The Lord of the Rings: where much can be said about both book and movie, and where both are popular – perhaps for different reasons.
“Perhaps its appeal derived from its faithfulness to the letter and spirit of J.R.R. Tolkien’s…”
Faithfulness to the spirit – sort of, except that in the movie almost all overtly spiritual references were excised (such as references to Elbereth). The covert references remained, which is one of the movie’s strengths. Faithfulness to the letter: not so much. The adaptation was fairly typical for books made into movies in two respects: most of the story was taken out, as well as practically all the narrative. What remained can be divided into two parts: the non-dialogue sequences, and the sequences with dialogue. The non-dialogue sequences were mostly fights and chases: they retained almost all of the fights and chases from the book, as well as adding some of their own devising. The dialogue sequences suffered from being rewritten to a great degree, such that the result conformed largely to theater norms (arguments); in the process they changed the characterization in many instances (Denethor, Faramir), the plot (Osgiliath), as well as suppressing rational thought to the vanishing point in favor of emotion. The end result was a shortened tale that was mostly emotional and visceral. Many people liked them, but I can’t watch them. Every time one the characters opens his mouth to say something I’m thinking “What? He never said that!”
“Time and again, men, wizards, elves, dwarves, and Hobbits must summon their courage and choose to move forward in the face of seeming defeat. Time and again, fate intervenes at the last possible moment, until Frodo Baggins succeeds in passing the final test and the golden ring is swallowed up in the cauldron of fire deep within Mount Doom.”
Did he read the books, or see the movies? Frodo does not pass the final test and cast the ring into the fire. He changes his mind and claims it for his own. The victory was partially Frodo’s faithfulness, but when that gave out Providence, and Gollum’s lust, and Sam’s (and Bilbo’s) mercy remained. Galadriel, Gandalf, Aragorn, Elrond: they passed their tests (by not taking the ring), but Frodo eventually failed; Boromir, too, for that matter, though he repented.
He mentions monetary matters, and the involvement of the Federal Reserve, but doesn’t really explain the root of the matter.
“Throughout these disasters, we should be looking hard for the footprints and fingerprints of the Federal Reserve which has been the creature of private financial interests since it was created in 1913. It was then that the U.S. Congress ceded its constitutional authority to ‘coin money and regulate the value therof’ to the private financiers who are the real powers behind the monetary throne.”
There are two key points: the Federal Reserve (Bank of England) creates the money the government spends into circulation, not the treasury department. The money, when it is created, is created as AN INTEREST-BEARING DEBT. That means the debt, the “National Debt,” can do only one thing: increase exponentially. It is the real cause of inflation, and also allows the Bank to organize and fund an immensely powerful background government.
“The Ring of power: The ability of credit to grow exponentially when lent at compound interest, aided over time by fractional reserve banking, so that debt now threatens to devour the entire world of the producing economy.”
The rings of power, especially the One Ring, can better be thought of as artificial intelligences – the One Ring being designed to dominate the will. Research and development of artificial intelligence in our world will probably result in the functional equivalent of the One Ring, which will nullify free will. The interesting question then becomes, will God stand for this? No free will means God cannot be worshipped and loved freely. That’s a more important issue, yes?
“Isengard, the tower where Sauron resides: The economic departments of many universities, the business and editorial sections of most major newspapers, and the many ‘think tanks’ which favor the dominance of the monetary overseers.”
Isengard was where Saruman resided. Sauron held Barad-dur (the Dark Tower).
In a materialist interpretation, Sauron, like Emperor Palpetine, was obsessed with the physical realm; Sauron hid his soul in a golden ring as a backup plan, not seeking heaven with God and being in the halls of the great fathers and heroes, but to dominate the material world.
I like your allegory. I too have followed the disastrous monetary policies of the west for many years now. I am actually writing a piece at the moment that discusses the madness at the heart of the existing neoliberal/neoclassical financial system and the need to return to a sane system that functions not as an end in itself but, as it was initially intended, a handmaiden to industry and true progress. The neoliberal nightmare that is converting everything, even nature, into securitized assets must stop.
I am planning to use Tolkien's dscription of Sauron's fortress of Barad-Dur as metaphor for the uncontrolled 'innovation' of manifold derivatives, CDOs, synthetic CDOs, CDS, IR swaps, structured products and every other insane financial instrument that threatens to topple, once again, our teetering financial edifice. Tolkien's description of the never-ending building of parapet upon parapet, countless dungeons and towers that manifest the madness and utter chaos of absolute power run amok seems apropos.
