Carol, I know you're not an Objectivist but at the very least you could try to make a more reasonable criticism. Also remember that Galt's Gulch actually had working farms so I'd assume the strikers are all reasonably familiar enough with agriculture as to have ploughs and seeds. Objectivism has never alleged that "everything unpleasant about anything is due to the existence of looters and moochers." I think it depends on what Carol meant by the "Men of the Mind." Is Leonard Peikoff a "Man of the MInd"? Peter Schwartz? Harry Binswanger? If so, then I'd have to agree with Carol. They'd be hampered by an absence of ploughs and seeds. They wouldn't have the slightest clue how to make things with their hands from raw materials. Not only that, but they'd be arrogantly certain of their every uniformed opinion, and would massively underestimate the importance of mastering the arts and sciences of production through hands-on experience, trial and error. They'd be totally lost and dependent on begging if the world's actual producers went on strike. J Yes, actually, as it was Part IV that was proposed, I was not thinking of the producers, I am sure Ragnar and Co. would have been capable of practical action to get some food growing, It was the next generation Theorizers I was envisioning,,, not specifically the ARIans, but their followers... I think they would have a tough time applying axioms to real treeioms,