Why I would never "Go Galt" in a "Gulch"
Posted by ShrugInArgentina 10 years, 11 months ago to Philosophy
Recently, I've received a few questions about how and why I decided to "Go Galt" in Argentina.
I replied that I was inspired by Glenn Beck's urging to "buy land and grow your own food" even more than anything Ayn Rand wrote, but I did have the expression "Going Galt" in mind when I made the move.
I am not John Galt and I am not trying to stop the motor of the world.
I am not trying to start a "gulch" or an expat enclave, either. I think that, in time of crisis when the locals might be rioting and looting, a concentration of (comparatively) wealthy expats would be sitting ducks for the looters. My idea was to blend into a community and become relatively invisible. Everyone knows I'm a foreigner but I don't look or act wealthy (my 20 year old Peugeot reinforces this image).
I would be happy to find one individual or couple who is interesting in having a home next to mine on the 2500 square meter lot I am offering for sale. Whoever buys the land does not have to be rich. Even if they are, the most important question is, "Which would you rather have when the inevitable happens, a lot of worthless paper money or a reasonably safe place to live with neighbors who also have gardens and livestock?"
I will only sell the lot to a "like minded" individual that I think I will be able to get along with very well. I will not sell the property to anyone just because they want to buy it. I can only sell it once and I would like to be able to feel comfortable enough to invite that individual to stay in my home while theirs is being built as well as help them deal with the "contractors" and show them the best places to buy materials. (Masonry construction runs about $10 per square foot. The price of the land is $12 per square meter.)
The location of my property turned out to be even "better" than I realized when I bought it, especially in terms of "Going Galt."
Even though my house is one of the nicest in or near the (very quaint) village, the zona de quintas" is not quickly accessible from the closest highway and, at the first entrance to the village from the highway there is a "puesto de contol" (police station) which is the ideal spot to stop traffic into the area if there is ever a crisis (widespread looting in the nearby city, e.g.).
While there are a number of small shops in the village, they are unlikely to ever be the target of random mobs from the city and the folks that live in this village are actually known for living by a codigo (code) of honor and don't break into each other's homes or shops. The best thing of all (about the people) is that are very friendly and have welcomed me warmly and also leave me alone.
My house has never been vandalized or tagged, and the only thing that has "gone missing" in three and a half years was a chain across the driveway that kept wandering sheep from entering. It disappeared in the middle of the day while I was home. If anyone wanted to steal my wahsing machine fom the outbuilding they could do so in the middle of the day when I am not at home, but that is highly unlikely.
Now, the reason I would not consider "Going Galt" in a "Gulch" is that it might not be a safe place to live if and when the reason for moving there in the first place happens. I know of only one place in Argentina that has been referred to as "a bit of a gulch" and that statement was made by its founder, Doug Casey. The name of his "gulch" is La Estancia Cafayate. It is actually a luxury home development with a golf course, polo fields, swimming pool, and hotel in Cafayate. The smallest (2500 meter2) of the 360 home sites sold out quickly several yeas ago and were priced in the range of $200-$250K USD. I don't t hink many homes have been built there, however. The "latest" figure I was able to find was about 30 and the last time I looked on th LEC webisite about ten of them were for sale or rent. In my opinion that doesn't qualify for "gulch" status.
A few years ago Doug was quoted as saying that it "is the best development in the world at any price" and that he looked forward to watching the rioting in the rest of the world on his flat screen TV in his Cafayate home (that may not have security bars on the windows due to restrictions in the homeowner's agreement). Even if the locals never riot and loot the local stores or the luxury homes in La Estancia Cafayate, one the biggest problem for any foreigner owning a home there is that Cafayate is not any easy place to get to quickly if and when one wanted to get there. My quinta is 20 minutes from the Bahia Blanca airport and a 75 minute flight from BA. Therre are several flights a day to and from BA via Lan and Aerolinias Argentina.
