Was Being Transported to Galt's Gulch a Humanist’s Version of the Believers Rapture? 540 - 4 - 8

Ayn Rand’s bestselling 1957 novel “Atlas Shrugged” was/ is very prophetic of the current political and economic decline throughout the world. Ms. Rand wrote of the power of the pull and the destructive looter mentality; a marriage between politicians and failing businessmen with a victim mentality. Add to that a pervasive anti-capitalist attitude on the part of many.

With thanks to Wikipedia, Rand's stated goal for writing the novel was "to show how desperately the world needs prime movers and how viciously it treats them" and to portray "what happens to a world without them" The lead up to the election of 2012 was a feeding frenzy of the Republican candidate, Mitt Romney. Gov. Romney was demonized for his business successes.

Ms. Rand has often been demonized as she was an avowed atheist and the man in her life was reputed to have connections to the Nazis. That said, her work was and remains an analysis of socialist mentality out of control.

The question, “Who is John Galt?” is the plaintive cry of desperation read throughout the book. While it seems a cry devoid of hope, in my opinion and it also carries with it a hope for something better.

Galt's Gulch, also known as Mulligan's Valley or Atlantis, was a valley that became home to many of the “movers and shakers” of industry. These were industrialists who through risk-taking and hard work had built businesses that were being sucked dry by those referred to as looters. The industrialists decided to go on strike and would disappear into Galt’s Gulch. After these individuals went on strike there would be nothing of valuable left to loot from their businesses. Any salaries or benefits were paid to employees and all debts were paid off. Those business still intact failed shortly for want of someone capable of running them.

John Galt provided entree into Galt’s Gulch. He was a Pied Piper of sorts not only to the leaders of industry but to blue-collar workers who wanted to live and work on their own terms. These were people who desired to be surrounded by like-minded people and separated themselves from the masses. Interestingly enough, several of the residents of Galt’s Gulch started businesses in the Valley, however, greatly reduced in magnitude. Also, the residences operated on the gold standard rather than paper money.

Years ago I was on a chat room where I compared Galt’s Gulch to the believer’s rapture. I was ridiculed because of Ms. Rand’s atheism. While I suspect that were she alive Ms. Rand would deny any religious overtones to her book “Atlas Shrugged,” I wonder. Here was a group of people willing to give up everything for an existence with people with the same values.