Setting aside some of the more ridiculous arguments in your post (which we've discussed to death already), why is the usefulness or lack thereof of the Tower being discussed in the context of Rand?
Because we're basically out of time. All that is left is the Last Battle, upon the outcome of which everything else depends. Maybe he could do without them (so long as they distribute their sa'angreal and such, as well as their knowledge to the WO and the SF), but that's in relation to the last battle only (again, discounting Egwene, Elayne Nynaeve, Moiraine, Cadsuane and Verin; members of the Tower who've obviously been set up to play a big role in said battle).
Aside from Egwene, absolutely none of those women had anything to do with the Tower split, except when they came to the Tower in the mistaken belief there was some good to be accomplished. Egwene's importance rests solely with the Tower. Claiming the Tower is important because of Egwene's involvement is the first half of a tautology. The others were renegades who are odds with the leadership of the Tower, and arguing with Egwene or keeping secrets from her more often than not. This common denominator suggests that the Tower might actually be a hinderance rather than a vital ally.As for their -angreal, the same applies to those things that apply to channelers. They have more than enough between the Great Holding, Rhuidean & the Ebou Dar cache, and even the Tower's huge stash of things they don't know how to work will be useless without Aviendha to check them out. The Tower needs Rand & his channeling minions more than the other way around.
What about after? Diss them as you will, no one else has the wealth as well as the administrative and logistical capabilities of the Tower. With a good leader, they've shown time and again how they can serve to bring down chaos and return order (Deane and Caraighan, to name two).
According to their own mythology. Deane is not famous for saving the world, she is famous for saving the Tower from its own problems. There is not one shred of evidence that she did anything of any benefit to the rest of the world aside from die fortuitously to spare humanity the domination of the Tower. Caraighan, likewise is famous for her exploits as an Aes Sedai, and not as a heroic figure who did anything for the world. That power and those capabilities of the Tower strongly argue that for "after" it is better if they do not exist. I didn't explore that issue, because I feel it is kind of pointless until we know more particulars of the outcome of Tarmon Gaidon, but the Tower is the biggest threat to the normal healthy development of the world to come. The common theme of the dwindling and fading capabilities of humanity in the Third Age has been the White Tower. The Tower and its minions assert all sorts of positive benefits to the world (peace, civilization etc), but absolutely none of those benefits are unknown in the modern world, proving that they are possible without a White Tower. The only arguments that hold water are their services against supernatural threats, like the Dreadlords of the Trolloc Wars and male channelers, but channelers are killable. Everyone insists on Rand and Elayne having bodyguards despite being two of the more powerful and capable channelers out there, and neither one is a raving psychotic against whom every hand is turned. Yet their PoV chapters are still full of assertions on how easy it is to kill them, channeling or no. Offing madmen shouldn't be too much harder for normal people. Additionally, the series is chock full of examples of how channeling does better with competition. The groups that exist in fear of the Tower are more flexible and develop their own skills and far outstrip the Tower in numbers, despite a smaller population to pick from. The Seanchan damane are unmatched fighters, and we even see that the "threat" of the Asha'man has forced Aes Sedai to innovate. All a White Tower does is stifle innovation and advancement. They are committed to the status quo and its maintenance. Rand can hardly be the first person in WoT to found a school, but what other school's founding has produced such a technological revolution? The best explanation is the diversion of the Tower during the gathering of scholars.
"After" is the best reason to be rid of the damn thing.
Cannoli
“Tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions.” GK Chesteron
Inde muagdhe Aes Sedai misain ye!
Deus Vult!
*MySmiley*
“Tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions.” GK Chesteron
Inde muagdhe Aes Sedai misain ye!
Deus Vult!
*MySmiley*
Does Rand really need the White Tower?
15/04/2010 06:42:36 PM
- 1230 Views
No. I can understand/appreciate the arguments, but IMHO the White Tower AS are not that valuable
15/04/2010 07:27:23 PM
- 720 Views
Re: Does Rand really need the White Tower?
15/04/2010 09:29:50 PM
- 558 Views
Meh. Growing pains. And unlike the White Tower split, this will not be a refreshing shake-up
16/04/2010 02:45:21 PM
- 686 Views
Why is it a question of what Rand needs?
16/04/2010 02:51:43 AM
- 569 Views
What else is important right now?
16/04/2010 02:41:57 PM
- 609 Views
Depends
16/04/2010 06:50:53 AM
- 609 Views
some respectful disagreement, if you don't mind
17/04/2010 04:04:32 AM
- 574 Views
On the other hand,you recently argued that sending away Else was a capital mistake by Siuan
16/04/2010 09:29:56 AM
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And the WT, even (or maybe especially) under Egwene is the greatest obstacle to that unity
16/04/2010 02:50:24 PM
- 585 Views
Re: And the WT, even (or maybe especially) under Egwene is the greatest obstacle to that unity
23/04/2010 11:08:58 PM
- 622 Views