Annoying Amateurs - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Theron Bugtussle · 06-24-2004, 01:13 PM

When I was growing up, I had a Monopoly game. I played it with my family (parents and one brother, younger by two years). I always won. By the time I was in High School, they would not play with me. They absolutely despised the game.

After a while, I couldn't hustle a game from anyone...at all.

So leave it to my own children to get old enough to kick my butt at my own best game....

Well, they should be smart, they are my kids, after all!

VanimaEdhel · 06-24-2004, 01:55 PM

But you know, at the same time, you have to give them a bit of room. I mean some of them are actually pretty young - if not physically, emotionally - and they're still at a stage where reading "The Lord of the Rings" may be a daunting task. People mature at different ages and some people can't help it if they have short to no attention span. My old best friend (we don't speak anymore, but not for this reason) couldn't even get through the first half of The Lord of the Rings: the Fellowship of the Ring.

When I first came on here about two and a half years ago through...well, through until recently, really, I was also one of those people that practically got morally offended if someone saw the movies without reading the books, not to mention came into the Chat and started speaking Grelvish. But you know, recently I've decided that I really shouldn't get upset with them. It may take them time to read it. It may not even really be a maturity issue, they may just be happy with their own knowledge. As much as I hate the fact that this is true, as I like trying to learn as much as I can about everything, ignorance is really bliss for some people. And it's really no reason to waste time getting upset if they get a bit of trivia wrong.

So yes, the people who come up to you and say "Tom Bombadil isn't a Lord of the Rings character" are annoying, but is it really worth getting upset about it? I have a friend that actually thinks that it's a serious moral flaw if someone sees the movies without the books, but I don't agree. We can each appreciate things in our own way. Even their not appreciating Tolkien as we think he should be appreciated, at least they're keeping the memory of Tolkien alive, right?

Sapphire_Flame · 06-25-2004, 11:38 AM

Quote:

I think I'm the only one among my friends who has read the books

AHEM!!! *points emphatically at self* Hello! Do I not count anymore? You're so mean, Enny. *pouts* (J/K.

)

Quote:

"Mom...I've read the books. They don't go on the ship."

"Yes they do!"

So we had to make a bet of $20.

Whew! Easy 20! That's lofty, Mad Baggins! ^ ^ Sadly, my parents know too much about LotR (and they know better than to bet with me about it) for me to get away with that. I always catch them on Silm and UT stuff though.

Okay, A.A.'s who have only seen the movies are bad. But what about those who have only seen ONE of the movies? Say, their friends dragged them to RotK, but they haven't seen the others, and they still assume they are all-knowing about Middle-earth. Anyone here had to deal with newbies such as this?

Abedithon le,

~*~Aranel~*~

VanimaEdhel · 06-25-2004, 02:07 PM

As I said before, you have to give them time. It's not really something to get personally offended over. There are a lot more serious things you should probably have your mind on - perhaps not even Tolkien-related. I mean yes, having someone claim to know more than you about Middle-Earth when they know about as much as an earthworm does is annoying, but it's really easy to either just ignore them or kindly correct their knowledge with proof. I typically do the latter, pointing to textual support for whatever comment I have made that they refute based on one bit in the movie. It's impossible to contradict that. And if you do find their lack of knowledge as annoying as you seem to, just don't talk Tolkien with them.

And also, if a person's only seen one of the movies, they obviously didn't care for it, or they probably would have seen the others. Usually their comments will probably be derogatory anyway, even if you tied them down and forced them to actually read the books. Not everyone (even if they understand it) likes Tolkien. There are perfectly intelligent individuals - certainly more intelligent than I am - that will admit that Tolkien's style just isn't their cup of tea, so to speak. Whenever someone doesn't like something, it's much easier to find fault in it. Even if it is a good piece of literature (and regardless of content, the movies were well-made), if one doesn't like it, it's difficult to compliment it, even if the good points are staring you right in the face and calling your name.

Duncariel · 06-25-2004, 07:16 PM

Quote:

"Mom...I've read the books. They don't go on the ship."

Ugh. No, Merry and Pippin don't get on the ship, BUT NEITHER DOES CELEBORN! Can nobody see this! Gaaaahhhh!!!!

Ahhh, the depth and depravity that fills the minds of the, erm..... Well, there isn't really a word in the world that would let me describe how I feel about these people. Not one that I can use, anyway. When TTT came out (I skipped school the day after to see it, naughty me), one of my friends and I went to see it with someone who had never read the books. I spent the whole movie telling her that "No, Frodo doesn't die. If he did, they wouldn't have another movie, then they wouldn't make anymore money off of people like us, would they?" And half of the other people in the theatre were so busy being dumb that I missed half of it listening to them make out and stuff. Frustration, indeed.

