By ‘Perilous to us all are the devices of an art deeper than we possess ourselves.’
J.R.R. Tolkien: The Two Towers: The Palantír
This is another nugget of wisdom from Tolkien’s pen. Ponder, for example, the harmlessness, or lack thereof, of the light bulb (No offense, Mr. Edison). Do we not pay dearly for every bit of “progress”, more dearly than what a new invention is worth? C.G. Jung put it this way:
‘We refuse to recognize that everything better is purchased at the prize of something worse.’
C.G. Jung: Memories, Dreams and Reflections: The Tower.
Note the coincidence that both quotes are tower-related; you decide for yourself how meaningful this is. Jung and Tolkien surely both weren’t very optimistic concerning “progress” and had their issues with the ever expanding usage of technology, and what it did (and still does) to our world and us.
So ponder, and consider how humility can help to put things into perspective. After all, arrogance was one of the reasons for Saruman’s fall.
The featured image shows Gandalf and Pippin approaching Minas Tirith. Cropped from a painting by John Howe titled, as far as I know, “Gandalf Approaches the Guarded City”.
