How the mighty do fall!

[Nilpaurion Felagund]

I forgot. Not only those who are evil and mighty fall, but...

...especially that they[the Valar] had attempted to guard and seclude the Eldar by their might and glory fully revealed...

And thus the mighty, even those who are good, fall.

Which means the only one you could trust with all power is...*drum roll*...Ilúvatar, who chose to watch and wait for good to triumph than to intervene against evil...well, most of the time. But I think that one instance was necessary.

[Finwe]

Honestly speaking, expecting someone to not abuse power is asking a lot of them. If you put a gun into a little kid's hands, the first thing that they'll do is run off and shoot someone (or something). They immediately want to test their limits. Adults are just older version of little kids. If you give them power, they will immediately start trying to test their limits and if they find none, they will continue to abuse their power until they do find some. We need limits in our lives, physical, mental, emotional, etc. Even though I'm a normal, rebellious teenager, I still say that. Societal, parental, and individual limits are the only things that keep us "grounded." Without them, we would constantly be rebelling to seek out limits. This is why many kids who "experiment" with various forms of rebellion (major euphemism there) are generally from lenient homes, whereas most of the ones from the really straitlaced homes are often simply too afraid of their parents to do anything. (This is merely a generalization, don't jump on my case. If you come from a lenient household and you aren't a rebel, then kudos to you!) Without some form of limits placed by someone higher on the pecking order, we'd go completely crazy. (Rather like that Ar-Pharazon chap.)

[Nilpaurion Felagund]

Golden Boy did learn his limits...too late.

And that's for stealing Tar-Míriel!

[Finwe]

You see... and then they get so absurdly predictable! Everyone knows that once you start messing with the ladies, you're a gone case!

[Orcrist]

I think that Boromir is another example of power gone mad. (sort of) He thought that he had more power over Frodo because Frodo was just smaller. He tried to take the Ring and was then killed a short while later. I also noticed that Borormir and Denethor were people who had gone after power and eventually died, but not Faramir. Faramir was tempted by the Ring but resisted. I'm guessing that if it had not been but used, he would have followed in his brothers and fathers steps.

[Nilpaurion Felagund]

Yes. Boromir was the proud one, so the Ring found its way easier into him. But his was the desire to do good, not actual pride in his strength.

On the other hand Denethor wanted the Ring, trusting to his own strength and wisdom. I doubt the Ring's sphere of influence had reached him. He had become like Saruman; proud.

Still, pride kills.

[Hookbill the Goomba]

Without them, we would constantly be rebelling to seek out limits. This is why many kids who "experiment" with various forms of rebellion (major euphemism there)

Hum, don’t try and start a rebellion, I don’t think the Barrow Wright would like that!

Anyway, yes, pride kills. Another example of this could be Feánor, it seemed to me that he went mad with pride, did he not? Perhaps the fact that he got so many people behind him made him feel in power, and so, as Finwe said, he tried to test his boundaries. Maybe I’m seeing patterns in things that aren't there... (Oooh pretty colours)

"know what I’m shayin"

Also, the fact that Gandalf did not abuse his power shows that he was the wisest of the miar, yes? But what of Faramir? Did he refuse the ring dew to some dark foreboding? Or did he have some fore sight?