Who is John Galt?

If you asked me one novel that ALL high school students should read it would be Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. I have not posted for awhile due to the fact that my wife gave me this book as a Christmas gift. During the few moments of free time I ended up with I picked up the book rather than turning on the lap-top.

It is an enlightening book full of real world philosophy based on the premise that ones moral obligations are to himself and to his own mind. Too often we all get carried away in the notion that it is okay to take from those who produce for the sake of those who do not. How is this way of thinking tolerated? Because we throw emotion into the argument and allow ourselves to feel obligated. And what do we get?

One example: For the good of the country My government takes my tax money and gives it to a company that pays it employees over twice what I get paid for less work. And this does not include the additional benefits. Why? Because it is crucial for the Government to be needed and if we look to our govt to solve the problems this is what they do.

Some say let them fail. They would not fail. They would re-organize and re-group. When is it ever okay to operate a business at a loss. Only when the Govt picks up the tab. If the car companies did disappear there would be a vacuum and void that would be filled because there is a demand for vehicular transportation. But we need to let the consumers(that's me and you) decide what they produce. That is the way business is done. Who are the members of congress to decide and mandate what vehicles get built?

I mean really? Someone designs a car. Engineers use existing technology and adapt new technology to bring that design to reality. Blood, sweat and tears go into this. And then some fat politician, who knows nothing about the engineering of that vehicle wants to mandate that the vehicle get _______ miles per gallon. By what right? Because gas prices were high? If the consumers wish vehicles with better gas mileage they will demand it themselves.

I have one thing to say to the Leviathan govt in Washington-

"Get the hell out of my way" Quoted from Atlas shrugged.

I choose at this time to take the oath from Atlas Shrugged-

"I swear, by my life and my love for it, that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.”

Please read this book. It might change the way you see the world. By the way, this book was written in 1957 and is just as applicable today, if not more so.