re: #281 greygandalf

Simple example: Someone who creates his own company that struggles at first, but he perseveres. His company is successful, grows and is able to employ thousands of people.

The only reason “he” was able to create a company is because there exists a structure within which to create one. That is perhaps “self-actuated”, but not “self-made”. As for independent, someone who sells goods or services is more dependent on society than any other person. No customers? No company. No independence. Ask anyone who ever tried to sell ice to Eskimos.

“Going Galt” is a fun idea, but I don’t think there’s a person or company in the world that could do it and a) be missed or b) not be replaced.

re: #287 experiencedtraveller

Why, a capacity to determine your own choices within a moral framework. Of course.

Gobbledygook. You don’t “determine” choices - your choices exist outside yourself or your moral framework (whatever the hell that is). You make choices among the available options.

And you cannot choose to make yourself or exist independently of reality, a large component of which is society.

If you can’t show me anything better than that content-free definition, you don’t know any self-made, independent men, as you claim to do. Because they do not exist.