If you don't mind I might link to your piece as well.
Thank you for writing Hillary. I see The Lord of the Rings as a spiritual allegory, a story of death and resurrection. So that is where we must seek our answers, IMHO. Everything I have written has that as an end, so I hope you will take a look at some of the books and articles. In particular I recommend the writings of the German spiritual master Bô Yin Râ, such as the book On Prayer. You'll find some reviews elsewhere on my Substack.
Thank you for your reply to my comment. I will have a look at your other articles, and Bo-Yin Ra's book On Prayer.
I was never interested in the Lord of the Rings when it was so popular, as I was and still am living in Thailand studying Thai language and Buddhism.
Prayer is a way of life to me. I would cease to exist if it wasn't. The raw connection to nature-Dharma feeds me with the the Highest Presence, and the ultimate Mindfulness to understand the forces behind the insanity taking place in the world. . . Thank you again.
Required reading for occult societies. LotR = Saturn, the 6th day of the week, 6th planet, with a hex-agonal (6) "eye" of Sauron at the pole (as NASA shows it). The "grail" or "ring" bloodlines are misleadingly explained in Freemason-controlled narratives like Realm of the Ring Lords by Laurence Gardner and similar. They're covers for the "nephilim" ("Watcher" offspring) bloodlines, the real ring metaphor, as opposed to the Merovingian-Magdalene kind in fantasies like The Da Vinci Code. LotR is often used as allegory for a lot of things, all but what it really means.
Basically everything Tolkien used was a part of worldwide ancient lore, including little peoples. He was part of a secret society himself. "Dwarf" lords were only short next to giant-kin, like the Biblical sons of Anak, Goliath and his brothers, Og of Bashan: shorter giants. The Encyclopedia of Ancient Giants in North America is a good read, giants also mentioned in almost all indian legends like other cultures worldwide, who they say built the serpent mounds among other ancient structures. America is Amaruca, land of the feathered serpent, from Amaru (Quetzalcoatl), nearly identical to Chinese dragons and other cultures. In and out of the Bible it always comes down to the serpent and the dragon. But all that was a part of real hidden history.
Why Peter Jackson wanted the film project shows somewhat through his occultist friends who all helped free satanist Damien Echols from prison. In short, Saturn = Satan.
John 3:16. Real truth is all being revealed the nearer the end we get.
There is an interesting story out there about the giant skeletons from Native American burial sites that the Smithsonian has evidently suppressed. Thanks for your comments.
Is it true that power corrupts, or that power attracts pathological personalities?
Quoting Frank Knight, "Neither the Gestapo nor the administration of a concentration camp, neither the Ministry of Propaganda nor the S.A. or S.S. (or their Italian or Russian counterparts), are suitable places for the exercise of humanitarian feelings. Yet it is through positions like these that the road to the highest positions in the totalitarian state leads. It is only too true when a distinguished American economist concludes from a collectivist state that “they would have to do these things whether they wanted to or not: and the probability of the people in power being individuals who would dislike the possession and exercise of power is on a level with the probability that an extremely tender-hearted person would get the job of whipping-master in a slave plantation.” Neither the Gestapo nor the administration of a concentration camp, neither the Ministry of Propaganda nor the S.A. or S.S. (or their Italian or Russian counterparts), are suitable places for the exercise of humanitarian feelings. Yet it is through positions like these that the road to the highest positions in the totalitarian state leads. It is only too true when a distinguished American economist concludes from a collectivist state that “they would have to do these things whether they wanted to or not: and the probability of the people in power being individuals who would dislike the possession and exercise of power is on a level with the probability that an extremely tender-hearted person would get the job of whipping-master in a slave plantation.”
Thank you Mr. Wright. I think this analogy demonstrates that we are dealing with some pretty profound spiritual archetypes. As you were doing with this morning's post I might add.
"One thing that is clear about The Lord of the Rings is that among the virtues most highly prized are loyalty toward companions and courage in the face of death. Time and again the cause seems lost. Time and again, men, wizards, elves, dwarves, and Hobbits must summon their courage and choose to move forward in the face of seeming defeat. Time and again, fate intervenes at the last possible moment, until Frodo Baggins succeeds in passing the final test and the golden ring is swallowed up in the cauldron of fire deep within Mount Doom."
