📖✍️🌎🔨 All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us. And you can decide to get *On Writing and Worldbuilding Volume II* on December 1st! ~ Tim
Count me excited for volume 2! We can find out who the killer is from volume 1, lol. Thanks for the video. I've been screaming about the scrounging of the shire since the movies were released. Read the books kids.
The sad part about all the environmental arguments is that they fall on deaf ears. Because the ears that need to hear them don't understand English. They understand Hindi and Mandarin. So most folks in the west are getting sick of being preached at when they know they're doing all they can but the East just laughs and keeps making money.
The most impactful part to me about the Scouring was when the first hobbit died. Because.. Hobbits don't do that. In all the media I'd had prior, 6 movies, 3 previous books, no hobbits had been actually killed. They felt safe before.
@@Elia-fn8jv That was from the influence from the ring and is the exception that proves the rule. I haven't read it in awhile but as I remember it, the halflings that Sméagol lived with didn't know what to do with a murderer, there was no trial or punishment because it was so foreign to them, instead he was chased out of the community and the problem was solved that way. Which lead to him living under the Misty Mountains where we meet him in The Hobbit.
Hobbits do die in the lore. Before the war of the ring, the Shire is struck by plague and famine, raided by wolves and orcs (that Bandarboras Took repelled).... And the Hobbits sent archers to the King of Arthedain to fight against Angmar. Hobbits weren't as innocent, they just had been on a streak of good times by the time of the War of the Ring.
Sam"wise" indeed. Just re-read The Lord of the Rings a few weeks ago, and the ending hit much harder this time, only a few years after the first. Reminded me of how the night sky is never visible in the city I currently live in, but the night sky over the farm/village I used to live in (and only visit now) is still almost indescribably beautiful. The colours and the stars amazing to experience (the mosquitoes less so).
Tim, thank you for talking openly about suicide. So many young men struggle silently with this - its so important that people share their own struggles to help others. I have always deeply loved the LotR films, and the end of RotK has also resonated with me personally after my own struggles. I am better, stronger than before, but those old thoughts still linger, like Frodo's wound. They have gone deep, taken hold...and Gandalf's famous line is one of the most powerful and important in all fiction. But Gandalf and Frodo were part of a Fellowship...and we too need to reach out to friends and family when we are struggling.
To add to this: Feeling emotion, opening up about pain, crying, and just admitting you aren’t okay are strengths, not weaknesses. It takes strength to show vulnerability.
"Maybe Treebeard's right. We don't belong here, Merry. It's too big for us. What can we do in the end? We've got the Shire. Maybe we should go home." "The fires of Isengard will spread. And the woods of Tuckburough and Buckland will burn. And all that was once green and good in this world will be gone....There won't be a Shire, Pippin."
I keep returning to the quote from Treebeard: “Of course, it is likely enough, my friends,' he said slowly, 'likely enough that we are going to our doom: the last march of the Ents. But if we stayed home and did nothing, doom would find us anyway, sooner or later. That thought has long been growing in our hearts; and that is why we are marching now.” This motivates me every time I resolve to try and help the earth
That scene in the movies where the 4 hobbits look around at all their neighbors who could never understand what they've been through and just wordlessly raise their glasses (before Sam goes and talks to Rosie :3) is one of my favorite scenes in....all of film really. I'm glad we have that instead of the scouring....FOR The movies. As for the narrative of the books, well, tolkein knew what he was about :)
I'm with ya. Both are impactful in their own way, but there’s something about the film's ending that really resonates with me. I'm glad we get to have both.
I do love that scene in the film, it's like they've endured so much and learned so much in order to keep their home safe, and to keep the people they love blissfully innocent to the horrors of the world, and the "there is no going back" is personal, in that Frodo will always carry the Morgul wound with him. Whereas the Scouring in the books is a commentary on how there is no going back as a society, that war leaves its mark on everyone and everything, and the final fight isn't for the whole world but for the places and people nearest and dearest to you.
