Chapter 2 War Machine

2-1 Brainwashing under authority 

A war machine is not a real machine. A war machine operates when a person has lost his or her autonomy to think because states or regimes have manipulated the ideology to make the person do what they want. In The Lord of the Rings, we can find that the leader Sauron has something in common with real-life political figures, they both use some means to brainwash or control the people. Brainwashing is not as complicated and difficult as we think, and there are some simple brainwashing techniques that we all know.

The first way is to repeat the same information over and over again through sound and image, which will eventually be engraved in people's minds.(Goleman, 202) Here's an example of a political figure, Daniel Han, who kept repeating the idea that people could make a fortune if they followed his political views. At that time, it really sparked a conversation, though also accompanied by a lot of controversy, and there were still many people who believed his words. (Dai)

The second way is to incite emotions, let the targets give up logical thinking and make decisions with emotional impulses.(Goleman, 203) People in a state controlled by emotions are just like the orcs in Mordor, belonging to the state of no thinking. That's why Daniel Han used to keep stirring people up with his feverish speeches. This shows that a powerful authority such as a politician does have the ability to brainwash people. Especially in modern times, the power of the media cannot be underestimated.

The third way is to continuously give snippets of information, so that people will be interested in exploring, and then they will be more open to new ideas. Never tell what you want to instill all at once, and divide it into several small parts, so that people who listen will be brainwashed. (ibid)

By combining the above points, we can see that the usual beliefs and thinking patterns are closed, that is, there is a fixed type of thinking that something is the way it is. To brainwash someone, we must first open it up or create a breach before we can instill new concepts.

In the novel, Sauron is a symbol of authority. He is very good at inciting the emotions of others and has tempted many people to become depraved, including nine dark riders, orcs, and even Saruman. The nine dark riders are the most powerful servants of Sauron. They were all originally humans, and Sauron cast nine rings for them. The use of rings once gave them wealth and glory, but eventually brought them to destruction. They could have refused to accept the ring in the first place, but they didn't. Besides their own greed for power, they may have been incited by Sauron.

Human beings are not as pure as elves and smart enough to detect conspiracies right away. They tend to lose their minds when emotions get the better of them. Therefore, they could not resist the temptation of power. They get the power that many people want, yet ironically, life has lost its meaning for them. One by one, they all fell into the servitude of the rings they wore and were subject to the power of the great ring.

On the other hand, orcs are not considered to be self-thinking creatures. They are an ugly, violent, short-lived race. In addition, they are barbaric and primitive by nature, know no manners and only know how to destroy. Although they are slow to move, they are good at fighting and making weapons, which are very suitable to be used as war machines. Such creatures live and breed in Mordor, receiving information and instructions from Sauron since childhood. It is just like a large and closed factory that is constantly producing new weapons. Because of their ferocious and unthinking nature, orcs are more easily provoked than humans. They never pay attention to whether they will be injured when they can climb up the rock wall, pillar, and ceiling with their bare hands like insects. Combining these characteristics, it is easy for Sauron to manipulate them.

As for Saruman, the situation is a bit different. He had helped the resistance against the forces of Sauron but was later tempted to become depraved. He is neither a man nor an elf, and he has vast knowledge and great power. He could have been a leader, but he used his power in the wrong way. When Sauron contacted Saruman through the Palantír, he probably continued to give snippets of information rather than one-time conversations, gradually making Saruman slowly succumb to his will.

Sauron has the same ability to convince people as a real-life politician. He is good at instilling information and inciting emotions, no matter what kind of species the target is, they may all be brainwashed by him.

2-2 Mind Control in Closed Environments

Hobbits are only half the height of humans. They live in the Shire and prefer simple life. A life of farming, eating, and socializing is one that hobbits enjoy since it is uncomplicated, bucolic, and easy. They typically reside underground in "hobbit-holes," also known as “smials”, which can be found in banks, downs, and hillsides. The hobbits have always lived an uncontested, self-sufficient, and leisurely life in the Shire, far from the distractions of the outside world. They know very little and have no interest in what happens in the outside world.

Such a life may look peaceful and wonderful but there are potential risks. Gandalf once told Frodo that hobbits as miserable slaves would please Sauron far more than hobbits happy and free. They can be easily controlled and manipulated if anyone has the desire to rule over them, mainly because they live in a closed environment and are not well-informed. They lack multiple sources of information, so everyone's thoughts are almost the same. They will not be able to judge the objectivity of the information.

This situation can be observed in contemporary China. China has the Great Firewall to block people from receiving news from the outside world. In addition to trying to maintain the established social order, thought control is an even more important part of China's attempt to maintain a stable regime. China first built the Great Firewall internet censorship system in 1998 to monitor and filter internet content to prevent Chinese Internet users from accessing "unfriendly" sites to the Chinese Communist Party. Almost all mainstream western websites are blocked by China, and all Chinese grow up in a very different information environment than the rest of the world. For the most part, they can only believe what the government tells them. The overwhelmingly pro-Russian, pro-war and pro-Putin sentiment on the Chinese Internet following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February is a clear indication of this influence. A large number of Chinese Internet users have accepted the false information provided to them by Chinese propaganda machines since they have no other alternatives. (Xu)

Hobbits and Chinese are very similar in terms of not getting information from the outside world. They are both in information-closed environments, and the difference only lies in whether they are regulated or voluntary. Ignorant people are the easiest to control since they believe in what others say and have no judgment of their own.

