0:02 the hands of the king are the hands of a
0:04 Healer and so shall the rightful King be
0:07 known this single sentence sums up so
0:09 much of what makes Aragorn an incredible
0:13 leader King and man masculinity is one
0:15 of the most misunderstood Concepts in
0:17 current thought whether in news media
0:20 fiction or influencer culture the
0:22 rejection of many traditional masculine
0:24 values and the suggestion that seeking
0:26 them is toxic commonly perpetrated by
0:28 large news outlets or just some random
0:31 Blog has generated a knee-jerk reaction
0:33 that does nearly the same amount of harm
0:36 there is no shortage of voices telling
0:37 young men that they should seek personal
0:40 success and wealth at all costs that
0:42 being a superstar is what men should
0:44 pursue these calls are attempting to
0:46 drown out the opposing cries for men to
0:49 reject their desire for greatness to be
0:52 meek weak and gentle as is all too
0:54 common in today's political climate both
0:56 sides viewpoints are overreactions to
0:58 what they dislike about the opposing
1:00 perspective and neither out look has it
1:03 all right or all wrong true virtuous
1:05 masculinity lies somewhere in the middle
1:07 between the commonly espoused Extremes
1:10 in the golden mean between vices this is
1:12 the brand of authentic masculinity
1:14 demonstrated by Aragorn son of arathorne
1:17 King of Gondor and his example is one we
1:19 don't deserve but absolutely need right
1:23 now Aragorn is first and foremost a
1:25 protector that is what both a king and a
1:27 Healer are someone who cares for and
1:30 defends the lives entrusted to him one
1:32 might be tempted to think that being a
1:34 king is desirable for the power wielded
1:36 by the Monarch for the status and
1:39 comfort that come with royal office that
1:41 is a flawed selfish Outlook that Aragorn
1:44 does not Embrace we know this due to the
1:46 manner in which he ascends to the throne
1:49 of Gondor due to his Royal lineage being
1:52 the only living heir of elendil Aragorn
1:54 could have walked into ministereth and
1:56 claimed the throne at any point but he
1:59 did not rather than seeking power Aragon
2:01 sought his duty Duty which was to
2:02 protect those who could not protect
2:05 themselves his long years in the north
2:07 of Middle Earth were spent safeguarding
2:09 the lands there such as the Shire from
2:11 the many evil forces that still dwelt
2:13 nearby when he encounters the hobbits in
2:16 Bri Aragorn takes it upon himself to
2:18 protect them from all enemies and
2:19 continues that commitment throughout
2:21 their Journey until assured by Gandalf
2:24 that the hobbits are in safe hands upon
2:26 reaching eteros Aragorn readily joins
2:28 with the forces of Rohan in their fight
2:30 against Isengard and finally Aragorn and
2:32 his company provide the decisive blow in
2:34 the battle of the planor fields
2:37 relieving the siege of ministereth upon
2:38 reaching the White City having won a
2:41 glorious saving Victory just outside its
2:44 walls what does Aragorn do does he ride
2:45 through the streets displaying the
2:47 banner of Lendale proclaiming himself
2:51 king of Gondor no he senses that such an
2:53 entrance would cause unrest argument and
2:55 strife in a city so long without a king
2:58 I will not enter in nor make any claim
3:00 until it be seen when either we or
3:03 Mordor shall prevail Aragorn has no
3:05 interest in seizing Power Authority and
3:08 Status acknowledging that there is still
3:10 much to do still battles to be fought in
3:12 defense of the land entrusted to his
3:14 care he declines to distract both
3:16 himself and the current leaders of
3:19 Gondor by causing political confusion he
3:21 still has a job to do he has a country
3:25 to protect that is his kingly duty which
3:26 he will carry out whether or not he
3:29 wears a crown however Aragorn does at
3:32 Gandalf's insistence enter a ministereth
3:34 not so he can claim the throne but
3:36 rather because he is needed in the
3:38 houses of healing where pharah mere aeon
3:40 and Mary all lie stricken with wounds
3:42 beyond the skill of normal healers they
3:44 are encounters with the nozzle keeping
3:46 their minds from healing even as their
3:48 bodies begin to mend to this point in
3:50 the story Aragorn's role has largely
3:53 been one of a warrior he defends those
3:55 entrusted to him yes but mostly through
