Technology in middle earth

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

The Shire is like an idealised vision of rural England at the turn of the 19th/20th century. And yes, it does seem more technologically advanced than other parts of Middle-earth. They engage in trade and have a rudimentary postal service and police force, and clearly also some kind of legal system if they have lawyers dealing with wills. The concept of personal property is at an advanced stage and they have progressed beyond feudalism. The people enjoy luxuries such as smoking, nice cakes, teapsoons and umbrellas.

That's actually a very interesting point - one that at least I have never thought of before.

And funny, now as you point at it, it's easy to figure a clock on the mantelpiece at Bag End but hard to imagine one in Minas Tirith's great hall. Or how easy it is to entertain a picture of Lobelia with an umbrella but hard to see Arwen covering herself from rain with one.

Then I start wondering whether that was just a mistake, a lapse of thought, by the prof or whether he had a consistent view on the different levels of technologies around the ME and even a point in there?

What could that background-philosophy be? Those who live for war and evil only develop evil technologies, those under a constant threat of war are forced more or less to the same destiny (and militaristic envirovement leads into stagnating social policies aka feaudalism, kings, military elite, serfs...) - but those who enjoy peace and prosperity develop nice technologies and progressive social institutions (even though not TOO progressive for the prof's taste )?

Or what do you think?