This is a interesting article, but as Mr. Reed avers in his comment below, Mr. Cook gets the outcome of Frodo's mission very wrong. Frodo did NOT "pass the final test"... Frodo FAILED that test. And his failure comprised a major them that Tolkien sought to convey to us.
Frodo is overcome by the power of the Ring, as he stood on the precipice, holding the Ring out to drop into the molten fires below. But he cannot let go of it, even as the loyal Samwise implores him. It is Smeagol (Gollum), driven by the Ring's own power, who destroys the ring.
The power exerted by the Ring is what destroyed it. In a very real sense, the Ring destroyed itself. The plower it exerted drove people mad. It was that very power, it was Gollum's madness, that destroyed the Ring.
Poor brave Frodo FAILED. "All power corrupts... Absolute power corrupts absolutely" -- attributed to Lord Acton...
Here is the scene of the destruction of the Ring as depicted in the movie:
Tolkien himself wrote somewhat extensively about Frodo's failure, which was a MAJOR theme of the entire mythology. People can read a letter from Tolkien here, discussing Frodo's failure:
Giving this some more thought, and I thank you for the stimulus, I think it's relevant that Tolkien was a Christian and that many say Jesus himself was a "failure" in that he was crucified, died, and was buried. But then there was the resurrection, which obviously happened due to divine providence, not his own "doing." Maybe none of us can get over that final hurdle on our own but just need faith that "Thy will be done."
The Lord of the Rings: where much can be said about both book and movie, and where both are popular – perhaps for different reasons.
“Perhaps its appeal derived from its faithfulness to the letter and spirit of J.R.R. Tolkien’s…”
Faithfulness to the spirit – sort of, except that in the movie almost all overtly spiritual references were excised (such as references to Elbereth). The covert references remained, which is one of the movie’s strengths. Faithfulness to the letter: not so much. The adaptation was fairly typical for books made into movies in two respects: most of the story was taken out, as well as practically all the narrative. What remained can be divided into two parts: the non-dialogue sequences, and the sequences with dialogue. The non-dialogue sequences were mostly fights and chases: they retained almost all of the fights and chases from the book, as well as adding some of their own devising. The dialogue sequences suffered from being rewritten to a great degree, such that the result conformed largely to theater norms (arguments); in the process they changed the characterization in many instances (Denethor, Faramir), the plot (Osgiliath), as well as suppressing rational thought to the vanishing point in favor of emotion. The end result was a shortened tale that was mostly emotional and visceral. Many people liked them, but I can’t watch them. Every time one the characters opens his mouth to say something I’m thinking “What? He never said that!”
“Time and again, men, wizards, elves, dwarves, and Hobbits must summon their courage and choose to move forward in the face of seeming defeat. Time and again, fate intervenes at the last possible moment, until Frodo Baggins succeeds in passing the final test and the golden ring is swallowed up in the cauldron of fire deep within Mount Doom.”
Did he read the books, or see the movies? Frodo does not pass the final test and cast the ring into the fire. He changes his mind and claims it for his own. The victory was partially Frodo’s faithfulness, but when that gave out Providence, and Gollum’s lust, and Sam’s (and Bilbo’s) mercy remained. Galadriel, Gandalf, Aragorn, Elrond: they passed their tests (by not taking the ring), but Frodo eventually failed; Boromir, too, for that matter, though he repented.
He mentions monetary matters, and the involvement of the Federal Reserve, but doesn’t really explain the root of the matter.
“Throughout these disasters, we should be looking hard for the footprints and fingerprints of the Federal Reserve which has been the creature of private financial interests since it was created in 1913. It was then that the U.S. Congress ceded its constitutional authority to ‘coin money and regulate the value therof’ to the private financiers who are the real powers behind the monetary throne.”
There are two key points: the Federal Reserve (Bank of England) creates the money the government spends into circulation, not the treasury department. The money, when it is created, is created as AN INTEREST-BEARING DEBT. That means the debt, the “National Debt,” can do only one thing: increase exponentially. It is the real cause of inflation, and also allows the Bank to organize and fund an immensely powerful background government.
“The Ring of power: The ability of credit to grow exponentially when lent at compound interest, aided over time by fractional reserve banking, so that debt now threatens to devour the entire world of the producing economy.”
