Hello frens! I hope your quarantine is going well. Looking for some content? Let's take a look at Legend of the Galactic Heroes Episode 66: "Under the Golden Lion Flag"
#logh #legendofthegalacticheroes

His hair is magnificent

This episode opens up with Mozart's Horn Concerto No 3. Which is so unimportant that Wolfgang couldn't even be bothered to include it in his catalogue of works. I mention it only because I love french horns and it's a really good, short piece worth listening to.

Quick plot recap: At this point, the Alliance was defeated by Reinhard (tbh by Hilde best waifu), Lennenkampt was put in charge, Yang & co was forced to a Dead End, rebelled, Lennenkampt killed himself, and now they're mounting a punitive expedition.

This is something I think about more than is probably healthy. And no, I don't mean wanting to an hero. Building from Foucault, execution is a kind of blood sacrifice ritual to the god of the state. Furthermore, the dishonor Lennenkampt already underwent... (1/2)

... (2/2) made his life worthless. But who is responsible? When is it acceptable? The answer is typically "you" and "never", but when I asked this question of @thegodcasttjc I found their answer unsatisfying. I don't have a point here, just some musings. (Müseling?)

The dynamic of the defeated Yang Wenli and Reinhard evokes the dynamic between Guan Yu and Cao Cao in Rot3K. Cao Cao lusted for talent, and would do anything to get Guan Yu. But GY would never bend on his loyalty to his brother. A note: Guan Yu is far more virtuous... (1/2)

... (2/2) than Yang. A permeating theme is Yang's slavish devotion to his ideology. This led to his suppression, eventually ruin and death, all of it in vain as his ideology was proven to be bad. Guan Yu was devoted to his brothers over all other things. That is virtue.

Oberstein is ultimately correct here. Reuenthal is arguing against Oberstein's hypothetical "conditions" for Yang joining (being governor, fighting his former subordinates), which Reuenthal finds disagreeable. But it's the correct move to secure power and disarm a threat.

This'll take some writing as this argument between Reuenthal and Oberstein is a really important one, without a good resolution. So we're going to go through it line by line.

Here, Reuenthal is through implication calling into question Oberstein's fairness in judgment

Oberstein retorts with the fact that, though Oberstein is the chief of "military affairs", the actual command authority, the actionable command, lies with Reuenthal and Mittermeyer.

Reuenthal argues that Oberstein's view is wrong, that ultimate authority rests in Reinhard's hands. But Oberstein (correctly) points out that this refutes Reuenthal's own point and so, also as an agent of the Kaiser, Oberstein only acts as the Kaiser's agent.

Unfortunately for Oscar, it's not sophistry. Ludwig von Mises - and Allah forgive me for mentioning that name - makes this point in Human Action, where ultimately "systems" are just a series of individual actions. This is true in the sense that individual action is the medium...

... of systems. No lightswitch brains allowed from here. Both views are partially correct, and necessary when analyzing the dynamic between personal responsibility and systemic forces. Take the case of, say, a white man addicted to opioids. He must take...

... ultimate responsibility for his actions, but this doesn't mean there aren't systemic issues, and importantly, systemic RESPONSIBILITY which is diffused among the individual actors - that is, the individuals in society - that make up the system. Both points are true.

In conclusion: when analyzing power - how it functions, how it's wielded, how to wield it - this nuanced approach, understanding the node and the system simultaneously, is essential or you will fail.

An interesting discussion about Yang serving Reinhard followed, but this is more important and a reflection of the previous argument. tl;dr - politics, or at least arguments about the form of political institutions, are fake and g*y

Excessive devotion to a FORM of power is ridiculous and misguided. Institutions are tools - they have a purpose, and should be discarded when they no longer fulfill that purpose. Too many worship idols and avatars without looking beyond to what the image is depicting

Again, what makes Reinhard such an effective Emperor is his total lack of ideology. His motive to seize power is ultimately personal - free his sister, not be bullied by lesser men. But he had the means to realize this and bring about flourishing and prosperity to all mankind.

Kaiser Reinhard is the pure, living embodiment of the grug-galaxybrain axis (art by @zillajinjer )

Chekov's giant neon sign pointing to a gun

But let's be honest: don't we all want someone to lead us, walking in front of us brim with brilliant luster? To quote @zincronicity , "we are all poisoned by modernity." We are all too aware of our inadequacies, even if we are great.

Every. Single. Time.

Brief reminder: it was ultimately Hildegard, not Reinhard, that defeated the Alliance at the outset. Of Best Tomboy GFs, Estelle Bright might compare but since she's stupid Hildegard wins by orders of magnitude. Get yourself a woman who can conquer the galaxy with you.

One, Reinhard again shows his impeccable talent for appointing and assessing talent, but also his magnanimity. Silverbeche is an S-class minister; Gluck is not. And that's okay. Ambition is good, but humility and gratitude will keep you from giving up when things get tough.

Be this guy. You're probably not actually that special. But that's okay. Be humble, and know yourself, and you will succeed in life in the ways that actually matter.

There is such a thing as a hero out of time, which again reflects on the stupidity of obsessing over a form of an institution, especially of government. Certain times call for certain people. But that's true for times of peace, as well.

Yes, yes he is. And this insight also calls out a shortcoming of the Führerprinzip. The concentration of power in the hands of a single individual is necessary and right in times of crisis, but beyond that distribution with flexibility is better able to rule effectively.

As an addendum: people who decry the concentration per se are, in fact, idiots.

Again, looking at the need for flexible institutions and swappable leaders - Reinhard was a necessity - Kalki, a divine avatar. But his role and purpose is restricted to a certain time and place, and when he exists out of context, problems arise.

Real Mark Brahmin hours: Art is religion; religion is art. To quote Mecklinger again, Reinhard is a "living work of art." Reinhard is a true Overman, an Avatar. A living icon of the divine. The quest for perfection, theosis, is the struggle to achieve this state.

The people we have will change over time, for many different reasons. What unites us is our brotherhood. Our cause and our blood. Even the dead join us in celebration and communion, the Triumphant warriors of the past that gave themselves for our future.

Literally the only time Bittenfeld is right. Reinhard's indecision, held back by the similarity of his path to that of Rudolf von Goldenbaum, allowed "history" (fate) to re-assert her control. But Reinhard is a man who forges his own destiny.

"We must sacrifice petty benevolence for greater righteousness" ~ Liu Bei

The proscription against Form idolatry holds true for petty principles as well. We must not be prevented by our principles from doing right; we must not allow our principles to be weaponized against us.

No comments, just experiencing the thrill from the presence of a hero who can command all and cannot be contained.

And that's it for this episode gents. This episode pulls out a lot of the underlying themes of LOGH and makes them explicit in a way author Tanaka was ill-equipped, shitlib that he is, to do so intentionally. But that's what makes LOGH great. It's the muses that speak.

shut up Wesley