AN Wilson on Tolkien.

[davem]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

Will have to come back to read davem's link, but I'm sure there's one question about cultural diversity that Tolkien would have been interested in: that of the disappearance of linguistic diversity.

(its a very short piece - excerpted from his recent book)I think the disappearance of linguistic diversity is a merely a symptom of the loss of cultural diversity - we throw around the term 'multiculturalism' but its actually an attempt at bringing about monoculturalism- to be attained by gradually removing all cultural differences till we all become the 'same'.

Linguistic diversity is lost not so much by 'forcing' people to give up their native tongue, but by offering them 'stuff' - lots & lots of shiny stuff - on condition they join the 'modern world' - why would you need the old songs & stories when there're soaps & Pop/American Idol just waiting for you?

Of course, there is the inevitable reaction by a minority, who resort to a religious/political/ideological fundamentalism (which we're seeing all over the world) but its a blip, because any kind of fundamentalism is false & ultimately short lived - plus it enables the Saurons/Sarumans out there to present any kind of linguistic/cultural diversity as dangerous & divisive - better move on from all that dangerous atavistic nonsense & join the 'modern' world.

As Wilson says, this is the 'War of the Ring' Tolkien is describing - this conflict between 'motorcars, iron and steel, machine tools, nylons and chemicals (or The Machine as he called it, or 'Isengard' in the context of the story) & 'shared mythologies, ideologies, folk memories' (The Shire/Rivendell). The heroes (upholders of the latter) come together to fight the forces of the former - but they come together as individuals, & never sacrifice their cultural identity, because it is their individual cultures that give them an identity & prevent them being subsumed into the mass which Sauron/Saruman wants to bring into being.

Can't help but think of Chesterton's lines:

They have given us into the hands of the new unhappy lords,
Lords without anger and honour, who dare not carry their swords.
They fight by shuffling papers; they have bright dead alien eyes;
They look at our labour and laughter as a tired man looks at flies.
And the load of their loveless pity is worse than the ancient wrongs,
Their doors are shut in the evenings; and they know no songs. GK Chesterton: The Secret People