The Significance of the Shire - Community in LotR

[Kuruharan]

Airy Elves, the Metallic Dwarves, the Watery Men of Dale and Coastal Gondor, the Woody Ents...our relationship to our own communities

So most of us would now, I presume, be the Steel and Concrete Humans? [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Touching base with some historical roots here, community used to be far more important to people. Now many people live in steel and concrete jungles not even knowing the names of their neighbors. (I am afraid to admit that I know the name of only one of my neighbors and I never speak to any of them.) Tolkien's work throws back to a time when people were more closely connected to each other, and probably better off for it.

(Ironic isn't it that the more people you get into an area the less actual community they usually have.)