3:57 violence even though he was able to care
3:59 for Frodo after The Hobbit was stabbed
4:01 on weathertop Aragorn's lesser skill and
4:03 the intensity of the wound precluded him
4:06 from being able to fully heal Frodo not
4:09 so now it isn't entirely clear whether
4:11 Aragorn is now able to heal the three
4:13 stricken Warriors due to him coming into
4:15 his own the relatively lesser wounds
4:17 they suffered or a combination of both
4:20 those factors what is clear is that
4:22 Aragorn's mission of protection extends
4:24 Beyond War the ability to be aggressive
4:27 and violent when needed is necessary and
4:29 good for those who would defend their
4:31 friends and Country but the capacity for
4:33 gentle care must also be present if one
4:36 is to express full authentic masculinity
4:38 Aragorn became known to the people of
4:40 ministereth as their King not only
4:42 because he arrived to turn the tide of
4:44 battle in gondor's favor unfurling the
4:46 banner of alendil and thus striking
4:48 panic and despair into the hearts of his
4:50 foes but also and more importantly
4:53 because he could heal the wounds of war
4:55 the worst of injuries that no other man
4:58 or woman could Bend and soon the word
4:59 had gone out from the house that the
5:01 King was indeed come among them and
5:04 after War he brought healing and so
5:06 tenderly caring for those who needed him
5:09 most Aragorn demonstrates perhaps the
5:11 most crucial point of why his example of
5:14 masculinity is so needed today his
5:16 strengths and abilities are not for
5:18 himself but for others
5:21 Aragorn spent many years he's 87 during
5:23 the war of the Ring training in Warfare
5:25 becoming an expert swordsman an
5:27 unparalleled Warrior the kind of
5:29 dedication needed to attain such Heights
5:31 of skill is arguably the most necessary
5:33 trait for those seeking to become
5:35 proficient in any discipline indeed if
5:37 you listen to just about any currently
5:40 popular speaker on masculinity they will
5:42 repeatedly drive home the idea that
5:44 discipline Trump's motivation every time
5:47 and they are correct for example you
5:49 cannot attain the strength you desire if
5:51 you only go to the gym when you feel
5:53 like going you set a schedule and you
5:55 maintain the discipline to stick to it
5:58 what the influencers who espouse this
6:00 idea often fail to recognize or at least
6:03 do not State outright is that without a
6:05 purpose such training is only building
6:08 up your own vanity Desiring and working
6:10 towards strength is a good thing but are
6:12 we doing it so we can physically care
6:15 for and protect our loved ones to stay
6:17 fit and healthy and thus not be a burden
6:19 on others or because we want women to be
6:21 impressed by our packs nothing wrong
6:23 with wanting to be attractive of course
6:26 but that is not by itself a healthy
6:28 reason to seek strength that is because
6:30 your strength is not for yourself it is
6:33 for others physical power is important
6:35 for masculinity yes but that is because
6:37 it allows us to better protect Those
6:40 whom we love and carrying out that duty
6:43 is one of if not the central aspect of a
6:44 man's job
6:46 as long as there have been Wars it has
6:49 been largely the role of the man sadly
6:51 often the young man to defend his Nation
6:54 his people if something goes bump in the
6:56 night what kind of man stays in bed
6:59 while his wife goes to investigate when
7:01 the Christ child was in danger it was
7:03 Saint Joseph who was entrusted with the
7:04 mission to bring the Holy Family to
7:07 safety by nature men are granted a
7:09 larger frame denser bones and more
7:11 muscle mass than our women and with
7:14 those physical advantages comes a duty
7:16 that cannot be denied without denying
7:18 the very essence of what it means to be
7:21 a man in relationship with others
7:24 indeed embracing full authentic virtuous
7:27 masculinity requires one to be in
7:29 relationship not in a relationship mind
7:31 you I'm not saying you can't be manly if
7:33 you don't have a wife or girlfriend but
7:36 human beings do not exist alone we were
7:39 not made for ourselves but rather for
7:41 each other as already stated Aragorn
7:44 clearly knows this he seeks the company
7:46 of those who need him and bonds with
7:47 them as they Journey throughout Middle
7:50 Earth we witness his Fierce protective