Besides the political power, the hobbits are also easily infiltrated by cults. Cult is one way to draw people's adherence. For example, prior to September 11, the mass suicide at the “Peoples Temple” in Guyana was the deadliest non-natural disaster in U.S. history. Peoples Temple is a church founded by Jim Jones. He initially preached the idea of equality and racial integration, and he put his ideas into practice by encouraging the followers to provide food and work opportunities for the poor. Later he asked the followers to be more active in the church, telling them to spend their holidays with other followers rather than with their families, and to give money and goods to the church. After being criticized by the media, he decided to move to Guyana. In 1974, he leased nearly 4,000 acres of land in the remote jungle of northwestern Guyana and named it "Jonestown”. The way Jones treated his followers became more and more out of order, and four years later a U.S. Congressman, Leo Ryan, went to investigate and was killed when he tried to escape with some of followers who were living in misery. After this happened, Jones called on all his followers to participate in the "Revolutionary Suicide", asked each person to drink grape juice laced with cyanide. More than 900 people died, including around 270 children, and it appears that the vast majority of followers committed suicide voluntarily. (Wiseman, 149)

Cults use several psychological techniques to control the thoughts and behaviors of their followers, and some psychologists believe that cults use systematic social influence and unconscious rules to control peoples’ minds. In the beginning, when recruiting followers, they make their philosophy sound good, and take advantage of people's innate desire to reciprocate. When you receive a gift, you will want to return the favor. Cult leaders use this method to attract followers, and they will bring gifts and rewards to buy peoples’ hearts. (Cossins, translated by Chen)

Conformity is also a crucial factor. Solomon Asch, a professor of social psychology, conducted a classic study. He arranged for a group of people to look at several cards (one at a time) with three lines of apparently unequal length on one side and a single line on the other. He asked the subjects to take turns pointing out which of the three lines was as long as A. In fact, only one of these people was the real subject, while the others were the experimental assistants. The experimental assistants answered the questions first and deliberately gave the wrong answers. Surprisingly, about 75% of the subjects ended up "following the norms of the group" and gave the same answers as the experimental assistants at least one time. In another slightly altered experiment, Asch had one of the experimental assistants answer differently from the group, and only one dissenting opinion could reduce the following rate to about 20%. (McLeod)

Any dissenting opinion will encourage others to follow suit, so no criticism can be allowed to exist. Therefore, Jones excluded all dissenters, and likewise, the dense jungle surrounding Jonestown kept them completely isolated from the outside world and unable to hear questions from the outside world. This is also the case in places where hobbits live. They live the same life and have similar thought patterns. This has to do with social proof, isolating people from the outside world, so that the small group becomes the entire social environment, and the power of social proof is greatly enhanced. (Cossins, translated by Chen)

Hobbits have the custom of giving gifts, which can be easily exploited by cult leaders. They have a tradition of handing out gifts on their birthdays instead of receiving gifts. This means that they usually receive gifts on different people's birthdays and send gifts back to those people on their own birthdays. The cult also waits for the hobbits to reciprocate when giving gifts and takes the opportunity to make them do what they are told.

Custom itself can be considered as a certain kind of conformity. People will exchange gifts at Christmas, send chocolates on Valentine's Day, and dress up as ghosts on Halloween. In doing these things people usually do not think about the reasons. Simply because others are doing it, they follow suit. In the case of following others without considering the meaning behind the behavior, it would be good if the matter is harmless, but if it is harmful that may cause irreversible consequences.

The closed environment and simple living habits make hobbits more vulnerable to exploitation by those who want to take advantage of them. The Chinese government is using the Great Firewall to block people from receiving information, and the cult "People's Temple" took its followers to live in the remote jungle to avoid outside accusations. They are in a state of information insufficiency just like the hobbits. These examples prove that it is easier to control people's minds by isolating them from outside information. In addition, the underlying thoughts of the human mind can also be exploited, such as returning the favor or conformity, especially in a closed environment.