The Scouring would still have been a great ending to the movies though. You can't imagine it now, but had it been like that, You would see it. It would be similarly epic as the final London fight in Spectre.
Man you had me crying. I think everyone can relate to what you're talking about here, and it's definitely the task which is most difficult. How do you know what to do? How do you know what decision you make is going to be the right one? How can you tell the outcome with the decisions you make? Can you ever really be certain? That uncertainty, at least to me, is paralyzing. It makes me envious of the heroes call, the moment where you are forced into the decision, because without that, the hero never would have made that decision. Frodo would never have left the Shire had Gandalf not urged him too, Bilbo never left either, had Gandalf not forced him too. And when they began their trip, they didn't know what choices were the best to make. How are we to ever know what we should do for the future, "for not even the wisest can see all ends." Just like the hardest part of writing the story is the beginning, the hardest part of starting out lives is where to start, especially when Gandalf can't give you the push you need.
To quote another amazing author "To love the journey is to accept no such end. I have found, through painful experience, that the most important step a person can take is always the next one." I think we all have our own personal heroes call, but I don't think anyone will ever sound it for us. It is your passions and convictions that call you to greatness, not a necessity. “The question,’ she replied, ‘is not whether you will love, hurt, dream, and die. It is what you will love, why you will hurt, when you will dream, and how you will die. This is your choice. You cannot pick the destination, only the path.”
An animated series would be a great medium to go more into depth with a more faithful recreation of the story for the screen. But more than anything I wish more fans of the movies would simply take the time to read the books. They're a far more enriching and rewarding experience as many things are that take time and effort to complete.
It's basically an epilogue, it could have worked fine, but it would have been difficult to write. It could also have been terrible, which would be much easier to write, hence much more likely to be the outcome. I think the exact same applies to including prologues in cinema, but that hasn't stopped them showing up ever more often. It's a risk, but I believe one worth taking. Unfortunately I am not Peter Jackson two decades ago, so somewhat of a moot point.
@@piratewhoisquiet yeah because you’re an Oscar winning screenwriter. And it was NOT an epilogue. In 2 decades I’ve never seen as many asinine comments about LOTR as on this vid.
I just re-read the books for the first time in many years, and had forgotten that Saruman's lackeys had taken out the Party Tree, and that made me really sad. Even when Sam replaced it with the mallorn, perhaps objectively a better tree because it's a fancy pants elf tree, I can't help but think that when the hobbits look at it, their appreciation of said fancy elf tree will be tempered with the memory of the old Party Tree, probably several hundred years old when it was destroyed.
Welp, I'm older than Tim. Good to know. "All of our years are formative." Felt that more than I expected. Aaaaaaaaaaand now I'm crying a bit. I watch the extended LOTR every new year's (not The Hobbit), and as I've moved through various depths/forms of treatment-resistant depression, the movies feel different based on where the pain is every year. But it does feel worth it, to keep going. There's all of the pain, but I feel very much like Arwen thus far in 2021, I think. There will be pain, but there will also be joy. I am grateful to this community for being part of the joy. I really like the idea of treating the land as an equal not a dependent. Maybe if it's a corporation the US would be more respectful... new project to look into for sure.
IDK what you mean by "Maybe if it's a corporation the US would be more respectful", but if you let the US government do something like this it would just end up another pawn for someone's political agenda. So in other words, I agree a corporation or non-profit would be a great idea to actually get something done in the US.
@@rosswalenciak3739 TLDR, yep It was largely a comment on the mess of "corporations are people"🤷♀️ The whole thing's a mess. The US isn't great about respecting reservations, for example, but corporations get the shenanigans in their favor.... I'm doing some exploring in that direction now.
The repetition here is so well done and so necessary.. It took me until the third repetition to actually start thinking more deeply about what you were saying
The Scouring is my favorite part of the entire LotR novels. Specifically because of how it shows just how far the hobbits have grown from where they started. It shows how far Saruman has fallen from where he started. The scars of war, abuse and exploitation never truly heal or can be reversed to what they were before. It's an incredibly beautifully heart wrenching chapter that is the most real in all of Tolkien's works.
