<
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/23/books/tolkien-musk-thiel-silicon-valley.html?unlocked_article_code=1.JU8.dKmL.xZyPZ6iXLZav>
"For generations of fans, J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic fantasy “The Lord of the Rings”
remains their first experience of the immersive magic of fiction. The trilogy
recounts how a motley group of friends set out on a journey to destroy the
great Ring of Power and defeat the dark Lord Sauron, who intends to use its
dreadful magic to rule all of Middle-earth through “force and fear.” The Ring
corrupts all who use it, and its story endures as a potent allegory about the
corrupting effects of greed and pride and what Tolkien called the evil “lust
for domination.”
Given the trilogy’s idealistic overtones, it’s easy to understand why the books
gained a cult following in the 1970s among hippies and Vietnam War protesters,
who embraced its love of nature and rejection of consumer culture, and what
they saw as its passionate denunciation of militarism and power politics. It’s
more difficult to understand why the trilogy’s most prominent fans today are
Silicon Valley tech lords like Elon Musk and Peter Thiel, and a rising group of
far-right politicians in both Europe and the United States.
How did a trilogy of novels about wizards and elves and furry-footed hobbits
become a touchstone for right-wing power brokers? How did books that evince
nostalgia for a pastoral, preindustrial past win an ardent following among the
people who are shaping our digital future? Why do so many of today’s
high-profile fans of “The Lord of the Rings” and other fantasy and sci-fi
classics insist on turning these cautionary tales into aspirational road maps
for mastering the universe?"
Via Joyce Donahue.
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
