The Middle Earth Popularity Cup

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by Andsigil

I still disagree. Unlike hippies, Gandalf actually had something important to do and proved to be productive in counsel wherever he went.

And hippies did not have something important to do and weren't productive? Pffft!

*Glares indignantly*

Actually, there are alot of things hippies and Gandalf had in common:

1) Gandalf sparred verbally with Wormtongue; hippies had words with Tricky Dick.

2) Gandalf smoked pipeweed; hippies had weed-pipes.

3) Gandalf hung around with Dwarves and Hobbits; hippies hung out with Eric Burdon of the Animals, who described himself as 'an over-fed, long-haired leaping gnome'.

4) Gandalf was long-haired, bearded and disheveled; hippies were like that too, only younger.

5) Gandalf once knew every spell in all the tongues of Elves or Men or Orcs; hippies were...ummm...forgetful too.

6) Gandalf took hikes; hippies hitchhiked.

7) Gandalf burned pinecones; hippies burned draft cards.

8) Gandalf helped end the War of the Ring; hippies helped end the Vietnam war.

9) Gandalf was considered a troublemaker and disturber of the peace; hippies? ditto.

10) Gandalf was called Stormcrow by Theoden; Stormcrow? Man, like, what an awesome name for a band!

Oh and I vote for ++Samwise

[Andsigil]

Nice list. I'll have a go at fisking it.

Originally Posted by Morthoron

1) Gandalf sparred verbally with Wormtongue; hippies had words with Tricky Dick.

Wormtongue was a fifth-columnist. Gandalf sided against him.

2) Gandalf smoked pipeweed; hippies had weed-pipes.

But it would only be conjecture to say that Gandalf's pipeweed had any hallucinogenic qualities.

3) Gandalf hung around with Dwarves and Hobbits; hippies hung out with Eric Burdon of the Animals, who described himself as 'an over-fed, long-haired leaping gnome'.

But would Gandalf have spilled the wine or taken the pearl?

4) Gandalf was long-haired, bearded and disheveled; hippies were like that too, only younger.

Only in the gray days. When he went to Gandalf the White, he was quite well cleaned up.

5) Gandalf once knew every spell in all the tongues of Elves or Men or Orcs; hippies were...ummm...forgetful too.

No argument there!

6) Gandalf took hikes; hippies hitchhiked.

Hiking has more character than bumming rides. As does riding Shadowfax (the Rolls Royce of horses).

7) Gandalf burned pinecones; hippies burned draft cards.

Gandalf used those pinecones as weapons. Perhaps molotov cocktails would be a better comparison?

8) Gandalf helped end the War of the Ring; hippies helped end the Vietnam war.

But Gandalf ended the War of the Ring by fighting in it and winning.

9) Gandalf was considered a troublemaker and disturber of the peace; hippies? ditto.

I would venture that his disturbing and troublemaking had a slightly more noble purpose than, say, Woodstock.

10) Gandalf was called Stormcrow by Theoden; Stormcrow? Man, like, what an awesome name for a band!

Seek and ye shall find:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7_VoGPPNXo
I'm not sure if this actually qualifies as hippie music, though. Hippies did make some decent music. I'm really not fond of this group.

Oh and I vote for ++Samwise

Good choice, although I think we're behind in this round.

By the way, positive rep inbound to you for coming up with this list.

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by Andsigil

Wormtongue was a fifth-columnist. Gandalf sided against him.

Hmmm...the term fifth columnist is appropriate, I guess, as Saruman was rather fascist (he did share the love of overblown oratory with Mussolini and Hitler).

Originally Posted by Andsigil

But it would only be conjecture to say that Gandalf's pipeweed had any hallucinogenic qualities.

But didin't Saruman tell Gandalf something to the effect that the Hobbit's weed had addled his wits? I think perhaps the Hobbits were closet hippies (the suburban kids with the long hair and Che Guevara posters driving about in their parent's Porsches), as in addition to pipeweed they were fond of 'shrooms.

Originally Posted by Andsigil

But would Gandalf have spilled the wine or taken the pearl?

Not sure about that, but in the same song Burdon refers to the 'Hall of the Mountain King'. Very suspect if you ask me.

Originally Posted by Andsigil

Only in the gray days. When he went to Gandalf the White, he was quite well cleaned up.

Well, hippies also bundled up their ideals, subversiveness and patchouli oil in well-worn steamer trunks and became well-heeled stock brokers and manufacturing reps. *shrugs*

Originally Posted by Andsigil

No argument there!

Ummm...what were we talking about again?

Originally Posted by Andsigil

Hiking has more character than bumming rides. As does riding Shadowfax (the Rolls Royce of horses).

John Lennon had a Rolls Royce.

Originally Posted by Andsigil

Gandalf used those pinecones as weapons. Perhaps molotov cocktails would be a better comparison?

It was more an analogy to fighting evil, but your comparison is applicable, particularly at the '68 Democratic Convention in Chicago.

Originally Posted by Andsigil

But Gandalf ended the War of the Ring by fighting in it and winning.

Make love, not war. But the counterculture protests of the '60's did do a lot for civil rights, the anti-war movement and women's lib. They were also cool places to meet chicks.

Originally Posted by Andsigil

I would venture that his disturbing and troublemaking had a slightly more noble purpose than, say, Woodstock.

Woodstock had its elements of nobility. One just had to look under the mud.

Originally Posted by Andsigil

Seek and ye shall find:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7_VoGPPNXo
I'm not sure if this actually qualifies as hippie music, though. Hippies did make some decent music. I'm really not fond of this group.

Wow, that was dreadful! And no, that would not be what anyone was listening to during the Summer of Love (or anyone should listen to presently). That doesn't rank up there with The Beatles, The Doors or even The Mothers of Invention.

Sorry for the digression. Back to tallying the votes!

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

But didin't Saruman tell Gandalf something to the effect that the Hobbit's weed had addled his wits? I think perhaps the Hobbits were closet hippies (the suburban kids with the long hair and Che Guevara posters driving about in their parent's Porsches), as in addition to pipeweed they were fond of 'shrooms.

Well, seeing as the nicotine found in tobacco is a well known stimulant and would do anything but 'addle your wits', your guess is as good as mine as to what exactly pipe-weed might have been, but it might have been something quite interesting....

Hobbits...they are like Swampy and his mates - living in holes and going bonkers for shrooms and pipeweed....

[Aganzir]

++Túrin

Right now I feel more like liking Túrin than Sam.

[Nogrod]

Gah! I already voted for Túrin so I have no way to retract it now even if I should for principle's sake do that...

[Aganzir]

But Andsigil voted Sam.

Besides aren't you just happy that hopefully at least one Sil hero will now make it to the finals?