Posted on 07/18/2013 9:42:25 AM PDT by Pan_Yan
What can literary fiction teach us about recent revelations that the National Security Agency has aggressively been gathering massive amounts of data on American citizens? The novel one usually turns to, of course, is George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four, with its terrifying vision of the Thought Police. Even President Obama, in response to questions about the NSA, has been forced to deny that the government has engaged in “Big Brother” tactics. Orwell’s book, however, isn’t the most compelling or accurate literary prediction of modern surveillance. That award goes to a less obvious title: J.R.R Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings.
Tolkien’s most potent and intimidating image of centralized surveillance, the Eye of Sauron atop a tower, taking in the whole world, has resonated with those who are paranoid about government monitoring. But it’s Sauron’s vulnerability that has the most relevance for America today. Consider the basic premise of Tolkien’s trilogy: a small group of dedicated subversives willing to sacrifice their lives slips in under the surveillance system of a great power, blends in with an alien population, and delivers a devastating blow to the heart of its empire, leaving its security forces in disarray and its populace terrified. Even a tower or two crumbles to dust. Far from being covert, much of this operation is conducted in plain sight, with the great power aware of its enemies’ existence, if not their intent. Given its prescience about modern-day terrorism, Tolkien’s vision offers at least three lessons for present-day America.
1. All-Seeing Is Not All-Knowing
...
2. The Enemy Controls the Plot
...
3. The Louder the Noise, the Fainter the Signal
...
(Excerpt) Read more at slate.com ...
Ping.
There are a couple of nuggets in here your crew might enjoy.
Except, my interpretation is that the Eye of Sauron is not used continuously, on everyone...
Those are time bandits. You are thinking of Hobbits.
I saw that movie available for free viewing the other night. I opted to watch reruns on the History Channel instead. Not Sean Connery’s best work.
How did Sam trek all the way to Mordor, with only elven bread, and still remain FAT?
Actually, that's Peter Jackson's image, not Tolkien's.
In the books the Eye was at least as much felt as seen, and mostly by those carrying the Ring.
totally - otherwise it would have been pointless to pull a feint to distract the Eye whilst the Hobbits snuck thru the side door
For the sake of accuracy, it must be said that Tolkien’s “Eye of Sauron” was not really the same as Peter Jackson’s “Eye of Sauron”. Jackson and Bakshi both made Sauron into an evil lighthouse. Still, the piece is pretty thought-provoking.
I’m amazed at how some liberals can read Tolkien, and not get the message about power. I suppose Obama would take this Ring out of a desire to do “good”. Who are the happiest people in Middle Earth? The nearly government-free hobbits.
Lembas is pure carbs.
I actually can't find a good equivalent to Obama in LOTR. I sincerely believe he's a puppet in way over his head but also that he is not misguided or ignorant; he truly desires evil for our land. Kind of like if Wormtongue got elected Steward of Gondor.
I’ve thought for years that someone is missing a golden opportunity by not making some kind of energy bar, drink, goo, etc and branding it “Lembas”.
There is nothing else to say.
Liberty, some supervision required.
The best equivalent for Obama I can find is Lotho Sackville-Baggins (a/k/a Pimple), but it’s pretty limited.
At my house we call Club Crackers “Lembas”. Now I want to eat a sleeve of them.
Who have been protected throughout their history, though they know it not, by the Rangers of the North. Who they dislike and mistrust.
It's sort of like the European/American relationship.
I’ll agree with that at the point in the story where Tolkien brings us in. The hobbits had repelled an orc invasion a couple of generations before Bilbo at the Battle of Greenfields. This event is famous for the invention of the game of golf.
It really is like the European/American relationship, especially in the context of the Cold War, when it was written.
How did this slip past the eye of Sauron at Slate?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.