7:51 love for the hobbits as he chooses to
7:54 pursue a whole company of urakai to
7:56 rescue Mary and Pippin from their cruel
7:59 captors in those same scenes we see his
8:01 capacity for leadership as he takes it
8:03 upon himself to lead the hunt but also
8:05 relies on his companions when they are
8:07 more capable than he at Helm's Deep
8:10 Aragorn gently encourages a boy thrust
8:12 into combat far ahead of his time facing
8:15 nearly certain death then I shall die is
8:17 one of them not with them but rather as
8:20 one of them the men of Rohan around
8:23 Aragorn are not just any men they are as
8:25 he says at the black gate my brothers
8:29 does he know them personally no but he
8:31 is in relationship with them he has
8:32 formed a bond through their common
8:35 struggle and enemy their mission is not
8:38 divorced from his he does not hold his
8:40 own life more dearly than that of any of
8:43 those standing on the wall with him that
8:44 kind of Brotherhood the type that can
8:46 only be forged in the fires of combat
8:49 and staring death in the face is what
8:51 makes it possible for men to do great
8:53 Deeds on the battlefield they may fight
8:56 for King country and cause yes but more
8:59 importantly they fight for each other
9:01 Aragorn reminds us of this fact just
9:03 moments before the final desperate
9:05 battle against the innumerable Orcs of
9:08 Mordor a day may come when we forsake
9:11 our friends and break all
9:13 Michael the downfall of man will not
9:14 come solely because of the strength of
9:17 their enemies but because men forget why
9:18 they stand their ground against
9:21 impossible odds because they lose sight
9:23 of how vital the bonds of Brotherhood
9:25 are in saying this Aragorn reminds us of
9:28 the necessity of magnanimity that is the
9:31 desire for greatness but not for one's
9:34 own sake men should strive to do great
9:36 things even if we lead simple ordinary
9:38 lives we should Endeavor to be great
9:41 husbands and fathers to excel at our
9:43 line of work to become the best versions
9:45 of ourselves that we can be however
9:47 whatever greatness we achieve should not
9:49 be for our own sake our own vanity but
9:52 for the sake of our loved ones the
9:54 longest study on happiness conducted by
9:56 Harvard found that close relationships
9:59 more than money or fame are what keep
10:02 people happy throughout their lives what
10:04 is the use of a high-paying job that
10:06 allows us to buy whatever we want if we
10:08 have forsaken meaningful personal
10:10 relationships to achieve that level of success
10:11 success
10:13 certainly the two aren't mutually
10:15 exclusive but we only have so much time
10:17 and energy to pour into the various
10:19 Pursuits of life if we see greatness
10:22 that benefits only us we fail no matter
10:24 how much material wealth and success we
10:27 obtain Aragorn's pursuit of greatness
10:30 was never for his own vanity if it was
10:31 he would have been on the throne of
10:34 Gondor long before turning 87. instead
10:36 he sought to become an expert swordsman
10:39 tracker Navigator and healer in order to
10:40 best serve those who would need him when
10:43 the time came one might characterize
10:45 Aragorn's decision in that matter to be
10:47 humility and one would be correct but
10:49 perhaps not for the reason you might
10:51 think as I've mentioned before in
10:53 previous videos humility is not
10:56 self-degradation but rather an accurate
10:57 recognition of your own strengths and
10:59 weaknesses and the ability to act
11:02 accordingly the man with true humility
11:04 isn't worried about self-image because
11:07 he knows who he is he knows his duty and
11:09 his place in the world to put it another
11:11 way humility is not thinking less of
11:13 your yourself it is thinking of yourself
11:16 less truly knowing your abilities and
11:17 your duty allows you to think about
11:19 others more than you think of yourself
11:22 as you might expect Aragorn exemplifies
11:24 humility throughout the story but
11:26 perhaps his most impactful display of
11:28 this virtue comes after the battle of
11:30 polenor fields has been won and the men
11:31 of the West must decide their course of
11:34 action not yet knowing the fate of Frodo
11:36 and the ring Aragorn understands that as
11:39 Amir States we cannot achieve Victory
11:41 through strength of arms and yet leads
11:43 the men of Gondor and rohunt the black