2-3 Addiction and Blind Following

The One Ring is more than just a ring; what matters is the meaning it implies. For the characters in The Lord of the Rings, it means something like methamphetamine, and the Ring-bearers are drug addicts. When holding the ring they behave differently from their normal state, and even if they no longer hold it, they still have withdrawal symptoms. Sméagol is a good example of this. The signs and symptoms of drug addiction are most obvious in him. Great abnormalities can be seen in his appearance and behavior. (Docherty, 4)

       First of all, during the five hundred years of holding the ring, he became an ugly-looking creature, Gollum. He is not taking care of his appearance, nor does he pay attention to oral hygiene. All this makes him look rather unpleasant and haggard. Long-term drug users are like him, and they also look older than they really are. After he didn't possess the ring, all he wanted was to get it back, which is a clear symptom of withdrawal from the drug. (ibid)

       Another point is about his mental state. He has several psychiatric illnesses, including delusional paranoia, schizophrenia, and multiple personality disorder, etc. His thoughts are usually disorganized, and he talks a lot of nonsense, resulting in poor communication with people. He also shows two personalities that keep switching when he talks to himself. One personality is evil, and the other is good. He often says, "My precious." to the ring in an over-obsessed attitude and tried to take the ring back from Frodo several times. Eighty years after he lost the ring, these symptoms and damage have not recovered, indicating that the effects of drugs are irreversible. (ibid)

       The power of the ring is the same as drugs. It is indispensable in war. Sauron used the ring to control his men, just as the Nazi Germany had a large number of soldiers using drugs at that time. “Amphetamines are a group of synthetic drugs that stimulate the central nervous system, reducing fatigue and appetite and increasing wakefulness and a sense of well-being. (Andreas)” When methamphetamine first hit the market in the late 1930s, it was praised as a miracle drug. The tiny pill was in fact the ideal Nazi drug: "Germany, awake!" demanded the Nazis. Methamphetamines were not used as an escape from reality like heroin or alcohol were. Instead, they were used to increase awareness and alertness. It can also make people more energetic and more confident. (ibid) These characteristics make it suitable for use in the battlefield. Sauron used the One Ring to get a similar effect like the drug.

However, the Nazis did brutal acts for more reasons than just being under the influence of drugs. Many people can't understand how such a large group of people can do such crazy things together without disobeying the instructions from their superiors. Their blind obedience to authority is similar to Saruman's allegiance to Sauron. They both commit inhumane acts simply by following someone's orders, which seems unbelievable to others.

       A psychologist named Stanley Milgram conducted an experiment. The conflict between obedience to authority and one's conscience was the subject of this experiment. Milgram wanted to know how far people would go to follow instructions if they meant hurting someone else. The participant was partnered with another individual, and they used a drawing to choose who would be the “teacher” and who would be the “learner”. The draw was engineered so that the student was always one of Milgram's associates, and the participant was always the teacher. An electrode-equipped chair had the "learner" fastened to it. The "teacher" tests him by stating a word and asking him to recall its pair from a list of four options after he has studied a list of word pairs that he is instructed to learn. Every time the learner makes a mistake, the teacher is instructed to provide an electric shock, and increase the intensity of the shock each time. On the shock generator, there were 30 switches with markings ranging from 15 volts (slight shock) to 450. (severe shock). (McLeod)

       The learner intentionally provided many incorrect answers, and the teacher shocked him for each one. The experimenter was to issue a series of orders or prods to make sure they continued after the teacher declined to apply a shock. Four prods were used, and if any of them was not obeyed, the experimenter read out the next prod and so on. Prod 1: Please continue. /Prod 2: The experiment requires you to continue. /Prod 3: It is absolutely essential that you continue. /Prod 4: You have no other choice but to continue. The results show that all the participants kept going till 300 volts, and 65% of them progressed to the highest level of 450 volts. (ibid)

       There are two states of behavior in persons: the autonomous state and the agentic state. People control their own behavior and are accountable for the outcomes of that behavior when they are in the autonomous state. On the other hand, people allow others to control over how they act, then abdicate responsibility for the outcomes to the person issuing the orders when they are in the agentic state. In other words, they carry out another person's will as their agent. In addition, two conditions must be met to enter the agentic state. The person giving commands is considered as having the authority to control how other people behave. And the person receiving orders can have faith that the authority will take responsibility for any mishaps. (ibid)

       It is obvious that both the Nazis and Saruman are in the agentic state. If they feel that the authority will bear responsibility for the outcomes of the decisions, they will obey. In The Lord of the Rings, Saruman thinks that he is not responsible for his own actions because Sauron will be responsible for him, which shows how crucial it is to determine who will take responsibility. No matter how outrageous things get, as long as people can get rid of the responsibility and consequences, everything is possible.

       Apart from war, there are also many phenomena of addiction and blind following in everyone’s daily life. Purchasing luxury goods is a good example. The value people give to an item may outweigh its actual value. It's fine to spend wisely within one’s financial capacity, but excessive consumption will cause problems, which may evolve into shopping addiction. Furthermore, blindly following the trend is also a problem. Some people may decide to purchase something after finding many people are using it, but they may not take the practicality and necessity into account.

       Ring is like methamphetamine that makes people addicted, and the person who wears it is a drug addict, and the signs of addiction can be seen in Sméagol. Sauron used the ring to control people just as Nazi Germany used drugs to control soldiers. Besides using drugs, the Nazis, like Saruman, blindly obeyed the authority. From the Milgram experiment, it can be understood that they acted in these ways because they believed they were free from responsibility and consequences. Addiction and blind following do not only exist in war, but also in people's daily lives, like over-buying luxury goods and chasing the trend blindly.

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