The Philosophy of J.R.R. Tolkien: Why Things Keep Getting Worse - Video Essay
If you’re a fan of J.R.R. Tolkien and his work such as The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, I have a fascinating video essay here that you’ve got to watch called “The Philosophy of J.R.R. Tolkien: Why Things Keep Getting Worse.”
The video focuses on Tolkien’s philosophy and how his many works aren't just bound together by Middle Earth, “but a meticulously crafted philosophy of history.” It also explores “why J.R.R. Tolkien stands apart from other thinkers.”
One of the things that it points out is how the stories that Tolkien told were built around the languages that Tolkien invented. He said:
“The Invention of languages is the foundation. The “stories” were made rather to provide a world for the languages rather than the reverse.”
It then dive in a deep discussion on how Tolkien viewed the world and how he incorprated his views into his stories.
The video come to us from Wisecracks, and there’s a lot of cool and interesting stuff to be learned here about Tolkien. I really hope you take the time to watch this.