Feeling different after the hike, opposite

[Pedaling Fool]

Rand is big among high schoolers, true enough.
But there's no anger at all in what I wrote, just truth. I don't cosider myself ignorant or closed minded or of the type of person who thinks I know better than anyone else on any topic. Life is too big to be an expert in all matters.
Do some research and take an objective look at Rand and her work and it's fairly clear. Facts are facts. I have a degree in English literature, but I don't consider myself indoctrinated, however, I consider Rand defenders to be indoctrinated. What's the difference between being a narrow-minded defender of Rand and being a narrow-minded defender of say, ultralight hiking? Or Karl Marx?
Everything I wrote about Rand is true. I even provided you with references.

If there's a message in Rand's work, it's to take responsibility for one's self, not blame social-governmental institutions for our limitations.
Hikers should know this in spades.
Peace!

I pretty much agree with your assessment of Rand, but that begs the question: Why do so many hippy-like hikers worship her?

I know this because of my name John Gault. I didn’t know about Ayn Rand or her book in 2006 when I hiked the trail, but I was inundated with Ayn Rand worshipers from people that were anything but conservative.

[DrRichardCranium]

Some hippy-types are libertarian. Libertarians are not exactly "conservative." They just want less government.

[Darwin again]

I pretty much agree with your assessment of Rand, but that begs the question: Why do so many hippy-like hikers worship her?

I know this because of my name John Gault. I didn’t know about Ayn Rand or her book in 2006 when I hiked the trail, but I was inundated with Ayn Rand worshipers from people that were anything but conservative.

I think they like her "Take off and do your own thing" message, but they don't think through the part where we have to live together in society and be mutually supporting, else society comes apart pretty fast. For the ones who take off, "society" is always there for them to return to.

As my mom, the former flower child hippy and 60s veteran puts it, "You can only make so much money tying knots [macrame] and making candles."

For most of us, it's the commercial world that makes our trips into the woods possible.

[Montana AT05]

Darwin, you clearly have read little of Ayn Rand, or of her philosophy, Objectivism. Are you, perhaps, offended by her direct and damning statements about looters and moochers? Point to ponder...

You clearly do not understand who she sees the individual and society.

In fact, your statement above, where you claimed that "...everything I said is true. I even provided references" seems to suggest the mere presence of references equates truth. Whoa there Trigger, back up a bit...Al Gore provides references too...

In discussing society and our relationship to each other, Ayn Rand simply says that we must individually provide value to others in exchange for their value adds. Society is an exchaneg of values. Society is not the lazy and incompetent being provided values by producers and making the producers feel responsible for them.

And as to your ridiculous portrayal of Ayn Rand, which you claim is fact, well, here are your words:

Going Galt means running away, just like she did from her own home land and family and an act from which she never recovered psychologically.

A few points:

1. Are even remotely aware of what Soviet Russia was like?
2. Do you understand that people were murdered trying to leave that world? Do you know why? Meaning, why they tried to leave and why they were murdered?
3. Were you alive and mature enough when the USSR existed?
4. Are you Ayn Rand's pyschologist?
5. Have you even read more than exerpts from her works, or the related works by Leonard Peikoff on Objectivism? I think they answers here are, no and no.

John Galt, representative of heroic man--of good--of industrious behavior--did not "run away" as you scurrilously suggest. No. He removed himself and what he stood for from a world taken over by evil, i.e. by the American Liberalism of today (aka Socialism). It was a world that praised and elevated non-value, worshiped the non-producers, the moochers, and the looters.

Galt took away the only the only thing that allows Socialism, Communism, Liberalism, Fascism, et al, to exist--he took away the sanction of their victim. He took away the production that cannot happen within those societies (as proven time after time). He took away Good's acceptance of Evil's needs.

In any deal between Good and Evil, only Evil benefits, because Evil cannot exist without Good--Good can and does exist without Evil. Evil is a parasite. Good is an independent entity.

Going Galt means not allowing yourself to be the victim of evil. Evil cannot exist without the sanction of Good "All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing."

Going Galt means denying your production to those who not only refuse to pay you for it, but who insist it is your social duty to provide it, without payment. After all, Darwin, you need what the producers produce. Your need trumps their rights.

Without the productive members of society, evil (see above) cannot long endure.

After all Darwin, you can only spend so much of our money before we refuse to earn anymore.

I do not agree with all of her philosophy--notably the role of religion in the individual's life and her believe that the unborn have no rights--but I can appreciate her works for what they are and what they convey.

To say she "ran away" from her home and to suggest that is somehow a bad thing is to show considerable ignorance. And it is a statement that can only be made by an oppressor or by someone living comfortably at the cost of his betters.

In the end, Darwin, what you seem to fear is the removal of the producers sanction to how you view society. Your intentional misrepresentation of the woman reveals such.

