You think you've read drivel? You haven't read drivel until you've read this

[Morthoron]

Historical negationism. I find the whole decades-long rush to revisionism a distasteful aspect of academia. One should discount anyone imparting a modern worldview on people(s) in the past, even in a relatively short 50-100 year time period.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

Historical negationism. I find the whole decades-long rush to revisionism a distasteful aspect of academia. One should discount anyone imparting a modern worldview on people(s) in the past, even in a relatively short 50-100 year time period.

Sadly, it's a popular pursuit these days. The Holier Than Thou-Moral High Ground approach seems to me just a means for some in Academia to flaunt their "progressive" credentials.
It's doubly disgusting to me when applied to Tolkien. The man was by no means perfect, but his works clearly exhibit a respect and compassion for those of many races and creeds.

[William Cloud Hicklin]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

Historical negationism. I find the whole decades-long rush to revisionism a distasteful aspect of academia. One should discount anyone imparting a modern worldview on people(s) in the past, even in a relatively short 50-100 year time period.

The wonderful term I've heard for the movement - which goes far beyond academia, although it originated there - is disintegrationism. Basically weaponized Adorno.

Not that Prof. Gibberish linked above has ever read Adorno-- or the Book of Genesis, either. Cain is not Ham, ya maroon!

[Morthoron]

Did anyone notice the editor's emendation at the end of the article:

Editors’ note: This essay has been updated to reflect the fact that while Tolkien may be considered South African by measure of his birthplace, he moved to England as a toddler.

This quite literally shows the author did not do her research and based her diatribe on a false presentiment of Tolkien's view of his citizenship. He was British as a toddler living in South Africa, and he remained British for the rest of his life. His parents were British and only moved to South Africa based on his father's bank promotion. He did not consider himself any more a South African than he did a German based on his Prussian heritage. Therefore, the comment by Stuart Hall:

“But when I tried to apply contemporary literary criticism to these texts, my ascetic South African language professor told me in a pained tone that this was not the point of the exercise.”

Would be impertinent at best, and a wholesale fabrication at worst, because I have never read anywhere that Tolkien referred to himself at anytime as South African. This would be particularly egregious because the quote allegedly was made in the 1950s. I could not imagine Tolkien himself or any of his students referring to him as "South African".

[William Cloud Hicklin]

1) If we really want to be picky, Tolkien was never "South African", because the Union of South Africa wasn't created until 18 years after his birth. He was born in the Orange Free State, which was an independent Boer republic.

2) Given that Tolkien's remit was English Language, it would hardly be surprising that applying "contemporary literary criticism" completely missed the point of his lectures.

[obloquy]

The topic of race is one on which only rank dishonesty is allowed, whether in the form of elaborate false narratives, or very delicately-crafted evasions of obvious fact. Both are present in this thread. It's a shame, really, to see the most honest people automatically put on the defensive because the deck is stacked and they don't even realize it. Thomas Dalrymple has a really wonderful quote about the tyrannical utility of forcing everyone to lie all the time (it's well-enough known that I'm not going to provide it verbatim). He was talking about communist tactics, and Adorno and the whole academic milieu he represents are downstream of the Bolsheviks. It's almost like Christ was speaking to these exact people when he said "you are of your father the devil...for he is a liar and the father thereof."

Oh well, argument is obsolete now. One of my other favorite quotes is: "Inigo? I hope we win."

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by obloquy

The topic of race is one on which only rank dishonesty is allowed, whether in the form of elaborate false narratives, or very delicately-crafted evasions of obvious fact. Both are present in this thread. It's a shame, really, to see the most honest people automatically put on the defensive because the deck is stacked and they don't even realize it.

I'm sorry, but can you please elaborate? To whom in this thread are you referencing regarding "rank dishonesty", "elaborate false narratives", and "evasions of obvious fact." I ask because you made the statement that these things "are present in this thread".

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

I'm sorry, but can you please elaborate? To whom in this thread are you referencing regarding "rank dishonesty", "elaborate false narratives", and "evasions of obvious fact." I ask because you made the statement that these things "are present in this thread".

Glad I'm not the only one trying to figure that out.