The Root of all Evil.

[Gurthang]

Yes, I agree Essex. The elves seemed to be a 'higher' race when I read LotR. Yet the Silmarillion really evens the playing field. The only thing that I think really makes the difference between elves and men is that the elves don't follow after a Dark Lord, whereas some Men do. The elves knew Morgoth at his cruelest, and so hated him and never trusted him, and likewise to his servant, Sauron. Yet Men did not ever truly see Morgoth and so when he came first to them they trusted him, and followed him into darkness. The Elves never followed an evil leader, but Men did/do.

But I would like to point out that the elves 'inherent evil', as Essex called it, was brought out by the Silmarils being stolen. Many of the Elves so lusted the Silmarils that they were willing to do almost anything to get them back, including the Kinslaying. That points seems to point back to the fact that the love of wealth, jewels in this case, was the root of evil. Both in the fact that Morgoth lusted the Silmarils and that the Elves were willing to do anything to get their beloved treasure back.