Merely to find out what was so different about the Easterlings and the Southrons in your opinion so as to prevent them from becoming virtually viable alliance partners for Gondor and Rohan.
As an example again to the question of culture, what about the Druedain?
A totally different culture, different to all other groups of men, with probably bigger differences between themselves and the Gondorians then Gondorians and the others mentioned above. Still, they coexisted peacefully with the Men of Brethil, then in Númenor and finally helped out the Rohirrim and the Gondorians.
And yes, conflict was inevitable, so I was not accusing Tolkien of violence in general, at least not in the latter posts, but merely excessive use of violence at times, in situations where I rather see discussion as possibility.
Again, from your idea with the Edain I am getting the idea your are clearly drawing a line between some men and other men. Hence my blunt and offensive question above for which I again apologize.
You say it is Tolkien depicting them like that, as better than the rest of mankind. They are indeed special in his writings, but I do not believe the Professor ever intended to draw such a line of separation, I doubt it would be his style or his intention.
Tolkien wrote:
Quote:
in a draft of a letter (#30) to a publisher in Nazi Germany who asked about his race, and in Letter #29 he introduced that draft and told his publisher, "I should regret giving any colour to the notion that I
subscribed to the wholly pernicious and unscientific race-doctrine." ~ quote taken from an essay against the idea that Tolkien's writings are intolerant and racist
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The whole idea is Tolkien himself did not see the Southrons and Easterlings as bad, evil, or really that different than the Edain, and I doubt that he wanted his readers to perceive them that way.
So why would an alliance be so unlikely?
Ok, really off-topic by now, so trying to come back to the question of Gandalf and the hobbits... could they indeed be changed?
Groin said it was a type of reactivation of already present knowledge and capability. I agree, that makes sense. But what if they would so to speak deactivate themselves again under a peaceful rule of the house of Telcontar? Did the Scouring then make sense?