11:46 gate nonetheless aware that his forces
11:48 are much depleted after the battle at
11:50 ministereth Aragorn knows that he cannot
11:52 defeat sauron's armies head on and yet
11:54 that is exactly what he seemingly sets
11:57 out to do the Lord of Mordor sees the
11:59 approach of the men led by the standard
12:01 of elendil and believes that the
12:03 arrogance of the new King has led him to
12:05 foolishly believe that what remains of
12:07 gondor's might can conquer the hordes of
12:10 Orcs still within Mordor but Sauron miscalculated
12:11 miscalculated
12:13 Aragorn acknowledges his own relative
12:15 weakness and inability to win the day
12:18 but he refuses to cower in the face of
12:20 overwhelming odds rather he recognizes
12:22 that he is not the hero of this story
12:25 but that he still has a role to play in
12:26 these events that are determining the
12:29 fate of the world in doing so he
12:31 demonstrates a key principle of humility
12:33 our circle of control and influence is
12:36 small there are many factors that affect
12:38 us that are beyond our Authority and
12:41 ability to affect change the idea that
12:44 you are 100 in control of your life that
12:46 everything is your fault is an absurd
12:48 knee-jerk reaction to What some might
12:51 call victimhood culture a perpetuation
12:53 of the harmful myth that many people are
12:55 simply powerless victims of circumstance
12:58 in the system as usual the truth lies
13:00 somewhere in the middle we can assert
13:03 control but only to a certain extent we
13:04 have to react to things beyond our
13:06 control and peacefully accept those
13:09 which we cannot change it is possible to
13:11 commit no mistakes and still lose the
13:15 that is not a weakness that is life to
13:17 this point in the story Aragorn has made
13:19 no significant mistakes he has
13:21 accomplished great things with the aid
13:22 of the fellowship the rohiram and the
13:25 gray company the decision to advance on
13:26 the black gate was one made after
13:28 careful consideration and wise counsel
13:31 Aragorn knows that it is possible his
13:33 actions will have no effect on the
13:35 outcome of the war that he will fall in
13:37 battle with all his men that Frodo and
13:39 the ring will be found and that all of
13:41 Middle Earth will be plunged into a
13:43 second darkness and it wouldn't be
13:47 Aragorn's fault he did all he could he
13:49 never accepted defeat but rather faced
13:52 it head-on sword in hand and Friends by
13:55 his side can anything more be asked of
13:58 any man Aragorn's defining moment comes
14:00 not as he wins the decisive battle for
14:02 the good of the world but rather as he
14:05 prepares to lose one so that maybe just
14:08 maybe the world he leaves behind will
14:11 remain beautiful and free
14:13 why is all of this so important today
14:16 now more than ever men are bombarded
14:18 with two drastically differing
14:20 viewpoints on how men should speak and
14:22 act with very little if any Common
14:25 Ground between the two sides Aragorn's
14:27 example of masculinity shreds these
14:30 false ideals these absurd extremes and
14:32 shows us that yes we should grow strong
14:35 we should succeed We should strive for
14:37 greatness but not for ourselves
14:40 Aragorn is as J.R.R Tolkien put it in a
14:42 letter from the trenches of World War
14:45 One a great instrument in God's hands a
14:47 mover a doer even an achiever of great
14:50 things a beginner at the very least of
14:52 large things tolkien's idea of greatness
14:55 as displayed by Aragorn could never be
14:57 defined by obtaining material wealth or
15:00 social status but rather by doing one's
15:02 duty loving one's friends and perhaps
15:05 even laying down one's life for them we
15:06 may never know in this life the
15:08 consequences of our actions but if we
15:10 strive to do great things with
15:12 magnanimity humility and
15:15 self-sacrificial love we cannot fail
15:18 ladies and gentlemen we are made for
15:21 each other I cannot emphasize that point
15:23 enough we are made to be in relationship
15:26 with one another meant to do great
15:28 things for the sake of those we love to
15:31 see this ideal embodied look no further
15:34 than Aragorn son of aerothorn Lord and
15:35 king of Gondor
15:37 I hope you enjoyed this video please let
15:39 me know your thoughts in the comments
15:41 and I will see you in the next one thank
