Dr Helen posed some interesting questions
in an article today. She asks:
Some men don’t marry, others don’t go to college, some work low-paying jobs and enjoy hobbies to keep from paying into a system that transfers men’s taxes to women through federal and state programs.My question to male readers is, what are your suggestions on how to “Go Galt” as a man in a female-centered society? Do you think this route is a viable one to making a change in society or is it just good for a man on an individual level, or is it a poor way to fight back in your opinion?
Dr. Helen is of course the first to coin the term "Going Galt." I personally know two men who have already "Gone Galt." on women - though I am sure they don't think of it in those terms. They are just following the incentives provided to them. I think Going Galt "just happens" for a lot of people. People typically don't read Rand and then consciously decide to make a grand gesture. Its just built into the human psyche (well, at least a conservative psyche) to hate being taken advantage of by ungrateful leeches, and eventually one makes a move to stop it from happening, adding greatly to one's contentment and peace of mind. You are given an incentive by conditions to Go Galt.
In this case we are discussing the conditions brought on by Feminism. My two male friends have basically quit seeking a relationship. They don't hate women, but they have found the SAWs (secular American Women) to simply be too selfish, too concerned with their own egos and goals, to be capable of the compromise required by a Marriage, and hence have just stopped actively looking. . As for sex, one said "If I need that, I will just lower my standards and go to a bar." Feminism has made commitment free sex easily available and for free. These are two fit, healthy, reliable and capable men who could earn 100K+ salaries. One chose to take a 50K+ paycut and work for a low-responsibility State job. The other just saved money. As we all know Women are the primary spenders in this economy. Women buy Houses. Men (if they buy anything at all) will buy land and a 5 stall garage with a 1 bedroom apartment on top. Bachelors don't buy fancy furniture or drapes. They spend money on their hobbies, and that requirement pretty much drives how much they want or need to earn. As a consequence, men on their own feel less need to work, and feminism drives men to be on their own. Even within a Marriage, if the male decides to "go Galt" by taking the female role of child-rearing, my experience has been that the (feminist) woman looses respect for him, sees him as less masculine, and of course feels he does the job "wrong" having no understanding of male/female roles in parenting. The Male doesn't "win" by doing it that way. Even alone men don't win. One friend really needs a woman around to reign in his activities so he doesn't damage his health. But that is the point of Feminism - to damage the culture and ensure no one benefits, which leads one to consider the "Engine of the World"
Is stopping the engine a poor way to fight back? John Galt's strike depended on stopping the engine of the world. Our opponents are too stupid to know what the engine does, and if they do, they think they have a better one. They wish to replace the mainspring of the engine of prosperity with Government edicts, force and slavery, feeling such drivers are superior to personal ambitions, talent and the "greed" to profit by them. A threat to destroy a thing is impotent against a person who thinks the "thing" is worthless. "You are going to stop the engine of Capitalism? Great!" Every OWS protester would cheer John Galt's efforts, hoping the suffering he would bring will give them the opportunity (never let a crisis go to waste) and the societal will to implement socialism/communism/fascism (pick your preferred term) The engine will have to actually stop before it will affect the takers and have an impact on their minds, and of course
the effect will be to blame others, and demand the redistribution of the remaining resources (since too few new resources are being produced). In other words, the only thing these idiots will learn from the 60 Page radio address by John Galt, is that their hungry, cold, brutal lives are the fault of John Galt. "He did this to us!", they will scream.
The situation is no different with these feminists. These feminist SAWs will not change their attitudes in response to men "Going Galt." After all, the government can become her surrogate husband, the school can do the child-rearing, and even her birth control will be provided. But "Fighting back" in this way is a not conscious choice - Men are driven to it unconsciously. My friends haven't stopped seeking women in some conscious effort to punish them and change the system. They simply decided that such relationships where not worth the cost, and decided to organize their lives around what they want- having no incentive or responsibility to do otherwise. Women don't care about men like my friends because there are currently socialistic methods of replacing them. The only real losers are the children born or will never be born. If the debt keeps rising and eventually reality comes crashing down on the dollar (the engine stops), a women's choice to have the State act a husband will be curtailed or eliminated, and at that point real change will be possible, but I suspect men like my friends will not be interested - why take on those additional burdens when its hard enough just to feed yourself? Why help out the takers now that they need help? They will hear "Go ask your surrogate Husband Obama to care for you.", reaping what they have sown by deciding they didn't care to have a man around.
Stopping the engine that drives our prosperity necessarily means widespread suffering and the chance of a successful "socialist" revolution as the unprepared attack the prepared. Of course the "prepared" have prepared for that eventuality as well, so its not a foregone conclusion. We have come to a state in our society where
both sides, consciously or unconsciously, are trying to stop the engine of the world. The (Socialists/Marxists/Communists/Fascists/Takers) are putting in place policies that drive the Dagny Taggerts out of production, one way or the other, willingly or unwillingly. Those who consciously leave the system ( or leave and then turn around and apply for benefits to add load to it) are also trying to stop the engine - having reached the conclusion that there is no hope of a political solution or a peaceful turn-around. With both sides pushing for it, I suspect that the engine will be successfully slowed ( if not all out stopped) for good or ill, and that a civil war will be the result. Depending who is victorious in that war with determine if "fighting back" in that way will be a good idea. Harden your hearts. Tighten your belts. This is inevitable.