Civil War if Boromir survived?

[Boromir88]

Davem, I happen to disagree with you on many points, but that's why I'm here at the downs, to get other peoples view, here's my argument on some of your points...

Some people can't be corrupted - Sam can't, Aragorn can't, & neither, it seems to me, can Faramir. Sadly, we see Frodo can - which is why his story is a tragedy.

First, I think we should exclude Sam, yes, Sam did throw away the temptations, but he was tempted on being "Samwise the brave" and he was able to over come them, but to say he, was totally "uncorruptable" by the ring, I would not agree. Give it some time, Sam would have been corrupted, in my view, luckily he was able to past the test, and able only had one chance of passing that test, but that doesn't mean he was "uncorruptable."

Aragorn, my only case with him, was after the death of Boromir, he was in utter catastrophe. He was doubting his decisions he made, and wish he never had the burden of "leader" put on him, if Frodo stayed in the company, who knows what he would have done, but that is a "big if" so I do agree that Aragorn wasn't corruptable by the ring.

Your case you've made with Faramir is very strong, my personal opinion would be if Faramir and Boromir had switched, and Faramir went with the Fellowship, he still would have taken it and here is why...

Faramir had heard about what happened to Boromir, through Frodo's account. Through the story of Boromir trying to take the ring from him. And I think a big reason why Faramir was able to deny the ring, was because he learned from Boromir's mistake. As you have already quoted, Faramir holds Boromir higher then any man in Gondor, none in Gondor at this time could match him, atleast through Faramir's eyes. Then he learns, he tries to take this ring, and look what happens, he dies. Faramir seeing, and realizing, that the brother he holds above all else died because of the ring, makes him able to deny it so strongly. Because, Faramir realizes, heck if the ring leads to the end of the best in Gondor, Boromir, it would be hopeless for me to take it, and that is why I think Faramir was able to so "strongly" deny the ring. And that is the biggest reason, Faramir learning from the mistake of Boromir. So, if they had switched places I think Faramir still would have fallen, again thats just my opinion.

There is never, as far as I'm aware, any suggestion that Elrond wants it,

There is this quote from letters, that would suggest Elrond was tempted by the ring, just like Galadriel.

In the "Mirror of Galadriel", it appears that Galadriel conceived of herself as capable of wielding the Ring and supplanting the Dark Lord. IF so, so also were the other guardians of the Three, especially Elrond.

This states, if Galadriel saw herself taking the ring and supplanting Sauron (which we can see from the chapter "Mirror in Galadriel" when she comes out and says she's desired it). This just says, if Galadriel did, then so did the other 3 ringbearers (Elrond and Gandalf), and it even comes out to say ESPECIALLY Elrond. So, Elrond was tempted, like Galadriel, but of course he didn't let it get in his way.

I think we have to get away from this idea that the Ring inevitably corrupts anyone who comes into its vicinity.

That I agree with, the ring just doesn't automatically corrupt anyone around it, but, that doesn't mean they aren't corruptable, everyone would be corrupted (with the exclusion on Tom, who has already said Tom would not care for such things). Now, being around the ring, and maybe even wielding the ring at one time, there are those strong enough to refuse the temptation (Sam, Gandalf, Galadriel...etc), but it's made clear Galadriel, if in posession of the ring, would desire it to overthrow Sauron, and with Gandalf it was said he wanted to use it to do good things, create a lot of good, but by doing that, it would only be destruction, or total chaos. Sam, had temptation, but was able to quickly cast them away. So, I think if anyone was stuck in Frodo's position of having to destroy the ring (with the excluse of Tom), they too wouldn't have been able to do it. You are right in saying, there are those that can see the ring (Gandalf, Elrond, Galadriel) some of the wiser ones, and are able to deny it and aren't affected by it, but if they were to wield it, they would have been corrupted.