Then, during our long wait for RotK the third day after it came out, my other friend and I (my, but I have a lot of weird friends) spent the whole time running up and down the line asking people if they'd read the books or not. As it was, only about four answered with a positive "yes". The rest were hopeless....

Gil-Galad · 06-26-2004, 12:11 PM

well for drama, we were doing greek tragedy's, and my partners wanted to do return of the king....well only the pathes of the dead part

(i was undead king and Elrond)

it go as well as i have planned it, ony i and another one showed effort into it

(one didn't show up till we were finished and other one was too stoned too do anything but just read teh script really bad)

06-24-2004, 01:13 PM	#1
Theron Bugtussle Wight Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Blowing the froth off a couple in this quaint little pub in Michel Delving. Posts: 147	This Reminds Me of the Old Days... When I was growing up, I had a Monopoly game. I played it with my family (parents and one brother, younger by two years). I always won. By the time I was in High School, they would not play with me. They absolutely despised the game. After a while, I couldn't hustle a game from anyone...at all. So leave it to my own children to get old enough to kick my butt at my own best game.... Well, they should be smart, they are my kids, after all! __________________ For I was talking aloud to myself. A habit of the old: they choose the wisest person present to speak to; the long explanations needed by the young are wearying. -Gandalf, The Two Towers

06-24-2004, 01:55 PM	#2
VanimaEdhel Etheral Enchantress Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Wellesley College! Posts: 1,461	Newbies... But you know, at the same time, you have to give them a bit of room. I mean some of them are actually pretty young - if not physically, emotionally - and they're still at a stage where reading "The Lord of the Rings" may be a daunting task. People mature at different ages and some people can't help it if they have short to no attention span. My old best friend (we don't speak anymore, but not for this reason) couldn't even get through the first half of The Lord of the Rings: the Fellowship of the Ring. When I first came on here about two and a half years ago through...well, through until recently, really, I was also one of those people that practically got morally offended if someone saw the movies without reading the books, not to mention came into the Chat and started speaking Grelvish. But you know, recently I've decided that I really shouldn't get upset with them. It may take them time to read it. It may not even really be a maturity issue, they may just be happy with their own knowledge. As much as I hate the fact that this is true, as I like trying to learn as much as I can about everything, ignorance is really bliss for some people. And it's really no reason to waste time getting upset if they get a bit of trivia wrong. So yes, the people who come up to you and say "Tom Bombadil isn't a Lord of the Rings character" are annoying, but is it really worth getting upset about it? I have a friend that actually thinks that it's a serious moral flaw if someone sees the movies without the books, but I don't agree. We can each appreciate things in our own way. Even their not appreciating Tolkien as we think he should be appreciated, at least they're keeping the memory of Tolkien alive, right? __________________ "I think we dream so we don't have to be apart so long. If we're in each others dreams, we can be together all the time." - Hobbes of Calvin and Hobbes

06-25-2004, 02:07 PM	#4
VanimaEdhel Etheral Enchantress Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Wellesley College! Posts: 1,461	Newbies... As I said before, you have to give them time. It's not really something to get personally offended over. There are a lot more serious things you should probably have your mind on - perhaps not even Tolkien-related. I mean yes, having someone claim to know more than you about Middle-Earth when they know about as much as an earthworm does is annoying, but it's really easy to either just ignore them or kindly correct their knowledge with proof. I typically do the latter, pointing to textual support for whatever comment I have made that they refute based on one bit in the movie. It's impossible to contradict that. And if you do find their lack of knowledge as annoying as you seem to, just don't talk Tolkien with them. And also, if a person's only seen one of the movies, they obviously didn't care for it, or they probably would have seen the others. Usually their comments will probably be derogatory anyway, even if you tied them down and forced them to actually read the books. Not everyone (even if they understand it) likes Tolkien. There are perfectly intelligent individuals - certainly more intelligent than I am - that will admit that Tolkien's style just isn't their cup of tea, so to speak. Whenever someone doesn't like something, it's much easier to find fault in it. Even if it is a good piece of literature (and regardless of content, the movies were well-made), if one doesn't like it, it's difficult to compliment it, even if the good points are staring you right in the face and calling your name. __________________ "I think we dream so we don't have to be apart so long. If we're in each others dreams, we can be together all the time." - Hobbes of Calvin and Hobbes

06-26-2004, 12:11 PM	#6
Gil-Galad Psyche of Prince Immortal Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Above a Parapet Obvious exits are: North, South, and Dennis Posts: 4,734	well for drama, we were doing greek tragedy's, and my partners wanted to do return of the king....well only the pathes of the dead part (i was undead king and Elrond) it go as well as i have planned it, ony i and another one showed effort into it (one didn't show up till we were finished and other one was too stoned too do anything but just read teh script really bad) __________________ Love doesn't blow up and get killed.