Annoying experts

[Boromir88]

I really don't think anyone is an "expert" at Tolkien, maybe not even Tolkien himself. No matter what you know there is always much more you can learn. There are ones who are more knowledgeable on Tolkien then others and may seem like "experts" but truth is there is always more to learn when you talk about something as broad as Tolkien. I have run into my fair share of annoying amateurs and annoying "experts." I only get cocky to the ones who lie and say they have read the books when they really haven't, yes, I will correct people but as the knight of gondor posted, not really in an "arrogant" way. For there have been many times when I myself have been wrong about something.

The most recent one would be one that didn't involve me but a guy came in arguing he knew everything on Tolkien, and gloin is to be pronounced "Glowen" and not "gloyn," this would be a case of someone who is so pig headed he can't see that he's wrong. Which is the case for everyone in my opinion, there will be some point when even the most knowledgeable Tolkieniest will be wrong, sometimes less then others but so far I have not met a Tolkien fan that has misinterpretted atleast ONE point. And in many cases there really is no right or wrong for its someone's opinion.

[Mariska Greenleaf]

I really don't think anyone is an "expert" at Tolkien, maybe not even Tolkien himself. No matter what you know there is always much more you can learn.

I take it that you are talking about the interpretations, not the knowledge. One can know all the facts about Tolkien's life and Tolkien's books, and that would make that person a so called "expert", but about the meaning of the stories and characters there's a lot of speculation, and certain things are unknown, and will stay that way, just because Tolkien left them to our imagination.
But I think that you need some background information to be able to have a decent discussion about Tolkien's work.

About annoying experts, I haven't met any just yet. To tell you the truth, I've almost never met anyone who is even a bit into Tolkien... So tell me, is your environment crowded with Tolkien amateurs, experts and haters? Because, except for this forum, I never have the chance to talk about Tolkien in the first place. So I guess that when I would meet an annoying expert, I would kinda like it...

[Araréiel]

So tell me, is your environment crowded with Tolkien amateurs, experts and haters?

Presently those around me are mostly indifferent. Almost all I've ever met were annoying amateurs who thought they knew it all. My ex knew a bit, but i surpassed him. He was just a regular fan, nothing special. Sadly, the best conversation I've had with a person aside from typing (as in on the phone or in person) was when I called to re-register my domain name (LordoftheRingsOnline.net) when I was having problems doing so a few days ago. He recognized my user name as being from LotR. We chatted for a good hour.

I use "expert" in quotes to refer to the fact that that person won't ever be a true expert. The only expert (minus quotes) would be Tolkien, yet even he didn't have all the answers. He crafted a world so real I am sure he'd have to sit down to figure out the answers to certain questions.

Oh, to have his level of genius.

[Aredhel]

Yes, yes, I've continually had run-ins with... ir....shall we say: a published writer.
He's doing tours, and regularly posts everywhere, I'm sure even here, too. I like his work very much, but when he grabs onto a thread and maims it unmercilessly with facts that he has been looking up for years (professionally!), I tend to get a bit flustered. Sometimes he's amazing; other times, he's just plain boring.
Oh, well. I'm sure jealousy enters into this. It's just a shame I didn't do what he's doing, years ago. I could have been famous. BAH!

[Meela]

I admit I do get annoyed with experts, but then that would be hypocritical, considering I have a jolly fun time correcting everyone else.
I have a friend who isn't the greatest fan of Lotr, but does know the basics. Or at least she tries to understand. We had a lot of fun one afternoon, me correcting her and her laughing at herself in a good way.

I don't mind experts, since I can learn a lot from them. I like being corrected if I make a wrong point, and I don't mind swapping facts, but some people act as though they are looking down at you for not being as clever. That's just tedious.

[Boromir88]

I don't mind experts, since I can learn a lot from them. I like being corrected if I make a wrong point

Meela, true, if I make a wrong point I don't mind being corrected. The "annoying experts" for me are ones who think all of their views are right, no one else can be right, or basically the ones whos pompous ignorance gets in the way.

[Lalwendë]

I think one of the many wonderful things about Tolkien is that you can never know everything - there's always something new to learn. So there are no total experts! But I know what you mean about people who do think they know everything. Some people think I know a lot, e.g. I'm always the one called upon to settle arguments, but I know I'm no expert! Half the time I have to say "I'll have to look that up when I get home, because I don't know".

I pronounce a few of the names incorrectly, but that's because when I first read the book as a kid, I had my own idea of how the names would sound, and even though since then I know better, those original impressions stay in my mind.

As for being annoying, one day there had been a four way conversation (shouted across the office) that had lasted all morning at work, close on the heels of several weeks' worth of assorted other Tolkien conversations. At the end of this one morning a colleague in the corner stood up and shouted "No! I've had enough of this!" and stomped out.