I think the premise of this thread is somewhat flawed.
Men were second in
time but, as I understand it,
not in innate goodness or badness. Men and elves
could be viewed, if you will, as variant
"experiments" by Iluvatar. Men's rockier start seems to
be more by the way of less favorable circumstances of their
origins vis-a-vis the elves (far more influenced by Melkor
then the elves beginnings. Such an essential moral equivalency
of men/elves seems implied by Iluvatar's withholding dwarves
from life until after
both elves and men.
And in Letters #180
Quote:
In this mythological world the elves and men are in
their incarnate forms kindred, but in relation of their 'spirits'
to the world represent different 'experiments', each of which
has its own natural trend, and weakness...Mere change
as such is not represented as 'evil': it is the unfolding of the
story and to refuse this is of course against the design of God.
But the Elvish weakness is in these terms naturally to regret the
past...Hence they fell in a measure to Sauron's deceits: they
desired some 'power' over things as they are...to arrest change,
and keep things always fresh and fair.
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