After the epicness of what came before, and how definitive the final defeat of Sauron is, the Scouring in the film would just feel weak, like an out of place epilogue.
Amazing video again! I'm addicted to the relaxing and deeply philosophical content you're producing. I always have time to sit down and watch these kinds of exposés!
This video had me in tears…Thank you Tim for such a beautiful video. Thank you for opening up, I know what you said truly resonated. I’m 25 too and I feel so guilty for not having my life together. But this video made me think of my life in a totally new way.
”I'm 25 now." I realize your tone in saying this was more like "damn, I'm old" but when you said it my thought was "he's just as old as me?" Kinda of a reminder to get my act together. Because while we're the same age, you've done so much with your life while I, a 25yo who has yet to finish college in a 3rd world country where even Starbucks baristas need college degrees, feel like I'm just wasting my life. I didn't intend for this to spread negativity. Just kind of a somber reminder to myself.
Remember that everyone has different opportunities and challenges. Comparing yourself to others is one of the worst things social media encourages, and it's always zero-sum. You will always come away feeling worse than everyone else because you don't see the things others don't show.
I'm 26 and been shelter most my life..I didn't start learning more about the world til I was 25 cause personal family issues..but I'm still learning and I think that all we can do as long as we learn form our mistakes and just grow and learn..Idk that's just what I think and gone through some wish you all the best in your lives tho no matter the age.🌺🌸
25-year old getting all "damn, I'm old now" or "I'm behind" is always kind of adorable (and common). Don't fret, you've only just reached the age where you have memories outside of being a child or teenager, but that's not a reason to panic. With a bit of care and luck you have another 50 to 'get your act together', whatever that means to you. If you want, give Baz Luhrman's song "Sunscreen" a listen. It's basically an elderly man giving a speech set to music. You would have been a preschooler when it came out, but now some of what it says could be good for you to hear.
Tolkien saw what the Industrialization of Great Britain did to his country, he survived the trenches of WWI. The Scouring of the Shire is more about his life experiences than everything else he wrote. It was Tolkien at his rawest, and I think why Tolkien considered it one of the most important parts of the Lord of the Rings, at least in one interview I read.
Tolkien was a master of Anglo Saxon cultural history, he always said that if the Saxons had embraced cavalry instead of being a purely infantry culture the history of 1066 would have been so different. His creation of the Rohirrim was his 'What if' answer to the destruction of his beloved Anglo Saxon world!
I ran away once, trying to escape the abuse I'd suffered in childhood. 5000kms to a city in the desert, filled with all sorts of venomous creatures, all out to kill you -- and then there was the wildlife! Gratefully, I have escaped Australia now, and come back to the cool green hills of Aotearoa. I haven't gone back to my hometown or district yet. I don't know if I ever will. That place belongs in the past. Instead, I came down to Dunedin. There's a university here where I might build myself a future.
I admire how you connected with the Scarring of the Shire with your own personal experiences. It was very insightful and well-thought-out. I appreciate these videos you make. They help me understand certain subjects that I could use for my own writing.
Appropriate timing for this video to come out on the back of discovering the American bumblebee is extinct in 8 states and 99% gone in mine. Very sobering.
I went and looked up an article about this when I saw your comment, thinking "I wonder what states they are, there's still tons of them in my state" My state is on the list of 8 where they are supposedly extinct. I literally see them everywhere that there are flowers all summer long. I have no doubt that they're dying off, I mean, what isn't? But it sure looks like they didn't do their research very well if they think that bumblebees are gone from my state.
@@KellithV There is a difference between honeybees and bumblebees. Honeybees, which are the smaller ones humans use for honey and such, are still around. The larger and fuzzier bumblebees, however, are more solitary and are the bees which are currently under extreme danger. Are you sure you didn't see honeybees instead of American bumblebees?
