Tolkien essay of the week

LINK on northern courage, the Battle of Maldon, and Thorin Oakenshield


is the refusal to give up courage, or is it wrong since overwhelming pride can cause many people to die who otherwise had a chance to live?

Reminds me of the hothead hero in Heneral Luna.




Like Thorin, a man of honor who would not compromise.

ironically many in the US opposed the war back then, including Mark Twain... and ironically many of the civilian deaths were not so much atrocities but from malnutrition and infectious diseases due to displacement, although the Moros did get pay back massacres so might not agree with me here.

Of course, "independence" in 1901 would have meant letting the rich families rule the place. Heh. Sort of what they are doing now...
except American presence did lead to schools and the idea of rule of law and democracy, not the feudal system of Spanish culture.

A lot of the problems here in the Philippines today is that there is still a struggle between the traditional Asian/Hispanic values of noblesse oblige and extended families caring for themselves and a feudal system where who you know can get you ahead, and the US system where hard work and education will pull you out of poverty.

And the wild card is the OFW: Those migrating overseas to work and making money and then coming back.

Of course, an "independent" Philippines in 1901 was open pickings for other stronger superpowers of those days...would the Philippines have morphed into a French, British, Japanese or Chinese colony?

For that matter, with the withdrawal of US influence, will it now morph into a Chinese colony  or controlled by Chinese big business instead of American Big business?

Neocolonialism, anyone?

Discuss, class....