The rings of power, especially the One Ring, can better be thought of as artificial intelligences – the One Ring being designed to dominate the will. Research and development of artificial intelligence in our world will probably result in the functional equivalent of the One Ring, which will nullify free will. The interesting question then becomes, will God stand for this? No free will means God cannot be worshipped and loved freely. That’s a more important issue, yes?
“Isengard, the tower where Sauron resides: The economic departments of many universities, the business and editorial sections of most major newspapers, and the many ‘think tanks’ which favor the dominance of the monetary overseers.”
Isengard was where Saruman resided. Sauron held Barad-dur (the Dark Tower).
Frodo's attempt: Frodo enters the chasm at Mount Doom where the Ring was forged, but is overcome by the Ring's power and puts it on.
Gollum's attack: Gollum attacks Frodo and bites off his finger, taking back the Ring.
The Ring's destruction: Gollum falls into the fiery Cracks of Doom with the Ring, destroying it and Sauron's power.
In a materialist interpretation, Sauron, like Emperor Palpetine, was obsessed with the physical realm; Sauron hid his soul in a golden ring as a backup plan, not seeking heaven with God and being in the halls of the great fathers and heroes, but to dominate the material world.
God bless and thanks for writing
I like your allegory. I too have followed the disastrous monetary policies of the west for many years now. I am actually writing a piece at the moment that discusses the madness at the heart of the existing neoliberal/neoclassical financial system and the need to return to a sane system that functions not as an end in itself but, as it was initially intended, a handmaiden to industry and true progress. The neoliberal nightmare that is converting everything, even nature, into securitized assets must stop.
I am planning to use Tolkien's dscription of Sauron's fortress of Barad-Dur as metaphor for the uncontrolled 'innovation' of manifold derivatives, CDOs, synthetic CDOs, CDS, IR swaps, structured products and every other insane financial instrument that threatens to topple, once again, our teetering financial edifice. Tolkien's description of the never-ending building of parapet upon parapet, countless dungeons and towers that manifest the madness and utter chaos of absolute power run amok seems apropos.
If you don't mind I might link to your piece as well.
Yes, certainly. Please copy me on your piece or post it here.
Will do. Cheers.
Yes, Social Credit -- very controversial!
What is the worst case operation? Is it not what the UN Pact for the Future has in store for all humanity?
Here is Whitney Webb's detailed explanation of the sinister reality the elites are pushing for our future:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7IGso1Uo6k
What advice does The Lord of the Rings have for us Hobbits who see and understand this tyrannical operation to make us all slaves?
Thank you for writing Hillary. I see The Lord of the Rings as a spiritual allegory, a story of death and resurrection. So that is where we must seek our answers, IMHO. Everything I have written has that as an end, so I hope you will take a look at some of the books and articles. In particular I recommend the writings of the German spiritual master Bô Yin Râ, such as the book On Prayer. You'll find some reviews elsewhere on my Substack.
Richard
Thank you for your reply to my comment. I will have a look at your other articles, and Bo-Yin Ra's book On Prayer.
I was never interested in the Lord of the Rings when it was so popular, as I was and still am living in Thailand studying Thai language and Buddhism.
Prayer is a way of life to me. I would cease to exist if it wasn't. The raw connection to nature-Dharma feeds me with the the Highest Presence, and the ultimate Mindfulness to understand the forces behind the insanity taking place in the world. . . Thank you again.
This is a fine essay, but from within the thinking camp of Austrian economics, I would take issue with Social Credit.
Required reading for occult societies. LotR = Saturn, the 6th day of the week, 6th planet, with a hex-agonal (6) "eye" of Sauron at the pole (as NASA shows it). The "grail" or "ring" bloodlines are misleadingly explained in Freemason-controlled narratives like Realm of the Ring Lords by Laurence Gardner and similar. They're covers for the "nephilim" ("Watcher" offspring) bloodlines, the real ring metaphor, as opposed to the Merovingian-Magdalene kind in fantasies like The Da Vinci Code. LotR is often used as allegory for a lot of things, all but what it really means.
Basically everything Tolkien used was a part of worldwide ancient lore, including little peoples. He was part of a secret society himself. "Dwarf" lords were only short next to giant-kin, like the Biblical sons of Anak, Goliath and his brothers, Og of Bashan: shorter giants. The Encyclopedia of Ancient Giants in North America is a good read, giants also mentioned in almost all indian legends like other cultures worldwide, who they say built the serpent mounds among other ancient structures. America is Amaruca, land of the feathered serpent, from Amaru (Quetzalcoatl), nearly identical to Chinese dragons and other cultures. In and out of the Bible it always comes down to the serpent and the dragon. But all that was a part of real hidden history.
