The Scourge of The Dark Side...Tolkien and Modernism

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Originally Posted by Nogrod

But when I'm in this world of real people the humanist in me demands that I do fex. honour every human being as having a equal moral worth as a human being to begin with - with no über- or untermenschen, or higher and lower cultures according to which individual people would be judged etc... In this world there are no genetical master-races of the Dunedain even if some people have tried to advance that kind of ideas, or master-cultures like the elves - or unworthy Dunledings... These are very unmodern ideas - and unhumanist ideas.

I'm not sure whether you attribute these ideas to Tolkien or not, but if you do, I'd have to disagree. On first glance I can see how Tolkien's work can be interpreted as racist and in fact, I believe his work is celebrated by some neo-nazi groups for this reason (although others groups don't seem to appreciate his apparent admiration of the jews to which he once likened to the dwarves on an altogether off-topic discourse). You do notice that nobility seem to be connected with being tall and blonde while the invading Easterling scum seem to be 'swarty and squat'. But then again there are far to many exceptions to make a good case for racism.
Lots of tall characters with fair skin and noble hertiage do terrible things in his books (ex. the numerorians) and many 'swarty and squat' characters do good things (ex. the druadain (sp?) or that fat guy who fought for Gondor at the battle of Pellenor). And besides, doesn't the whole basic idea to make up a mythology for England stipulate a white man's perspective? And I don't see anything wrong with that. As for the Elves, they have no relation whatsoever with Nietzche's 'übermench' or later fascist applications to the word and any attempt to connect them with a racist agenda is way off the mark IMO. I think tumhalad2 has a good point when he see them and their 'immortality' as an important contrast to the fate of mortal men and their fear of death.

Originally Posted by Nogrod

There may be more virtuous or nicer individuals as there seems to be fouler or colder people. There may also be unhealthy trends in any one culture (like the overindividualism in the western culture or the rising fundamentalism in both islamic and western cultures) or good trends. But cultures as such are not bad or good - and people only become good or bad by what they do. But in the beginning they're all equal. Every newborn is sinless.

That's modernist humanism I'm proud to advocate.

This is pretty much what Tolkien advocated too, unless I'm mistaken. But I don't see why some cultures or even peoples as a whole can't be considered better than others. To say so is no doubt just an opinion (as with all social or theological subjects) but I still reserve the right to have one, even if it isn't considered politically correct. Individuals should, of course, be treated as unique without any stigmas attached, but a culture can't ever change unless we're allowed to critisize it.

*Edit: I see I crossposted with tumhalad2 and this is a question to you:
You seem like an intelligent and reasonable guy, well able to form your own opinion. Yet, in the op you appear concerned that the criticism of this Brin fella might put you off Tolkien. But seriuosly... this Brin, who I've never heard of btw, sounds like a pretentious but not very bright tosser to be honest. Why would you listen to him?