Galt's Gulch
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Ponderable

Posted by LITTLERED1977 10 years, 2 months ago to Philosophy
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"Ultimately, the only power which man should aspire is that which he exercises over himself." - Elie Wiesel. Found this on the Jewish World Report. Thought it fit in with the Gultch.

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  • Posted by gerstj 10 years, 2 months ago
    Great quote, but one that is antithetical to current all controlling government trends.
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    • Posted by $ allosaur 10 years, 2 months ago
      If that statement was made as a critique of current government trends, someone like Eric Holder would call it a racist rant against Obama.
      I would like to see that statement simply standing alone on a billboard in Washington, D. C.
      Would the IRS look for the perceived offender? A bullying audit would be called for in their warped world view.
      "We'll show little you an exercise of power!"
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  • Posted by Herb7734 10 years, 2 months ago
    With what we are taught as children and the way most of us were raised, having power over ourselves is for most of us, one of the most difficult things we can accomplish. As A.R. says, we are born with a clean slate. However, many things are written on that slate before we have the ability to do our own inscribing, or provide ourselves with an eraser. A great struggle in life is to correct the fallacies given to us and correct the incorrect premises and to work hard to find the truth. One of the reasons both The Fountainhead, and Atlas Shrugged are so powerful is that they point out the fallacies, and do it in a manner which is quite enthralling. The books of Ayn Rand give you the first steps on the path to rationality and reality. For me, it was as if I got to take a good cold shower mentally, which both cleared my vision and refreshed my mind. I think that A.R. has helped more people to have power over themselves than any other author, based, if on nothing else, the continuing sales of Atlas Shrugged.
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  • Posted by Maritimus 10 years, 2 months ago
    While I owned my business, I had, and felt completely justified in having, powers that affected all of the employees. I had ultimate decision over business strategic direction, policies, marketing strategies, organization, hiring and firing, salaries, retirement plans and so on. Some of that can be and was delegated. Of course all the employees had the freedom of resigning. It works, as it also would, I believe, in the Gulch. Don't you think?
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    • Posted by Kittyhawk 10 years, 2 months ago
      I don't perceive an employer as "having power" over employees merely because of decisions about the compensation that is offered or business strategies. The employer makes an offer, and the employee accepts if it's agreeable, or counteroffers, or finds a job elsewhere. The employer owns the business, and has the right to make these decisions because of his/her ownership of self and the product of his/her effort. The effects of these decisions on others are secondary, and not the type of improper exercise of power over others that Wiesel referred to, in my opinion.
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      • Posted by Maritimus 10 years, 2 months ago
        Hi, Kittyhawk,
        I believe that you are right. I am over-sensitized by now from the constant accusations against, capitalism, capitalists, business people etc. I see in many instances claims that owning more is unfair to those who own less. I earned every penny that I ever owned and if someone wishes to own as much or more, they have to earn it also.
        In the last analysis, I am quibbling about the terms "having power over". The "rich" are described as "powerful" frequently. Of course, money gives one power to do or buy things. The envy easily slides into perception that one is subjected to the power of another. The omnipresent corruption of the government does not help at all.
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        • Posted by Kittyhawk 10 years, 2 months ago
          I'm so sorry you had that experience of hearing criticism for running a business, and offering others the opportunity to work for you. We live in a topsy-turvy world, thanks to government schools and complicit media. I think almost everyone on this forum would agree that you gave your employees an opportunity to trade value for value, and you no more "had power" over them than they did over you.
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          • Posted by Maritimus 10 years, 2 months ago
            Please do not feel sorry for me. I have derived a lot of satisfaction from starting a business and growing it for 20 years. I refuse to be a victim or to feel sorry for myself. My main concern now is for the future of the country, which I perceive as being led by incompetents, corrupt individuals and self-perpetuating and self-aggrandizing bureaucracies. My grandkids will not have the opportunities and freedoms the we have taken for granted for so long. Flames of my hopes about that are flickering near extinction. That makes me very sad.
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      • Posted by LITTLERED1977 10 years, 2 months ago
        Many years ago I offered a person $250.00 per week. He said he would take $250.00. As a result, between the $250.00 I paid him and the $250.00 he took, he made out fine with $500.00. (A moment of levity)
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