What is "John Galt" - Granite Grok

What is “John Galt”

At a lot of Tea Parties, one saw this sign:

Who is John Galt ?

Sign from the Manchester, NH Tea Party

It comes from the main character of "Atlas Shrugged", a fictional work by Ayn Rand postulating what would happen when the productive citizens go on strike, one by one, due to a society that demands more and more of them all the while demonizing them, all the while elevating "need" over success.

Without having to read all 1,300+ pages (and Yes, some of it is rather dry and, to be honest, boring), The Atlas Society has summarized what is meant by "John Galt""

What is “Going Galt?”

  • “Going Galt” doesn’t simply mean getting angry. That would be “Going Postal.” It means having righteous indignation at the injustice of a political system that bails out individuals and institutions for irresponsible behavior and at the expense of those like you who prosper through hard work and personal responsibly.
  • “Going Galt” means asking in the face of new taxes and government controls, “Why work at all?” “For whom am I working?” “Am I a slave?”
  • “Going Galt” means recognizing that you’re being punished not for your vices but for your virtues.
  • “Going Galt” means recognizing that you have a moral right to your own life, the pursuit of your own happiness, and thus to the rewards you’ve earned with your labor.
  • “Going Galt” means recognizing that you deserve praise and honor for your achievements rather than damnation as “exploiters.”
  • “Going Galt” means recognizing that you do not need to justify your life or wealth to your neighbors, “society,” or politicians, or bureaucrats. They’re yours, period!
  • “Going Galt” means recognizing that the needs of others do not give them a claim to your time, effort, and achievements.
  • “Going Galt” means shrugging off unearned guilt, refusing to support your own destroyers, refusing to give them what Ayn Rand termed “the sanction of the victim.” It means taking the moral high ground by explicitly rejecting as evil the premise of “self-sacrifice” that they sell to you as a virtue— in fact “self-sacrifice” is an invitation to suicide. 

Tea Parties – no, not going "John Galt" – but a consideration that all is NOT well with society when failure is elevated and productive citizens are penalized.  I am not responsible for my neighbor’s mortgage.

>