Break a leg

Father Yakov Krotov left a post on his blog entitled Power and Personality, which was interesting, but the comment left by Argent Smith (pseudonym, "Agent" Smith, like in The Matrix?) was notorious. You can connect to the originals using the link above, but here's what these brothers in Russia wrote (slightly edited for English usage)…

Power and Personality

"Power corrupts," but what is corrupted by power, and what are the mechanisms of corruption?

When [Lord] Acton made this famous statement (describing the popes of the 16th century) there was no conception of feedback (or would another term is better?).

On the eve of human history lust for power corrupted a unique human quality: to live through mutuality, to put forth questions and receive answers.

There is a Russian expression "to tear out the legs" (nogi vyrvat'), meaning "to punish," or "to make one passive." Thus, the first and the last argument of power—tearing out legs of the disobedient.

To counterbalance this, man must wash the legs (or the feet) [nogi, same word in Russian] of one's own brother or sister, neighbor or enemy.

Some examples of such washing are known to historians.

Now here's what Argent Smith wrote…

This reminds me of a myth (?) very popular among charismatic legalists:

A true shepherd can break a leg of a sheep to prevent her from going the wrong way. And, of course, the shepherd then treats the poor, sick sheep, showing a true example of care and love.

Practical application of this myth:

1. "True pastors" would break all legs of all sheep to maintain control over them.

2. In Russia, this tradition is known as "kill the ram which thoughtfully watches the new gate—better you eat it than a wolf.