Because I prefer living where I do, anyone who becomes my neighbor will have the ability to come and go as they please, knowing I will be here to keep an eye on their property.
I replied that I was inspired by Glenn Beck's urging to "buy land and grow your own food" even more than anything Ayn Rand wrote, but I did have the expression "Going Galt" in mind when I made the move.
I am not John Galt and I am not trying to stop the motor of the world.
I am not trying to start a "gulch" or an expat enclave, either. I think that, in time of crisis when the locals might be rioting and looting, a concentration of (comparatively) wealthy expats would be sitting ducks for the looters. My idea was to blend into a community and become relatively invisible. Everyone knows I'm a foreigner but I don't look or act wealthy (my 20 year old Peugeot reinforces this image).
I would be happy to find one individual or couple who is interesting in having a home next to mine on the 2500 square meter lot I am offering for sale. Whoever buys the land does not have to be rich. Even if they are, the most important question is, "Which would you rather have when the inevitable happens, a lot of worthless paper money or a reasonably safe place to live with neighbors who also have gardens and livestock?"
I will only sell the lot to a "like minded" individual that I think I will be able to get along with very well. I will not sell the property to anyone just because they want to buy it. I can only sell it once and I would like to be able to feel comfortable enough to invite that individual to stay in my home while theirs is being built as well as help them deal with the "contractors" and show them the best places to buy materials. (Masonry construction runs about $10 per square foot. The price of the land is $12 per square meter.)
The location of my property turned out to be even "better" than I realized when I bought it, especially in terms of "Going Galt."
Even though my house is one of the nicest in or near the (very quaint) village, the zona de quintas" is not quickly accessible from the closest highway and, at the first entrance to the village from the highway there is a "puesto de contol" (police station) which is the ideal spot to stop traffic into the area if there is ever a crisis (widespread looting in the nearby city, e.g.).
While there are a number of small shops in the village, they are unlikely to ever be the target of random mobs from the city and the folks that live in this village are actually known for living by a codigo (code) of honor and don't break into each other's homes or shops. The best thing of all (about the people) is that are very friendly and have welcomed me warmly and also leave me alone.
My house has never been vandalized or tagged, and the only thing that has "gone missing" in three and a half years was a chain across the driveway that kept wandering sheep from entering. It disappeared in the middle of the day while I was home. If anyone wanted to steal my wahsing machine fom the outbuilding they could do so in the middle of the day when I am not at home, but that is highly unlikely.
Now, the reason I would not consider "Going Galt" in a "Gulch" is that it might not be a safe place to live if and when the reason for moving there in the first place happens. I know of only one place in Argentina that has been referred to as "a bit of a gulch" and that statement was made by its founder, Doug Casey. The name of his "gulch" is La Estancia Cafayate. It is actually a luxury home development with a golf course, polo fields, swimming pool, and hotel in Cafayate. The smallest (2500 meter2) of the 360 home sites sold out quickly several yeas ago and were priced in the range of $200-$250K USD. I don't t hink many homes have been built there, however. The "latest" figure I was able to find was about 30 and the last time I looked on th LEC webisite about ten of them were for sale or rent. In my opinion that doesn't qualify for "gulch" status.
A few years ago Doug was quoted as saying that it "is the best development in the world at any price" and that he looked forward to watching the rioting in the rest of the world on his flat screen TV in his Cafayate home (that may not have security bars on the windows due to restrictions in the homeowner's agreement). Even if the locals never riot and loot the local stores or the luxury homes in La Estancia Cafayate, one the biggest problem for any foreigner owning a home there is that Cafayate is not any easy place to get to quickly if and when one wanted to get there. My quinta is 20 minutes from the Bahia Blanca airport and a 75 minute flight from BA. Therre are several flights a day to and from BA via Lan and Aerolinias Argentina.
Because I prefer living where I do, anyone who becomes my neighbor will have the ability to come and go as they please, knowing I will be here to keep an eye on their property.
