Tolkien's Views on Social Media --- For me, it is not hyperbole to say that one who enters the world of Middle Earth, created from the imagination of JRR Tolkien, inevitably leaves it irrevocably changed.

The internet and social media emerged after Tolkien. He passed in 1973. January 1, 1983 is considered the official birthday of the Internet. The largest social media platform is Facebook, not launched until February 2004.

What might Tolkien have thought about its influence? An impression may be formed from his opinion of the father of fantasy films, Walt Disney. Tolkien didn’t think much of Walt or his creations.

He wrote about his feelings in a number of letters, calling Disney “hopelessly corrupted” and the overall effect of his work “disgusting”. He wrote, “Some of his movies have given me nausea.” Tolkien was determined never to let Disney touch The Lord of the Rings.

Tolkien would have thought Netflix and social media generally to have been made in Mordor, this was the realm and base of Sauron, the evil protagonist in Tolkien’s novels.

Source author: John D. Hipsley jhipsley@igc.org