Teacher's Bad Rowling Advice - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Lalwendë · 07-11-2007, 03:20 PM

I agree that University faculties and depts are almost all (certainly in the UK) left-leaning, but I disagree that their dislike of Tolkien means he is right-leaning. If they see that in him then that is their mistake - and some will deliberately set out to find 'right-wing nasties' everywhere as much as McCarthy was paranoid about reds under the bed

They conveniently ignore that this hokey Tolkien fellow was also an early environmentalist (whoa, a sinister Greenie!), explored the idea of anarchism and even tackled issues of racism. All this with skipping pixies and goblins? yes! Much as it might stick in the throats of a certain breed of leftist, it does not stick in every left leaning throat - certainly not in Europe.

But yes, certainly over here you can divide the left into two camps - the modern, Islington 'set' who fear anything remotely 'parochial' and the older type, us old (and young) beardy-weirdy types who just go a bomb for mad things like talking trees and echoes of ancient cultures

Look at how that arch outdoorsman Ray Mears championed Tolkien in The Big Read. Remember Tolkien was one of THE icons of the original counter-culture.

Maybe they feel uncomfortable about being linked with hippies who smell a bit of patchouli oil and damp afghan coats? Maybe they have some Tolkien secretly stashed under the bed for when their dinner party guests have gone home after a nice evening discussing post-modernism?

07-11-2007, 03:20 PM	#31
Lalwendë A Mere Boggart Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: under the bed Posts: 4,737	I agree that University faculties and depts are almost all (certainly in the UK) left-leaning, but I disagree that their dislike of Tolkien means he is right-leaning. If they see that in him then that is their mistake - and some will deliberately set out to find 'right-wing nasties' everywhere as much as McCarthy was paranoid about reds under the bed They conveniently ignore that this hokey Tolkien fellow was also an early environmentalist (whoa, a sinister Greenie!), explored the idea of anarchism and even tackled issues of racism. All this with skipping pixies and goblins? yes! Much as it might stick in the throats of a certain breed of leftist, it does not stick in every left leaning throat - certainly not in Europe. But yes, certainly over here you can divide the left into two camps - the modern, Islington 'set' who fear anything remotely 'parochial' and the older type, us old (and young) beardy-weirdy types who just go a bomb for mad things like talking trees and echoes of ancient cultures Look at how that arch outdoorsman Ray Mears championed Tolkien in The Big Read. Remember Tolkien was one of THE icons of the original counter-culture. Maybe they feel uncomfortable about being linked with hippies who smell a bit of patchouli oil and damp afghan coats? Maybe they have some Tolkien secretly stashed under the bed for when their dinner party guests have gone home after a nice evening discussing post-modernism? __________________ Gordon's alive!