The Tea Party aren't Hobbits by any stretch of the imagination - hobbits are more like 1970's back-to-the-land hippie organic farmer types.
No, the Tea Party seems to be much more like the Easterlings, who's society has been thoroughly corrupted by promises of power regardless of the decency or lack thereof of the individual members. And Obama seems to be playing the role of Denethor, trying to hold back the tide but not really being able to do so and kinda ambiguous about where he's loyalties really lie.
Disagree. In Tolkien's narrative the Hobbits were clearly an analog for simple English villagers that he grew up around. They want to live life without the bother of the ambitious and the power hungry. The Tea Party are those same simple folk, transplanted into our modern era, who have reluctantly decided to get involved. A few years back they were being denigrated as the inhabitants of "flyover states". Nobody cared about them and they didn't matter, until they decided to get involved and upset the status
The cardinal virtues in Lord of the Rings are courage and willingness to sacrifice. The isolationism and disinterest of hobbits in the world at large is not depicted as a virtue, nor is fear and distrust of the elites (the elves and Gandalf) which is characteristic of most hobbits. What makes the laziness, insularity and gluttony of the hobbits acceptable is that they're willing to put them aside; to do without in the service of a greater cause.
"The isolationism and disinterest of hobbits in the world at large is not depicted as a virtue..."
Bullshit.
"nor is fear and distrust of the elites (the elves and Gandalf) which is characteristic of most hobbits."
Double bullshit. Look what happened to the elite Saruman and Wormtongue. Nor is fear and distrust of the Elves and Gandalf "characteristic of most hobbits."
"The refrain you hear over and over is "I want my country back." Can you imagine *Frodo* saying such a thing? "
You need to reread the penultimate chapter of "The Return of the King": "The Scouring of the Shire". Frodo not only wanted his country back, but fought a battle to get it, and won.
The practical difference between the Hobbits of the Fellowship and the Tea Party is the former's willingness to actually use deadly force to expel the enemy and the latter's being co-opted as a mere tool of media manipulation.
I reread that chapter every year, and have for the past three decades. Frodo did not fight in the scouring of the Shire, and none of the actions he took were to save his country for *himself*. As for Saruman and Wormtongue, most hobbits didn't know they existed.
Only the ignorant hobbits like Ted Sandyman take no interest in the outside world, or are suspicious of Gandalf or the Elves. The noble hobbits are without exception interested in the outside world and often have surprising connections to it (Bilbo
"Spock, did you see the looks on their faces?"
"Yes, Captain, a sort of vacant contentment."
Obviously McCain doesn't understand the story (Score:5, Insightful)
The Tea Party aren't Hobbits by any stretch of the imagination - hobbits are more like 1970's back-to-the-land hippie organic farmer types.
No, the Tea Party seems to be much more like the Easterlings, who's society has been thoroughly corrupted by promises of power regardless of the decency or lack thereof of the individual members. And Obama seems to be playing the role of Denethor, trying to hold back the tide but not really being able to do so and kinda ambiguous about where he's loyalties really lie.
Re: (Score:4, Interesting)
Re: (Score:2)
Well, if you're going to labor the point....
The cardinal virtues in Lord of the Rings are courage and willingness to sacrifice. The isolationism and disinterest of hobbits in the world at large is not depicted as a virtue, nor is fear and distrust of the elites (the elves and Gandalf) which is characteristic of most hobbits. What makes the laziness, insularity and gluttony of the hobbits acceptable is that they're willing to put them aside; to do without in the service of a greater cause.
If courage and sac
Re:Obviously McCain doesn't understand the story (Score:2)
"The isolationism and disinterest of hobbits in the world at large is not depicted as a virtue..."
Bullshit.
"nor is fear and distrust of the elites (the elves and Gandalf) which is characteristic of most hobbits."
Double bullshit. Look what happened to the elite Saruman and Wormtongue. Nor is fear and distrust of the Elves and Gandalf "characteristic of most hobbits."
"The refrain you hear over and over is "I want my country back." Can you imagine *Frodo* saying such a thing? "
You need to reread the penultimate chapter of "The Return of the King": "The Scouring of the Shire". Frodo not only wanted his country back, but fought a battle to get it, and won.
The practical difference between the Hobbits of the Fellowship and the Tea Party is the former's willingness to actually use deadly force to expel the enemy and the latter's being co-opted as a mere tool of media manipulation.
Re: (Score:2)
I reread that chapter every year, and have for the past three decades. Frodo did not fight in the scouring of the Shire, and none of the actions he took were to save his country for *himself*. As for Saruman and Wormtongue, most hobbits didn't know they existed.
Only the ignorant hobbits like Ted Sandyman take no interest in the outside world, or are suspicious of Gandalf or the Elves. The noble hobbits are without exception interested in the outside world and often have surprising connections to it (Bilbo