Why Peter Jackson wanted the film project shows somewhat through his occultist friends who all helped free satanist Damien Echols from prison. In short, Saturn = Satan.
John 3:16. Real truth is all being revealed the nearer the end we get.
There is an interesting story out there about the giant skeletons from Native American burial sites that the Smithsonian has evidently suppressed. Thanks for your comments.
Is it true that power corrupts, or that power attracts pathological personalities?
Quoting Frank Knight, "Neither the Gestapo nor the administration of a concentration camp, neither the Ministry of Propaganda nor the S.A. or S.S. (or their Italian or Russian counterparts), are suitable places for the exercise of humanitarian feelings. Yet it is through positions like these that the road to the highest positions in the totalitarian state leads. It is only too true when a distinguished American economist concludes from a collectivist state that “they would have to do these things whether they wanted to or not: and the probability of the people in power being individuals who would dislike the possession and exercise of power is on a level with the probability that an extremely tender-hearted person would get the job of whipping-master in a slave plantation.” Neither the Gestapo nor the administration of a concentration camp, neither the Ministry of Propaganda nor the S.A. or S.S. (or their Italian or Russian counterparts), are suitable places for the exercise of humanitarian feelings. Yet it is through positions like these that the road to the highest positions in the totalitarian state leads. It is only too true when a distinguished American economist concludes from a collectivist state that “they would have to do these things whether they wanted to or not: and the probability of the people in power being individuals who would dislike the possession and exercise of power is on a level with the probability that an extremely tender-hearted person would get the job of whipping-master in a slave plantation.”
What an excellent analogy from a man who knows the evils of this financial system inside out. Well done Mr Cook.
Thank you Mr. Wright. I think this analogy demonstrates that we are dealing with some pretty profound spiritual archetypes. As you were doing with this morning's post I might add.
Yes indeed. It is a matter of good and evil, and to get behind the mask of wrongs called rights is to glimpse it.
I know of no better account of the United States and its financial system than yours, and I am grateful to have read it.
Mr. Cook writes:
"One thing that is clear about The Lord of the Rings is that among the virtues most highly prized are loyalty toward companions and courage in the face of death. Time and again the cause seems lost. Time and again, men, wizards, elves, dwarves, and Hobbits must summon their courage and choose to move forward in the face of seeming defeat. Time and again, fate intervenes at the last possible moment, until Frodo Baggins succeeds in passing the final test and the golden ring is swallowed up in the cauldron of fire deep within Mount Doom."
This is a interesting article, but as Mr. Reed avers in his comment below, Mr. Cook gets the outcome of Frodo's mission very wrong. Frodo did NOT "pass the final test"... Frodo FAILED that test. And his failure comprised a major them that Tolkien sought to convey to us.
Frodo is overcome by the power of the Ring, as he stood on the precipice, holding the Ring out to drop into the molten fires below. But he cannot let go of it, even as the loyal Samwise implores him. It is Smeagol (Gollum), driven by the Ring's own power, who destroys the ring.
The power exerted by the Ring is what destroyed it. In a very real sense, the Ring destroyed itself. The plower it exerted drove people mad. It was that very power, it was Gollum's madness, that destroyed the Ring.
Poor brave Frodo FAILED. "All power corrupts... Absolute power corrupts absolutely" -- attributed to Lord Acton...
Here is the scene of the destruction of the Ring as depicted in the movie:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUUDU-4UJA0
Tolkien himself wrote somewhat extensively about Frodo's failure, which was a MAJOR theme of the entire mythology. People can read a letter from Tolkien here, discussing Frodo's failure:
https://www.tolkienestate.com/letters/letter-to-eileen-elgar-september-1963/
Even the bravest, even the truest of heart, can fall... Frodo did... We are all 'only humans'.
Giving this some more thought, and I thank you for the stimulus, I think it's relevant that Tolkien was a Christian and that many say Jesus himself was a "failure" in that he was crucified, died, and was buried. But then there was the resurrection, which obviously happened due to divine providence, not his own "doing." Maybe none of us can get over that final hurdle on our own but just need faith that "Thy will be done."
Well, good, glad to have provoked the discussion. All good points.