[Mags]

Er..nevermind. I'm taking my own advice and taking a dog for a hike....

Short sarcastic comments (from a short, sarcastic guy) won't really affect this exchange.

[Pickleodeon]

hey, thanks for hacking the thread.

[Darwin again]

I suggested Pickleodeon not bother reading Rand, since it will be a waste of time in terms of her finding her way beyond the Trail. I stand by that opinion. Other advice here is great.

{Montana05, you're missing the point. I don't care what you think of Rand or me or my opinion of her or her idiotic ideas. "He took away Good's acceptance of Evil's needs." Really? What lunacy is that? The bipolar world view of good vs. evil is an adolescent one. Objectivism is fully debunked, like Eugenics. Click the links. Have a nice day.}

[Darwin again]

You prove my point yourself, Montana:
"Going Galt means denying your production to those who not only refuse to pay you for it, but who insist it is your social duty to provide it, without payment."
This is nothing more than anti-Marxist twaddle, which was my point to begin with, and which is the foundation of Rand's entire canon of writing. Beyond that, hers is a cult of personality.

I don't see how Pickleodeon's spending hundreds of hours reading crappy fiction to find out that "Marxism sucks!" is the whole point of it all could help her in any way.

Have a great day!

[emerald]

Since BMECC had enough help this morning, there was no need to go after Ashley. Should the need for a volunteer arise some other day, we do know how to find Leesport.

I can't even walk along a highway and pick up trash without a deer tick finding me. They must have heard tomorrow is the 1st day of the general firearms deer season.

[HYOH]

Pickle, Consider getting a job as a census worker. It pays fairly well and the contact you have with people in your community is very up lifting. You'll see areas you didn't know existed, meet people that you would have never otherwise had the opportubity to talk to, and you'll hear the whole gamit of opinions on politics, religion, conservation, ect, ect, ect. It's stimulating, entertaining, and very eye opening.

Best wishes, be happy, and hijackers SUCK!

[Doooglas]

Be careful, Ayn Rand was no liberal, she's about as conservative as you get. Which I get a chuckle out of because all the freaky libs on the trail worship her.

Here is the ' sweetheart" herself.
I need a shotgun emoticon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xKGZMwaIG8

[Doooglas]

Better yet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ukJiBZ8_4k&NR=1

[Christus Cowboy]

....but whatever you do, DONT go to some happy & content third world country and spread (force) christianity. cause thats not cool and you DONT want to be that person.......

Sigh... here we go again let the Christian bashing begin......

[Christus Cowboy]

hey, thanks for hacking the thread.

Agreed.... actually I was enjoying reading it there for a while.....

[Theo]

Damn, I just want to be 23 again. I'll take all the BS that comes with it and have a Smile on my Face through it All. Babbage, What?????????????????

[Stellbell3]

Pickle......

I couldn't agree with your post more. After completing my dream of thru hiking the AT you'd think I would be overjoyed. But here I am, sitting with hours of the show Hoarders avoiding calls from the credit card company. Not motivated to find a job because being on the trail made me even MORE confused about what I want to do with my life(and I am older than you!).

The best advice I got on the trail was from a guy I met at Big Meadows. He thru hiked in 96 and said "when you get back home, just be easy on yourself." I had no idea what he was talking about. Now I do. Things will take awhile to work out. And everything will. You are obviously a motivated, determined woman.

And just think once spring hits again the trail is still there!!

[emerald]

It was there, still, yesterday. I could be wrong, but I think it didn't move at all since the last time I saw it.

[sarbar]

The last thing you want to do is have kids. What's that bumper sticker say, "6 Billion Miracles Are Enough"?? If you really want to nix out backpacking and seal up your future, give birth

Hoo, someone is bitter. I had my son at her age and it didn't slow me down - rather I hiked and backpacked more after having my son. I am pregnant this fall once again and while I cannot hike currently come spring I will be hiking while you cube dwellers are in work With kid #2 strapped on me.........

PS: And there is nothing wrong with getting married, having kids and being domestic. Though you'd think it was wrong with how some wail on about it.

[flemdawg1]

Congrats Sarah!

[Pony]

Some hippy-types are libertarian. Libertarians are not exactly "conservative." They just want less government.

A set of dreadlocks doesn't make you a hippy. Most of the real hippies that I know are pretty clean cut looking. In fact most "hippies" that I know, know jack about music, are mostly just interested in drugs, and have little if any political ideology.

As to the OP, I think your feelings are natural and good, it means you actually question "normal" life. The least confused people I know are perfectly content with graduating H.S. or College, getting some corporate job with the hopes up making it to middle management someday, and then retiring to spend time with their grand kids during the summer and heading to Florida for the winter. When they die, everyone will stand around and say "well they had a long fullfilling life". I don't know about you but working in a cubicle for thirty years so that I can buy my dream home in some Florida town full of other retirees sounds pretty boring.