If you could have been born in Middle Earth...

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Originally Posted by Bêthberry

I'll stick my head out and say I'd rather not be born in Middle-earth.

Much as I enjoy the books, I'm rather firmly wedded to modern medicine, control over reproduction, voting rights and equality, universal education, despite all the problems,difficulties, and wretched issues we have today. My grandmother bore ten children and lived Rosie Cotton's life. It's no idyl.

You are right of course, Bb. Went to a friend's house the other day and we decided to make mojitos since we had rum, lime and mint-leaves. And the wonders of modern society! The crushed ice and soda water you could get straight from the fridge-door with just a push of a button!

For those yearning for the Elvish lifestyle, I think even Tolkien are quite clear that Men are not really made for that kind of contentment, serenity and harmony with nature. We are restless and the grass is always greener on the other side. Sitting on a lawn in Lorien, reciting poetry and meditating on the beauty of the Mallorn trees would be very nice for a while but sooner or later there would be an itch.