Re: 'The Lord of the Rings' Is Not the Far Right's Playground

On 8/3/24 23:47, Steve Hayes wrote:
> 'The Lord of the Rings' Is Not the Far Right's Playground (extract)
> 
> by David French https://t.co/ncwOkp2enS
> 
> These days, however, Tolkien isn’t just relevant to nerd world. It
> feels strange to say this, but the proper interpretation of his work
> has geopolitical implications. Critical factions of the new right at
> home and the far right in Europe have latched on to Tolkien’s work. By
> “new right” I mean the post-Reagan right, a movement that embraces
> state power as a means of fighting and winning the culture war. But
> they’re getting Tolkien wrong, and the way in which they are getting
> Tolkien wrong matters for all of us.
> 
> Last month, Politico’s Adam Wren wrote an extended analysis of the way
> that the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy shaped JD Vance. On a 2021
> podcast, Vance said, “I’m a big ‘Lord of the Rings’ guy, and I think,
> not realizing it at the time, but a lot of my conservative worldview
> was influenced by Tolkien growing up.” Vance named his venture capital
> firm, Narya, after a magical elven ring. His political ally and
> benefactor Peter Thiel named one of his companies Palantir, another
> magical object in “Lord of the Rings.” Vance also invested in Anduril
> Industries, a defense firm named after Aragorn’s sword.
> 
> (Full disclosure: One of my most prized possessions is a replica of
> Anduril. My wife, Nancy, commissioned a swordsmith to make it for me
> almost 20 years ago. She gets me.)
> 
> But Tolkien’s influence isn’t just domestic. In 2022, The Times
> published a fascinating analysis by Jason Horowitz of how “The Lord of
> the Rings” shaped the Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni and much
> of the Italian far right.
> 
> Read it all here:
> <https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/01/opinion/maga-tolkien-lotr.html>
> 
> 
> 
American right misinterpreting popular media? That's news to me! 
(Something something Trump and Citizen Kane)
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