Image from Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002)

After you figure out whether you’re a Gryffindor or a Slytherin, it’s time to figure out whether you’re a Jedi or a Sith. So head on over to Remarkablogger and read my “guest post” Are You a Jedi or a Sith Blogger?

I put “guest post” in quotes because it wasn’t really a guest post. Instead, Michael took a question I asked and used it as the basis for a post. A good deal for both of us!

I asked Michael “What’s the best way to make it as a blogger? The way of the Jedi, or the way of the Sith?” You may recognize these terms from Star Wars, but I defined a Jedi blogger as one who focuses on providing value, and a Sith blogger as one who focuses on tactics.

Just to be clear, this is not the difference between good and evil. A Jedi asks “how can I help my readers?” while a Sith asks “how can I help myself?” As a Sith is thinking about what tactics will work best, they will consider options without regard to whether they’re evil.

I consider myself to be mainly a Jedi blogger in that I focus on value creation. For example, I choose topics without consideration of how much the relevant AdSense ads will pay, I respond to all comments (for now), and I link to low-ranking sites if they’re relevant. But I consider myself partly Sith, in that I put my sidebar on the left because that’s where people look, I sometimes put numbers in headlines because I know they grab attention, and I’m considering Ezine Articles to get more traffic. None of these things are evil, but they don’t come from a perspective of “how can I help my readers?”

I asked Michael which is the best way to make it as a blogger, and I left the door open to the possibility that the answer might be somewhere in the middle. So go on over to Are You a Jedi or a Sith Blogger? and share your thoughts.

Points for participating in the blogging discussion. Bonus points for realizing that this has nothing to do with blogging.

Image from Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983)

Who said Gandhi didn’t wield a lightsaber? In a comment on yesterday’s post What Color Is Your Focusing Crystal?, Barbara asked about the ending to the cliffhanger video. The last we saw was Luke Skywalker cutting off Darth Vader’s hand, then realizing that he was walking down the path to the dark side.

First, a recap of the situation.

Our hero Luke Skywalker is in a terrible bind. He has set out to try to convince his father, Darth Vader, to abandon the dark side, believing that there’s still good in him. But Vader has no interest in turning, and wants Luke to join the dark side. The key to doing so is to get Luke to give in to anger.

The Emperor wants Luke to embrace his hate by killing Darth Vader. If he does, he’ll be converted to the dark side and take Vader’s place alongside the Emperor. Luke had resisted so far except for a brief loss of control (the clip in the previous post). But then he regained his composure, threw down his lightsaber, and refused to fight, saying that he’s a Jedi, and he will never join the dark side.

Then this happened (rated PG for sci-fi action violence):

It worked out well for Luke, but he had no reason to expect that a happy ending was even possible. It was a miracle that his father decided to turn good after 30 years of being the second most evil person in the galaxy. Luke was prepared to die because that was a better alternative than turning to the dark side.

Are there situations where it’s best to refuse to fight, and accept the consequences? While people usually err on the side of not fighting enough, I think sometimes it’s best to just let it go.

When someone cuts you off in traffic, don’t fight them. Don’t give in to hate, because nothing good will come of it.

When someone falsely accuses you of having ulterior motives, don’t fight them. You can’t convince them with words anyway.

When someone tells you you’re bound to fail, don’t fight them. They may be wrong and they may be right, but your fight is not with them.

By all means, fight when you have to, when the potential benefits outweigh the costs. But don’t let someone draw you into a fight that’s not worth it. A Jedi is wise enough to choose his battles.

Image from Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983)

This post is for Ian Denny and Nez, who managed to turn a Harry Potter post into a Star Wars post with comments here and here.

Anyone who was alive in the 80s will recognize the Star Wars lightsaber, an elegant weapon for a more civilized age. It works by using a focusing crystal to compress energy into a blade.

All Jedi students (good guys) have to undertake a particular journey. It is considered a rite of passage, and part of the trials for becoming a Jedi. It is long and perilous, and a time for introspection. At the end of this journey, the Jedi student reaches some caves where Illium crystals grow. They choose one that they will later use as the focusing crystal for their lightsaber. The Jedi lightsabers are all different colors because of natural variations in these crystals.

The Sith (bad guys) do not take part in such a ritual. They use synthetic crystals, which are always red because of how they are made. This spares them the long trek to find a crystal, but it also deprives them of the self-reflection they would have done. The synthetic crystals can be more powerful but are not as pure as the natural ones.

In 1968, when people said “I’m tired of this job, I’m going to bail out,” Richard Bolles jokingly asked “What color is your parachute?” Of course, this later became the title of his bestselling book on finding a career path. The book calls for focusing on yourself before focusing on the market. Most people haven’t taken the time to do a self-assessment to identify their interests, skills, talents, and personality traits. But only by doing so can we learn our true colors.

Is it worth taking the time to do some soul searching to find out who you really are? Or would you give in to the dark side if it meant saving effort and gaining power?

(Note to Star Wars buffs: The information contained here is highly subject to dispute. There are many different variations out there depending on the source, so let’s not get hung up on the details, OK?)

(Now that I think about it, I remember Star Wars being mentioned in a self-help book I read years ago. The author was reluctant to see “Return of the Jedi,” but happily changed his mind when his kid told him that what he writes about is exactly like what the Jedi teach. Does anyone know what book that is?)