who never cared about “politics”, begin to ask others “What’s going on here?”; “This is not what I voted for”.

Thanks for asking,
- Peter

Permalink Reply by Sandy Cope on July 16, 2009 at 9:03am

George- I agree that the TEA parties need to expand and grow into something much bigger than simply protesting the over burdening taxes. Your idea about 10 million workers stopping work for 2 hours on a weekday would make a statement, that is, if there are 10 million who still have jobs in the US. I understand that the real unemployment number is more like 16.5%, if you don't use the governments jimmied numbers. I also read that when the unemployment number (even by government statistics) reaches 10%, that is when people will wake up, and get to the point they were at when gas hit $4. per gallon. It is the unemployed who are going to drive the mood of the country, and hopefully will drive a charge against the Communists now residing in Washington. It's obvious those in power don't listen to the population when they burn up the phone lies, fax lines and emails in protest against disastrous bills like Cap and Tax. It will take more and much louder screams before they even decide to insert their hearing aids.

Permalink Reply by Peter Barker on July 16, 2009 at 2:13pm

Yes, 10 AM on a Wednesday works. I can only suggest that those who can take the rest of the day to meet other "Galtlets", as this Hope and Change thing is going to require that one cultivate people with useful skill sets. Food production comes to mind.

George Daily said:

Mine is 1,168 pages and most are at least 1,000, I'd guess. Another correspondent of mine wrote the following:

"The Goldman Sachs quarterly report reminded me of the part where Jim Taggert got his railroad to be profitable by government fiat rather than actually running the business well. So, we are maybe 300-400 pages into it now?"

If you think about it, "going Galt" is happening all the time. Californians have been "going Galt" for ten years by moving to Nevada. Outsourcing to India and moving plants to El Salvador is a version of "going Galt" as well.

I'd like to see the Tea Party movement develop into a "John Galt Protest". What if 10 million workers stopped in their tracks at 10:00am on a Wednesday for two hours? That would make a statement.


Peter Barker said:

My copy of Atlas Shrugged has 1,084 pages.

I think the answer to your question depends upon who is asking and which edition they read.

Suggested: That we are at the point where Eddie Willers (representing the common man, neither an inventive geniuses nor a leader, with no ability to create a new society of his own, but too able and honest to ever to adjust to collectivism) begins to be defined by the author.

In the past 11 months I have witnessed so many people who never cared about “politics”, begin to ask others “What’s going on here?”; “This is not what I voted for”.

Thanks for asking,
- Peter