The Ring of Gyges

When I was younger I was asked a question that has stayed with me into my adult life. A teacher asked me that if I had the Ring of Gyges, what would I do with it? Would I steal, cheat, lie, or murder even? I never knew the lesson behind it when I was first asked, Once I did discover the moral behind it, it intrigued me even more to determine what other people would say.

Plato introduces this concept in his work "The Republic". The idea is that this ring can make you invisible. Imagine, for an instant, you had this ring. You could do anything you wanted without consequence. What would you do that you would normally not? For those of you who know the moral of this story, did your opinion change based on realizing what it inferred?

The first time I was asked this, I said that I would listen in on conversations about me, because I had want to know what people had to say about me when I was not around. It is wrong, I knew that. But upon hearing the end of the tale my answer did not change. Some people I imagine would change. I anxiously await your input!

I would assassinate specific heads of states. I would not regret it as the ones I have in mind are the ones that constantly disrupt any process for peace or are unwilling to compromise to achieve stability within their region. These leaders also watch their people die of starvation while they get fat. Then again, if I had the resources I would do this anyways ring or not lol

I would definitely use it for selfish purposes at first. I would use it to better my position in life, and make myself financially comfortable enough to be able to pursue something beyond the "survival" needs of most of us wage slaves. Once I had no need to worry about "bills" I could put in the time and effort for more noble pursuits. I think I could really make the world a better place, if I had been born in a higher tax bracket.

Wait, does this ring make you invisible to the point where you can't turn back, or just when you want too?

Like rota, I would use it for my personal goals of course at first, then maybe slowly point out the things that could be worthy of doing with this ring and proceed from there....

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Originally Posted by Satan

Wait, does this ring make you invisible to the point where you can't turn back, or just when you want too?

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Just when you wear it. You control turning the invisibility on/off.

Hmm....

I'm not sure what I'd do. Probably use it to better my family's financial position, and then who knows?

Not even I do, so there's a problem there.

I would flee from it! I don't want to be chased like Frodo!

Keep a shotgun handy. That's all you need to protect against Ringwraiths.

Make sure you've got some fire as well.

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Originally Posted by AbstractAngel

When I was younger I was asked a question that has stayed with me into my adult life. A teacher asked me that if I had the Ring of Gyges, what would I do with it? Would I steal, cheat, lie, or murder even? I never knew the lesson behind it when I was first asked, Once I did discover the moral behind it, it intrigued me even more to determine what other people would say.

Plato introduces this concept in his work "The Republic". The idea is that this ring can make you invisible. Imagine, for an instant, you had this ring. You could do anything you wanted without consequence. What would you do that you would normally not? For those of you who know the moral of this story, did your opinion change based on realizing what it inferred?

The first time I was asked this, I said that I would listen in on conversations about me, because I had want to know what people had to say about me when I was not around. It is wrong, I knew that. But upon hearing the end of the tale my answer did not change. Some people I imagine would change. I anxiously await your input!

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I am trying not to be vague. But I honestly have no idea what I would do if I had a ring that made me invisible. And this is why.....
I grew up dirt poor. I always thought if I ever came into any money then I would help out my family and others as much as I could with it. Well, when I was in my early 20's the dot-com boom was in full swing. And I got a piece of the pie. For example, one day, in just 2 hours I made about $15,000. That was a good day. The average day was about $500-$1k.... per day. Needless to say I was able to save hordes of money. And during that process I began to change into something that I thought I never would. Let's just say I developed an "attitude". And I did not do things that I thought I would. For example, help my family and friends with my cash.


And you know what? I never knew how much I had changed until the dot-com crash came along and wiped me out. Then I looked back at things and was able to see my tracks, where they had gone. Some friends commented on how I had changed when I had lots of money. But only after I had lost most of it did they say anything. And only after I had lost most of it was I able to reflect on things and see how I had changed.

It's alot like the Spiderman movie. He got a black suit that made him more powerful. But that power went to his head. Give someone millions of dollars or a magic ring and they will change. And more often than not they will change into something that they never thought they would.

