An Ancient Lesson in Making Change
“To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” — Buckminster Fuller
The 1959 film “Ben-Hur” is based upon the novel “Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ” by Lew Wallace. The film is remembered for its epic scale including the chariot race, one of the most famous action sequences in cinematic history. The film also includes a scene which provides a lesson in making change.
Ben-Hur is set in A.D. 26 while Judea is under Roman rule. Judah Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston) is reunited with his childhood friend Messala (Stephen Boyd) upon his return to Jerusalem. In the years since they have seen each other Messala has become Tribune, the commanding officer of the Roman legions in Judea. In the scene Messala receives a briefing from the outgoing Tribune Sextus (Andre Murrell) about the challenges of ruling Judeah and controlling the locals. The scene includes this exchange –
MESSALA
The emperor is displeased.
He wishes Judea made into a more obedient and disciplined province.
He’s ordered me to restore order. I shall carry out his wishes.
SEXTUS
How? You can break a man’s skull, arrest him, throw him into a dungeon.
But how do you control this? How do you fight an idea ? Especially a new idea.
Stephen Boyd as Messala and Andre Murrell as Sextus in “Ben-Hur”
Messala and Sextus are interrupted by the arrival of Ben Hur.
Renaissance Italian diplomat and philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli recognised the difficulty in making change when he wrote “It ought to be remembered that there is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things. For the innovator has enemies in all those who profit by the old order, and only lukewarm defenders in all those who would profit by the new order, this lukewarmness arising partly from fear of their adversaries … and partly from the incredulity of mankind, who do not truly believe in anything new until they have had actual experience of it.” Machiavelli knew the keystone for change is to convey a more compelling future state. This realisation occurs to Messala in the movie when, after Ben Hur departs, he responds to Sextus –
MESSALA
Sextus. . .
. . .you ask how to fight an idea.
Well, I’ll tell you how.
With another idea.
