Have No Last Resort

This week we read "The Siege of Gondor," which tells of the fall of Osgiliath, the encirclement of Minas Tirith, and the breaking of the gate.

Before the siege begins, though, Faramir returns from Ithilien and tells Gandalf and Denethor about Frodo.  Gandalf is overjoyed to learn that Frodo is alive, but Denethor is furious that Faramir sent Frodo into Mordor.  Though he doesn't quite know what it is, he knows Frodo is carrying something powerful.

He and Gandalf get into an argument and Denethor accuses Gandalf of being unduly suspicious of him.  Denethor declares he would have not used "this thing", but rather sent it into the vaults beneath his tower and not used it.

‘Nonetheless I do not trust you,’ said Gandalf. ‘Had I done so, I could have sent this thing

hither to your keeping and spared myself and others much anguish. And now hearing you

speak I trust you less, no more than Boromir. Nay, stay your wrath! I do not trust myself in

this, and I refused this thing, even as a freely given gift. You are strong and can still in

some matters govern yourself, Denethor; yet if you had received this thing, it would have

overthrown you. Were it buried beneath the roots of Mindolluin, still it would burn your

mind away, as the darkness grows, and the yet worse things follow that soon shall come upon us.’

Deception is an important part of life.  Living a fully honest life hinders us in many ways.  While honesty, itself, is a virtue there is strength to be found in deception.  How ethical can we be if our bold plans against evil and wrongdoing are always obvious and thus easy to prevent?

But there is risk here, too.  Secret plans and last resorts burn in our mind.  Deception usually involves allowing others to think less than us so that they underestimate the threat we pose.  But it can be frustrating to be underestimated, even on purpose.

Let's say you know a devastating secret about a person.  That's a weapon you can only use once.  When do you unleash it?  This consideration could consume us, constantly wondering if this is the moment to expose them.  And then, when we do use it, what if it fails to have an impact?  Maybe people don't care about it as much as we thought, or maybe they're able to spin the situation to their advantage, or perhaps they counter in just the right way.  All our time and effort will have been wasted.

This is Gandalf's fear of Denethor's plan.  That by having the Ring, even to hide it, their position is weaker.  The Ring will ever be on Denethor's mind, distracting him from other issues.  Denethor may not worry as much about the city's defense, since he knows they have a backup plan if the walls fall.  And then, in trusting so much to it, how terrible will it be when the Ring betrays him, as it betrays everyone who bear it, and all is lost.  Even if defeat is inevitable, Denethor's plan makes it self-inflicted.

The dangers of having a 'card up our sleeve' is we often want to use it just to prove we have it.  Having power over another is exhilarating, and eventually you want to use it.  Even if you have the temperament to wait, the willpower needed will "burn your mind away".  Sooner or later your desire to show your power may cause you to use it needlessly.  Barring that, think of the energy used in waiting and calculating 'the right moment' to use it.  Neither outcome is ideal.

I am fortunate.  I can react calmly and coolly to crises.  I've worked with kids long enough that if I can't see one of the kids I'm in charge of I don't immediately freak out.  Kidnappings are very rare.  My adrenaline focuses me, and usually they are found pretty quickly (Like they went to the bathroom without telling me or decided it would be fun to hide under my desk) and crisis averted

Still, no parent likes to know their child was unsupervised for any amount of time.  This brings me to another strength of mine - apologies.  I am excellent at apologies, and have only become better with research.

Fortunately, both of these strengths are obviously only to be used "in a pinch".  I never have the desire to create a crisis so I can show how well I can handle one.  In fact, I rarely think about how these are my strengths.  But when I  need them, they are there.

That's the best way to have a strength - not think about it.  Have it confidently in your metaphorical backpocket, but don't wonder how you can show it off to the world.  That's your ego talking.  And that's a danger to an ethical life.  We should act to support the greater good, not to show off how strong we are.  Defeating the obstacles in our life is more important than impressing those around us.

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