Tolkien's Influence Galactic?

[alatar]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

But it also explains a lot - it's an imaginary past, like the past where you might have found the glittering towers of Camelot.

We can always play the game that it is the true past, but like much that has been passed down over the ages, has evolved from its true form. And methinks that if it were trumpeted enough, future generations wouldn't know it from real history - many today have a tough enough time not only discerning the historical truths, but also even caring about them.

"Whatever!?!"

And Lalwendë, Father Christmas may have human helpers over there, but here in the USoA, he's actually Elvis Presley dressed up. The reindeer have been replaced with a red flying saucer...

Originally Posted by Durelin

Thank God! For once something not named after some random scientist... Nice, simple, practical.

Note that I would like to see scientists get some credit, though I realize that these people, who have discovered various cures and sent machines to distant worlds, already are overpaid, unlike those poorly compensated footballs players and actors who live simply to better the human condition. That being said, it'd be nice to see names like Valacirca and Menelvagor and not XSG1358.

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by alatar

We can always play the game that it is the true past, but like much that has been passed down over the ages, has evolved from its true form. And methinks that if it were trumpeted enough, future generations wouldn't know it from real history - many today have a tough enough time not only discerning the historical truths, but also even caring about them.

I can hear Tolkien turning in his grave right now! I bet he'd be horrified if people mistook his work for real history.

However the irony is that loads of our so-called history books are not exactly true anyway. I'm old enough to remember history books stuffed full of the glories of the British Empire and tales of how missionaries brought 'civilisation' to 'savages', with not even a passing mention of the millions of people exploued in the name of the Empire or the native peoples who lost their entire cultures due to Western influences.

So I may as well have been taught that Hobbits really existed.

And Lalwendë, Father Christmas may have human helpers over there, but here in the USoA, he's actually Elvis Presley dressed up. The reindeer have been replaced with a red flying saucer...

Elvis? Elvis?! What do you leave him on Christmas Eve? Your whole Christmas Dinner? And I bet he'd even eat your selection box too!

[alatar]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

I can hear Tolkien turning in his grave right now! I bet he'd be horrified if people mistook his work for real history.

Spinning heavenly bodies perhaps?

However the irony is that loads of our so-called history books are not exactly true anyway. I'm old enough to remember history books stuffed full of the glories of the British Empire and tales of how missionaries brought 'civilisation' to 'savages', with not even a passing mention of the millions of people exploued in the name of the Empire or the native peoples who lost their entire cultures due to Western influences.

It's not only that history is written by the victors, but also by a set of persons with a certain and limited point of view. 100 years from now we may realize that it was the Peter Jackson movies that radically changed the world; today they're just another set of fantasy movies based on some books. No one pays much attention to what happened during those 18 months in New Zealand, and even those that did may have missed the forest for the trees, or the mallorn for the maples. The persons documenting the feat, and those editing the miles of footage may have thought that they were capturing the essence of the event, but what they missed, seemingly unimportant, may be that proverbial mustard seed.

So I may as well have been taught that Hobbits really existed.

I see that people are more interested in Atlantis than Rome or Ur. Mayan carvings thousands of years old are thought to be of spaceships. When they are proved to be terrestrial, interest wanes. So, this being the trend, to encourage education and maintain rolls in government schools, we may see a shift to "edutainment," where you might learn that your great-great-greats had wooly toes.

Elvis? Elvis?! What do you leave him on Christmas Eve? Your whole Christmas Dinner? And I bet he'd even eat your selection box too!

What's a selection box? Any, it's customary to leave the King a chocolate-covered fried turkey stuffed with an entire ham, served with a pound or two of fries (chips) with bacon, cheese and Texas ranch dressing and a Diet Coke.

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by alatar

It's not only that history is written by the victors, but also by a set of persons with a certain and limited point of view. 100 years from now we may realize that it was the Peter Jackson movies that radically changed the world; today they're just another set of fantasy movies based on some books. No one pays much attention to what happened during those 18 months in New Zealand, and even those that did may have missed the forest for the trees, or the mallorn for the maples. The persons documenting the feat, and those editing the miles of footage may have thought that they were capturing the essence of the event, but what they missed, seemingly unimportant, may be that proverbial mustard seed.

. . .

I see that people are more interested in Atlantis than Rome or Ur. Mayan carvings thousands of years old are thought to be of spaceships. When they are proved to be terrestrial, interest wanes. So, this being the trend, to encourage education and maintain rolls in government schools, we may see a shift to "edutainment," where you might learn that your great-great-greats had wooly toes.

Yeah, throw away history and cultural artifacts and what are we left with but Celeb Couples Of the Moment. Andy Warhol where are you now--or is he one of those dead white male artists we are supposed to forget?

Then again, it's good to remember that Tolkien was part of an historical reconstruction of the Anglo Saxon era. We may see more stars these days, but there's lost texts that even he couldn't find.