"not always by sincere error" This is such an important point. Pretending to misunderstand someone in order to demean their argument is a shallow trick, and a sadly common one.
3 weeks ago | 87
Tolkien's thoughts on this were also once summarized by his friend and contemporary CS Lewis. "I never fully understood it till my friend Professor Tolkien asked me the very simple question, 'What class of men would you expect to be most preoccupied with, and hostile to, the idea of escape?' and gave the obvious answer: jailers."
3 weeks ago | 51
In many countries around the world it is NOT illegal to attempt to escape prison. It’s seen as a natural, inalienable human instinct. The desire for freedom. They’ll still stop you, catch you, and return you to prison. But you don’t get additional charges the way you do in the US.
3 weeks ago | 16
Its because of analyses like this that Tolkien is the intellectual titan he is
3 weeks ago | 25
Ngl, this kinda flies over my head, but I think it’s a counter-criticism of people who critique escapism.
3 weeks ago | 6
I've always loved how good Tolkien was at articulating his thoughts.
3 weeks ago | 28
JRRT going to bat for escapism was not the W i expected today but I'll take it
3 weeks ago | 25
Man Tolkien's writing is always on another level. Also, was I the only one whose first thought after reading this was Andy from The Shawshank Redemption?
3 weeks ago | 8
Fun fact: In Germany, escaping prison is not considered a crime in itself.
3 weeks ago | 1
It is by imagination, plainly speaking, that people contend for better things, whatever those things may be. Ideals, valuable resources, new discoveries. Modern day hatred for escapism, and historical hatred, honestly, lends towards the very ideas people say they hate: the oppression of expression of self. I greatly appreciate the nod to the still relevant issue of false narratives. I've seen it used quite often, where what is said gets translated, whether by design or by accident, and becomes completely different to what was said.
3 weeks ago | 3
Which is why here in Germany, trying to escape from prison has not been illegal since the old empire
3 weeks ago | 3
Cool synchronicity, I was just looking up this quote yesterday, and here you are posting it.
3 weeks ago | 0
Should look into Les Miserables. The musical is phenomenal! And the story of Jon Val Jon
3 weeks ago | 2
The notion of jailing anyone who is not a murderer, rapist, or active threat to society is quite sickening.
3 weeks ago | 2
I made some mistakes, and the system punished me for it. But instead of allowing myself to become instatutionalized, I held a Friday d&d game; I created a game of my own, and I wrote 6 would be novels
3 weeks ago
| 7
Tell me Master Samwise does it sadden you that so many misunderstand what Tolkien made and those who often claim to know it the most prove themselves to know very little?
3 weeks ago | 2
Master Samwise
“Why should a man be scorned if, finding himself in prison, he tries to get out and go home? Or if, when he cannot do so, he thinks and talks about other topics than jailers and prison-walls? The world outside has not become less real because the prisoner cannot see it. In using escape in this way the critics have chosen the wrong word, and, what is more, they are confusing, not always by sincere error, the Escape of the Prisoner with the Flight of the Deserter.” - JRR Tolkien
3 weeks ago | [YT] | 1,080