[ SECRET POST #5371 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #5371 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.


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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 02 pages, 33 secrets from Secret Submission Post #769.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

I can't figure out what this is supposed to mean and I feel like I must be missing something? As far as I can tell the secret is saying that people who think that a story represents nothing are the ultimate expression of thinking that a story represents nothing but bigotry? But I don't understand what that means. It feels like a math problem I can't solve.

[(Anonymous)]

Yeah, this wasn't cogent to me either. I don't get the connection.

[erinptah]

Point seems to be "only a person who is super bigoted themselves would be unable to recognize the author's bigotry, so when you say you don't recognize Tolkien's bigotry in his story, you are expressing that same bigotry yourself."

...what I can't figure out is why "bigotry" and "nothing" are the only two options. Like, sure, Tolkien's writing is informed by his personal prejudices and blind spots (same as the rest of us), but it wouldn't be my first answer for "what does his writing represent?" Wouldn't even be in the top 10.

[(Anonymous)]

[commenter above you]

Thank you, that does make it make a bit more sense.

OP

[(Anonymous)]

I explained down below, but I want to also clarify here that I’m NOT calling Tolkien bigoted. My problem is with people who shout down the possibility of multiple interpretations.

[(Anonymous)]

Yes, thank you. That sentence makes no sense to me.

OP

[(Anonymous)]

Some people believe one interpretation is valid, and some people believe no interpretations are valid. Both groups agree on the invalidity of a massive variety of interpretations, and they only disagree on a single one. It’s like the old quip that Christians disbelieve in all but one of the gods atheists disbelieve in.

Re: OP

[(Anonymous)]

DA
Sorry, I still think what you wrote in the secret is kinda incomprehensible, but if that is what you were trying to say then I guess I agree with you. Even though I find it hard to believe that there are actually people who think that there's no meaning to be found in Tolkien's writing.
Also just because someone thinks an author is a bigot doesn't necessarily mean they can't recognize other messages in their work. Those messages would just be overshadowed by the bigotry (real or not) and are therefore probably meaningless to some.
Maybe the people on both sides of this argument were being a bit hyperbolic?

OP

[(Anonymous)]

TBF, the “no messages” guy who prompted this probably was being hyperbolic. Apparently, his actual issue was with interpreting Frodo and Samwise as a couple.