Normally, it is not. Though it does reflect the larger society. We have our neighbors who feel they can run their pulse jet engine because they want too, and so they do. Never mind the noise. There are those whose dogma is the only thing, and who will say "You cannot speak, because your truth is not my truth, and you make me feel bad". Normally, discussion is good, there are some good debates, but the absolute rigidity gene is strong in some, and they seek to impose their belief on everyone else. That causes conflict. Look at what is going on out in the real world, same thing. Speak your mind, don't be afraid, a lot of people who do not even know you will stand up to anyone who tries to trash talk you or your position. Respect is owed to everyone till they prove they are not worthy.

Thank you Nick, you spoke the truth.

Unfortunately, the Gulch has been infiltrated by several posters who behave exactly as you described, no doubt bringing the "accepted norm" of liberals to attack anyone and anything that falls outside of their dogma.

I think the world outside and the world inside the Gulch or any two worlds will always contain the dichotomy of the Free thinker/investigator, the curious and the rigid compartmentalized specialized field of study. We should be able to appreciate both but they frequently butt heads.

Specialized studies require an immense amount of compartmentalized information and rarely if ever integrated with other areas of study.

The free thinker/curious person can appreciate what the specialist have done but is unbound by that compartment and can freely see the connections, consequences and similarities of many fields of study. This is where real innovation comes from.

You can see that both views and abilities are needed for true progress, innovation and a successful civilization.

That is what gives mankind or any conscious entity, the ability to attain the impossible.

And yes, I am afraid that there Are those that do not want us to attain what they consider the impossible.

This is certainly a time of revelation, the exposing of lies, deceptions, events labeled as conspiracies, and the discarding of long held theories.

So, a new world is upon us as the old world painfully withers away...I would expect a tassel here and there to ensue in the process.

Honestly if I didn't know better, I would have identified this as an exclusively conservative or "right-wing" message board.
Maybe I'm just nervous or shy but there's something about this place that makes me hesitant to post anything.
So far this site (and by extension Objectivism) has taught me that things are far more grey than the current political dichotomy would have us believe. I really hope this place doesn't amount to an us-versus-them standpoint because that certainly isn't healthy or rational.

There was a time when I was a lonely conservative here in this Gulch. Unlike many 'conservatives' my Constitutional approach to Conservatism aligned my ideology fairly closely with Objectivism, with some differences.

Most of those I met here, who I would call friends are no longer frequenting the Gulch. This is a very bad thing. Those folks were more purely Objectivist than I ever was and probably ever will be. I've had the good fortune to meet several of them over the years and still speak to a handful of them practically daily via FB.

The discussion of current events is only relevant here IF it underscores or highlights some principal that allows Objectivism to be discussed, not mantra but practical application and why that way is better than another. That's not to say a Conservative or (I cringe to say) a liberal viewpoint shouldn't be added,defended and/or discussed heatedly, they certainly should. In is in the level of discourse the opportunity to spread understanding is offered to all.

Unfortunately, there have those here who would refused to see the objectivist value in open discourse. They chose to close their minds to anything other than their mantra, they get nasty and belligerent, they belittle and in doing so they chase people away. c'est la vie.

What missing? The Objectivist core.

And there is your answer mminnick: "So for me it's worth filtering out the conspiracy theories and general mean-spiritedness to find the discussion about how precious and powerful are free people using reason to live their dreams. " Peopel who have promted themselves to the level of our liberal lords and masters, to be able to determine YOUR post is a conspiracy theory, but MY post is truth, and then proceed to have an entire series of rants about how they know all, see all and you know nothing (even when this is a discussion of fusion energy among physicists)because they know everything. When somebody posts a thread, and people respond like that, they attack the validity of the persons premise and data not with facts, but with the infamous "everybody knows fusion is impossible you are just pandering a conspiracy theory and don't know what you are talking about" . That says nothing about the post or the subject but denigrates what the thread is about, the idea of debate and discussion, and the freedom to discuss without having to endure a blast of insults and blind denial of facts and data. Some people have appointed themselves the "I know Ayn Rand" priests and will tell you why you are not being Ayn Randy enough, or are violating some secret Ayn Rand laws, etc. Most people came here because they like real discussion, no one to impose their will on them, and do not want to bow to anyone they do not want to bow too. So, I would propose we ban the use of the term "conspiracy theory" because all that is is a fancy label for something they do not want to discuss, even if you have facts and data to back it up.

It's unfortunate b/c I think people interested in Ayn Rand should communicate with one another and make known the virtues of reason and selfishness (in the Rand sense of the word). I say that b/c technology is providing an age of unbelievable plenty. It feels like a crossroads where the technology could lead down a path of people controlling one another or giving people the power to control their own lives and live freer than ever before. I say "feels" b/c I suspect all epochs feel like a crossroads.

So for me it's worth filtering out the conspiracy theories and general mean-spiritedness to find the discussion about how precious and powerful are free people using reason to live their dreams.