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Originally Posted by BrotherhoodUK

Keep a shotgun handy. That's all you need to protect against Ringwraiths.

Make sure you've got some fire as well.

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True, true. Can I bring a F16 too, pretty please? Or a nuke to blow up the Sauron's tower? Pleeeease!!! And a Flamethrower! And, uhm, the Deathstar!

I'd use it for selfish purposes first, then start using it to help others once i'd satisfied my own wishes.

I'd use it to make people's lives hell who try and make my life hell

*sigh* Off-topic, Lao. Shut up and get back to the point, to put it bluntly.

On-topic:

I agree that wealth and power changes people. Mostly for the worse. There are references to this in most stories and modern films, such as Spiderman mentioned above.

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Originally Posted by BrotherhoodUK

*sigh* Off-topic, Lao. Shut up and get back to the point, to put it bluntly.

On-topic:

I agree that wealth and power changes people. Mostly for the worse. There are references to this in most stories and modern films, such as Spiderman mentioned above.

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Sorry...

Anyways, I agree. For example Hitler. He was an excellent painter, I've seen some of them on the 'net, but he saw the chance for power. Well, no more to say.

His desire for power was fueled by his ideology, his ideology wasn't fueled by his desire for power.

*Reaching for the track again*

I would probably use it to travel to places I've never been, without having to worry about security, passports, or paying for fare. I'd probably also use it to better my financial stability, but I honestly wouldn't know what to do first.

I would be terrified lest it should fall into the wrong hands.

That sort of power is beyond anything known to science; picture if any government got their hands on it and began research. Oh yes; it may reveal secrets that could improve the lot of humanity; what invention since dwarf wheat has done that, I ask you?

First I'd probably hide it in some solid object - a bit of cast concrete or something. Eventually I'd get paranoid about that and start carrying it with me everywhere until I thought of a deposit box... and then remember that banks get robbed. I'd consider tossing it into a river or an ocean or in front of a glacier. Eventually, while walking the streets, I'd have to use it to flee from a mugger - and almost get run down by a car - and have loads of trouble on sidewalks.

So I'd hide it again and start thinking seriously about its destruction. Would a volcano be enough?

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Originally Posted by Gnerphk

I would be terrified lest it should fall into the wrong hands.

That sort of power is beyond anything known to science; picture if any government got their hands on it and began research. Oh yes; it may reveal secrets that could improve the lot of humanity; what invention since dwarf wheat has done that, I ask you?

First I'd probably hide it in some solid object - a bit of cast concrete or something. Eventually I'd get paranoid about that and start carrying it with me everywhere until I thought of a deposit box... and then remember that banks get robbed. I'd consider tossing it into a river or an ocean or in front of a glacier. Eventually, while walking the streets, I'd have to use it to flee from a mugger - and almost get run down by a car - and have loads of trouble on sidewalks.

So I'd hide it again and start thinking seriously about its destruction. Would a volcano be enough?

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I don't know, go ask Smeagol.

On-Topic: Too much power changes people.
"Give a piece of bread to a beggar and he will eat it, but give him endless amount of money and he will buy bread until he's full. But then the beggar would find out that bread is not the only thing he can buy" ~Fable 2 game.
I don't know if I got it right...

Power only corrupts you if you allow it to. I was in management for quite a few years and during that time I treated everyone under me as my equal and each individual equally. I have seen some of the best employees get promoted and become unbearable to others, or worse yet they feel they are above everyone and didn't have to pull their weight anymore. In my life I have met quite a few celebrities and have even been in the media myself, never once did I feel the need to hold it over others as power. In my opinion power only corrupts the weak, whether that power comes from money, status, title or whatever. Those who are true to themselves and their values are bound to stay the same no matter the amount of power they have.

A good point. Power can corrupt, but it's perhaps more correct to observe (in the words of R. A. Wilson) that "power merely attracts the corruptible".

On the other hand... the ring could be an invaluable tool in primate study... No! Do not tempt me further! You must understand, Frodo - I would use the ring from a desire to do good...

Hmm, I would probably use it just for fun. Nothing along the lines of stealing, or anything like that. But it would be fun to go invisible and nothing more.