Gulching

Encyclopedia : G : GU : GUL : Gulching

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Gulching refers to the act of seeking freedom by physically retreating from mainstream society in company with other freedom-seekers. The term comes from Galt's Gulch, the fictional village of economic outlaws in Ayn Rand's novel, Atlas Shrugged. Galt's Gulch was hidden in the Rocky Mountains and protected by a holographic shield. Modern gulching does not require a physical gulch, merely a remote place. These underground communities are called gulches, even when they are not actually in gulches, and the inhabitants thereof are called gulchers.

Claire Wolfe's The Gulcher's Guide recommends that gulches be located at least 100 miles from any major city, in the event that a national catastrophe causes refugees to spill out of the city in search of food, loot, and refuge[link]. Each possible location involves certain tradeoffs that affect suitability for gulching. For instance, while the intermountain west is perceived as relatively freedom-friendly, it also suffers from lack of water, harsh climates and poor agricultural conditions.

Since gulchers must sacrifice many conveniences associated with government-regulated life, Wolfe considers the most crucial characteristic of a potential gulcher to be adaptability[link]. Gulchers typically eschew government-licensed banks, preferring to barter or use gold as a currency. Wolfe notes that gulchers may have to rely on anonymous advertisements to find customers and services, e.g.:

"Chiropractor needed for individual in Coos County, New Hampshire."
"Internist and full range of clinic services available to gold-paying customers in Pocatello, Idaho."

Exact statistics on gulching's prevalence are unavailable. However, it is unlikely that they exist on any large scale.

References

Piper, Michael Collins: [FBI Secretly Controlled Communist Party USA], American Free Press.
Wolfe, Claire: [Communities for Cats].
Wolfe, Claire: [The Gulcher's Guide].

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