Seems Like Someone's Rooting for the Wrong Side

[CaptainofDespair]

Originally Posted by The 1,000 Reader

Hey, you do understand that Morgoth was a selfish jerk who only cared for himself, wanted everybody dead, and was the creator of oppression, torture, and the places he created were proof that he had nobody's best interests in mind, right?

So what if Morgoth was selfish? Does it really matter that much to you that people may actually, genuinely like him?

Now, I do understand that Morgoth is all of the above. But he is also the most individual of all the Valar. He rebelled wanting to be his own "person", to create beings all his own. Who hasn't wanted something like that at some point in their lives? You can relate to Morgoth's desires to a degree. He just happens to be the very extreme of the spectrum.

At least, that's my take on Morgoth.

[The 1,000 Reader]

Yes, I admit that he can be related to, but in the end he is a sick man. I have no problem with people finding some relation in Morgoth or thinking that Nazgul on Fell Beasts look awesome, but when people do not ultimately accept or see the forces of darkness as the horrors they are when all is said and done, that is what confuses me. Sure, an army of trolls or a eye of fire can seem cool, but when you totally lose the point of the book and see the evil as the way to live, that's rather messed up, and that's what the thread's about.

[CaptainofDespair]

Originally Posted by The 1,000 Reader

but when you totally lose the point of the book and see the evil as the way to live, that's rather messed up, and that's what the thread's about.

Who, in reading LOTR, actually sees evil as a way to live?

Edit: Mind the fact that you don't get a great impression of how evil actually lives in LOTR. Also, forget the sociopaths.

[The 1,000 Reader]

I've seen some odd fans. They aren't really turned evil, but the certainly would seem to give you the impression. They don't seem to know when the "play" ends. I've never seen this behavior in "fans of good." Overall though, I didn't mean for this thread to be almost entirely focused on the oddest of fans, I just wanted to know why some fans of the darkness never seemed to acknowledge, even for a second, that the bad guys were ultimately the ones who were wrong and nasty. Like I said, the Nazgul are cool, but I still know that in the end they were heartless murderers.

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by The 1,000 Reader

I've seen some odd fans. They aren't really turned evil, but the certainly would seem to give you the impression. They don't seem to know when the "play" ends. I've never seen this behavior in "fans of good." Overall though, I didn't mean for this thread to be almost entirely focused on the oddest of fans, I just wanted to know why some fans of the darkness never seemed to acknowledge, even for a second, that the bad guys were ultimately the ones who were wrong and nasty. Like I said, the Nazgul are cool, but I still know that in the end they were heartless murderers.

Would it matter if they were 'evil'? Evil's a value judgement at heart - if someone is being cruel to animals or children or exercising psychological torment and threats on people then that's evil behaviour. But as for some kids mucking around in robes and thinking they're going to summon up a manifestation of Sauron or something - well it's just not going to happen, so leave them to their play-acting.

Fact is, a lot of young people like Tolkien's work for the adventure and the thrills and the monsters and the sword fighting, and that's not 'wrong', and put that together with the interest a lot of young people also have in being alternative and trying different things ( from growing your hair long to dabbling in magic - it can cover just about anything) and some will want to play act that Sauron and Orcs really existed. So long as you don't start actually living full time as an Orc or a Hobbit then you're just a fan responding to the work, that's all.

People do know that the Orcs were nasty, but they still find them interesting. And anyway, it's so easy to wind up young, idealistic Elf-heads by pretending to be a Minion...and it can be great fun too....

What do you think of vampires?

[Elmo]

People do know that the Orcs were nasty, but they still find them interesting. And anyway, it's so easy to wind up young, idealistic Elf-heads by pretending to be a Minion...and it can be great fun too....

I'll second that

Does anyone actually read Lord of the Rings and thinks 'hey let's try and raise an army of orcs and try and take over the whole world'? This reminds of all that crap about Harry Potter being the antichrist.

[Thenamir]

...I...<grrr>...will...not...<oomph>...post...on.. <aiiii!!>...this...thread...