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Old 11-10-2011, 11:11 AM   #3
Alfirin
Shade of Carn Dűm
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 435
Alfirin has been trapped in the Barrow!
I think this sounds like a variation of the old "wouldn't Heaven get boring after a while argument". I think the fundamental problem here is assuming that the desire for change and variety is inherent in sentience. This is a very homocentric and more importanty mortocentric concept. As mortal beings who age, we have no choice but to change, and so we psycologically are hardwired to value change, at least most of us are. We need to contranty strive for the theoretical "better" becuse we know we don't have infinite time to get there We humans, especially we modern humand are riddled with a very odd psycological concept called "boredom", we feel a need to be constantly challenged and so find stasis unpleasant. But elves are immortal. They don't need to hurry to reach perfection, they literally have forever to get there. Whne the leave it in part becuse they realized that the perfection the seek can't exist in the flawed middle earth, so they go elsewhere. Valinor is perfection (or as close as you can get to it in Arda). One literally cannot do better, so what would be the point in trying. The only human analog I can think of might be one of those Buddhist monks who are (by the tenents of thier faith) one lifetime away from Nirvana, who literally desire nothing out of the world, and are content to simply sit and meditate without cease until life leaves them and they can join with the great oneness.
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