The Misappropriation of Tolkien: How Populist Narratives Invert the Moral Compass of 'The Lord of the Rings'

2 days ago7 min read

A troubling trend has emerged in political discourse, with influential figures like Elon Musk and agencies such as the Trump-era Department of Homeland Security invoking J. R.R. Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings' to frame anti-immigration stances.This represents a fundamental misreading of the text's core themes, ironically aligning these modern voices with the very forces of domination and corruption the author sought to critique. By casting themselves as the humble hobbits defending the Shire from an invading horde, this narrative inverts the story's moral universe, where the true evil is the centralized, industrial power of Sauron and Saruman.Tolkien, shaped by his experiences in the First World War, crafted his legendarium as a deep reflection on the perils of unchecked power and the destruction of pastoral life by mechanized tyranny. The heroes of his tale are the hobbits not for their militaristic fervor, but for their simplicity, hospitality, and profound sense of community.To label immigrants and refugees as the 'orcish' enemy is to adopt the rhetoric of the story's villains—Sauron, the all-seeing tyrant, and Saruman, who ravages his own land in a quest for dominance. The strategic use of this mythos to justify real-world policies of exclusion and dehumanization is a dangerous political tool with a long history.The profound irony lies in powerful entities adopting the mantle of the victimized to consolidate control, a classic authoritarian tactic. This parallels critical debates in technology, where the development of powerful AI systems presents a choice between empowering individuals or creating instruments of centralized surveillance—a modern One Ring of influence.The consequences of this narrative distortion are tangible, fueling xenophobia and shaping policies that treat the 'other' as an existential threat. A faithful interpretation of Tolkien, much like a responsible approach to technology, requires a rejection of absolute power and an embrace of decentralized, community-led resilience.The true battle, as Tolkien illustrated, is not against the diverse peoples of the world, but against the corrosive desire for dominion itself. Those who wield the symbols of fellowship while enacting isolation betray the very essence of the story they claim to champion.

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