I contributed for a few months before I chose to upgrade to "producer" status. the moocher/producer usage is purely tongue in cheek. Most in here are well aware that there are some benefits to upgrading. Some you won't know until you upgrade. Kind of like Obamacare. Others will be actively promoted to everyone and you'll get a "feel" for what you're missing out on. There are other valleys to explore. This is the only valley that actively promotes the movies. This is also the only valley that has a unique blend of individuals that share only one starting point. They either know about or have seen the movies. Although Objectivism is discussed, many have not read or finished AS. This is an introduction to Ayn Rand and Objectivism. I have very much enjoyed meeting people in GaltsGulchOnline who have lived their lives based on at least some objectivist principles without knowing those principles were developed into a philosophy which one day may be THE philosophy.
The only moochers I have seen in here are the lurkers and the trolls. By troll, I do not mean those who sign up, do not like AR or Objectivism and wish to debate respectfully. Those are producers. No, trolls are those who come in and taunt, use false forms of argument intending to deceive, generally disrupt in a non-intellectual way. Lurkers are gleaning the content without contributing to it. Everyone else? Producing!

As a moocher you still support the website by helping them sell ad space and increasing their traffic. In return you use their forum to communicate with others who have also found this place to their liking.

The moocher status is meant to denote that you're using something that other people have payed for without contributing anything yourself.

yes, you are confused on a few things

I say all this is moot. You simply cannot be a Moocher taking something that is freely given.

Tradesman suggests that the 47% of people who don't pay fed income taxes except for payroll taxes are "moochers". I categorically reject that. Many of those people live their lives, comply with the tax law, and would gladly pay whatever the current law says is their share. I have known very honest hardworking people who pay almost no fed income tax, and they're not even into policy. They didn't ask for the tax law to be progressive. I actually do promote progressive taxation, so maybe I should be branded the moocher.

I really think it's just a joke. It's not a philosophical statement about what Rand calls Moochers and Looters.

Yeah. Who is John Galt?

Cool idea. Might be a slippery slope, though.

Either way, remove the word "elitist" from that second-to-last sentence, and i think Im ok with that.

Nice to meet you, too.

Haha! The deflector shield! Love it.

Thanks.

I do believe it has been worth the cost. I can't go into too much detail because you are not a producer yet.:-) Non-producers fall into multiple categories for me. Some are smart producers checking the sight out first. Some are not sure they have the time to spend here. Some are people that disagree with us and just want to check out what we are talking about. Occasionally a troll gets past the deflector shield. The thumbs down function and the verbal beating they take chases them away. Seldom does someone make such interesting points on their first post. Hope you stick around.

I perceive your post was made to stir friendly debate and the responses you received we’re courteous and thoughtful. Like churches and 12 step programs we are self-supporting through our own contributions. My experience as a moocher was, nobody criticized or mentioned my status to me. I recognized I was challenged intellectually by virtually all the members, my first comment was “Dude, you’re making my head hurt” to Khalling. One day I went to you tube and looked up a black Sabbath song when I noticed the comment below the song; “I’ve been partying and rocking to Sabbath since I was 14, 30 years later and nothing has changed; rock on.” That’s the day I made my contribution. Dude! I still can’t keep up with the people I meet here. To answer your question, it’s a capital idea to spread the brand. I’m concerned if you win this argument, we’ll be paying the moochers by virtue of a progressive intellectual elitist ideology. Nice to meet you.

You're right. We'll call one of them "Direct monetary subscribers" and the other one "registered user who doesn't directly pay money to the site." It's a word. Get over it.

Nothing can be up to me. This is objectivism, not relativism.

Are moochers not creating a form of payment by creating value, via intellectual stimulation, in the Gulch?

If they ARE NOT, then why are they allowed in the Gulch.

If they ARE, then why are they moochers?

On a personal note; I'm happy to pay full price for every service I accept, but you'd better believe I'm going to find the best product and price-point in the unregulated marketplace.

Re-read the meat of your statements...

Moochers support the site --> Moocher status denotes usage without contribution.

Are moochers supporting or using someone else's service without contributing?

There seems to be a contradiction to me (and we all know they don't exist... check your premises, right?).

Re: #2...

Isn't a moocher providing value to the operators? Is it possible to "produce" through the hard work of providing value to other members, or is it cut and dry - You're a moocher or you ante up?

There are several instances of value here:

1. Is the site worth your time to read and write articles and comments? (A larger membership means more people providing (hopefully) interesting and stimulating content).
2. Is the site providing value to its operators? (The site can run at a loss, but still provide positive value if it results in more people seeing the AS movies, buying the DVDs, etc).
3. Are the benefits for a paid membership (whether access to additional content or supporting a cause you believe in) greater than the cost? (not just the monetary cost, but also the time spent managing payments and the risk of trusting a third party (potentially several third parties) with a hook into your bank or credit card account).

Well, I guess it is up to you. I believe in supporting a site devoted to the ideals of capitalism, not just taking what you can get like the 47% ( I think it is much higher) I expect to pay for what I consider a service to me. I also expect to be paid for a service I provide.
If you do not "get" anything out of this site I would leave and not contribute. However if you believe you are benefitting from this sites content I hope you would consider contributing. I am not trying to pass judgement, I am a realist and this is reality as I see it! Your results may vary!

Cool. I HAVE read Atlas Shrugged, and I enjoyed it, big time. I'm looking forward to sharing ideas, and typically do see it as valuable. The exact value found here is yet to be determined (by me, at least). I aim to discover why Galt would ever consider admitting a "Moocher" into the Gulch. I sensed a tone of accusation in the description of the membership, and want to know if they who claim Galt's Gulch as their own are true to the philosophy, or are instead trying to guilt people into assigning value to a disingenuous effort. Do you, personally, think your experience with the extras provided through the Producer membership has warranted the price tag they have placed on it? For this is not the only valley in the land.

Much depends on what you consider value. We have great debates in here and share lots of thoughts and ideas. For me that is of great value. If you don't find that interesting then you may not see that as value. As a producer I have had access to things that free members don't see. Again this is of value to me. I am curious. Have you read Atlas Shrugged and did you enjoy it?

If you would like access to things like interesting Ayn Rand journal notes, or an occasional invite to a web-lecture, or insider's movie details, access to the sort of thing that any ardent fan would like access to, then by all means upgrade, otherwise...
don’t over think it. Welcome to the Gulch. I haven’t met a moocher yet.