Was great to dip into this analysis of LOTR and evil. Thanks Jen and Tiffany. Because I'm a finance guy and because I think we are in the midst of a financial asset bubble, I think of the Ring and something like Bitcoin and see some similarities.
Have to develop the thought a bit more. But there does seem to be fanaticism about Bitcoin and other investment memes. Actually one of those meme stocks is called Palantir.
Yes! That’s true; I forgot about that. Crypto smacks very cultlike to me, too—I’m sure you have more of an insight with your knowledge of how financial stuff works.
In this case “knowledge” can be a liability! I’ve always been a crypto skeptic so I’ve missed out. I’m pretty good at assessing value but not very good at predicting how others will assess value.
There’s an interesting bit to Gollum’s end that also gets overlooked - in a way, the Ring was trapped into destroying itself. Consider this sequence:
1) When Gollum first agrees to serve as Frodo’s guide, Frodo warns Gollum of just how thoroughly the Ring has mastered the wretch, to the point where if Frodo put it on and ordered Gollum to throw himself into the fire, he would.
2) When Gollum ambushes Frodo and Sam on the slopes of Mount Doom, there’s a moment where Frodo, holding the ring, speaks with a voice of command: “If you touch me ever again, you shall be cast yourself into the Fire of Doom.”
3) Finally, Gollum makes his last desperate attack at the very precipice, biting the ring free … and then fulfilling *the very command he had been given*.
Remember, the Ring’s power was domination. But in its last moments, that power of domination was what … ahem … doomed it.
Was great to dip into this analysis of LOTR and evil. Thanks Jen and Tiffany. Because I'm a finance guy and because I think we are in the midst of a financial asset bubble, I think of the Ring and something like Bitcoin and see some similarities.
Oo! Interesting idea. Go on.
Have to develop the thought a bit more. But there does seem to be fanaticism about Bitcoin and other investment memes. Actually one of those meme stocks is called Palantir.
Yes! That’s true; I forgot about that. Crypto smacks very cultlike to me, too—I’m sure you have more of an insight with your knowledge of how financial stuff works.
In this case “knowledge” can be a liability! I’ve always been a crypto skeptic so I’ve missed out. I’m pretty good at assessing value but not very good at predicting how others will assess value.
Oh I see. Hm. That all sounds like magic to me…
There’s an interesting bit to Gollum’s end that also gets overlooked - in a way, the Ring was trapped into destroying itself. Consider this sequence:
1) When Gollum first agrees to serve as Frodo’s guide, Frodo warns Gollum of just how thoroughly the Ring has mastered the wretch, to the point where if Frodo put it on and ordered Gollum to throw himself into the fire, he would.
2) When Gollum ambushes Frodo and Sam on the slopes of Mount Doom, there’s a moment where Frodo, holding the ring, speaks with a voice of command: “If you touch me ever again, you shall be cast yourself into the Fire of Doom.”
3) Finally, Gollum makes his last desperate attack at the very precipice, biting the ring free … and then fulfilling *the very command he had been given*.
Remember, the Ring’s power was domination. But in its last moments, that power of domination was what … ahem … doomed it.