I read the Trilogy as soon as I saw the first movie and tried to get my hands on as many of his books as I could. I managed to have an almost complete collection. Years later, when the 3rd movie was finally in cinemas, I heard "Into the West" for the first time. Knowing what I knew of the 3rd book and the Silmarillion, I had to restrain myself from crying too much as it was in public. The fate of the elves on Arda, the death of Aragorn and Arwen, Sam Gimli and Legolas sailing for Valinor, and I still don't know what happened to Elladan and Elrohir - did they follow Elrond or did they stay? It was very bittersweet ending for me.
I'm a writer and when I turned 20 (about to turn 25 now), I realized many of the Heroes I watched or read about are now Mentors. Aang had been reincarnated and many people from ATLA were mentoring Korra. Luke was now an older Jedi Master who was meant to train Rey. I realized that meant that in theory, me and my generation were the new "Heroes" and it was time to begin our Journey...I think about that alot. and I do my best to learn from the world each and every day.
@@elgatochurro It really is though, isn't it? Even with all of those heroes mentoring her, she ends up destroying what was left in her care and unable to accomplish anything.
@@mylesleggette4539 yeah, she's a failure of a hero, a decent person, and utterly irredeemable... At no point does she deserve any kindness respect nor sacrifice or gift given to her
As much as people, including myself, like to make fun of Naruto, it is a show that exemplifies the idea of yesterday's heroes stepping aside to become mentors. Kakashi, Asuma, and the Sanin are great examples of this, as each passes on their will for the future to the next generation as they rise to the new challenges their world faces.
Thank you for this! I think Tolkein did such a great job making you feel like Frodo does by the end of the book. The sense of loss and how even though you're home, it doesn't feel the same anymore. That's the irony of defeating evil, it still affects you afterwards.
Im 28 and I can tell you, I have found that you think you found yourself and so on, you discover later you can do it all again. Again a great video tuching on how deep and complex Tolkien's work is. This is also why it so misunderstood by modern progressives, interpretors and movie/game makers.
Yep, constantly rediscovering yourself and changing as a person is something I kept thinking about when watching the video. I'm old enough (going into my middle age) now where the constant existential dread of various made up anniversaries and where age and eras just don't mean as much, if anything and yet young enough to know that there will be far more revelations in my future. Also age isn't important, experience is, some get it at a very young age much to their detriment, and some never gain it, much to ours.
@@KyleNordstrom sometimes I think people for one reason or another can't find or dont want to be content and happy ether, with what they have achieved and what they have. They dont or cant enjoy the little pretty and simple things. They all want to be famous and like rich people do absurde things because they can't find anything else better to do. I wonder where we went wrong as a society. I believe people should grow more gardens, do more sports and have families. And just get to terms that nothing is forever, other then "a line of life" from those who survive to have kids. As in ther has been a line since begining of life to all of us living, for 3,8 billion years.
25 and you've learned so much. This is just the beginning, my friend. Imagine what you will learn in the next 25 years. FYI I will turn 40 this month and I am still struggling to get myself together, so kudos for all your accomplishments. Looking forward to seeing what you do from here.
I’m going to be 25 in a month. This channel has been a source of great joy to me. An Avenue for seeing another’s thoughts on some of my favourite media (particularly ATLA). You inspired me to consider exploring writing and your book on writing is a joy. You have been a mentor to others already and will continue as you share your own well digested learning.
Thanks, Tim. I enjoy how emotionally vulnerable you can be in your videos. I've battled with depression, and I'm 25. I also find myself grappling with what I've learned about the world and what I want to do about it.
This is one of your most 'felt' videos. In lack of a better word for it. It struck a totally different chord in Me than your videos normally do. And it was a good one! If I wasn't already subscribed, now I would be. :)
Thank you for this wonderful Essay. I love your lord of the rings content and how you bring out the less explored themes. Thank you for making me think and making me cry
I turned 26 a few weeks ago and my life is exactly nothing like I thought it would be and I've been struggling with this, but your videos (particularly LotR ones) help me reconcile a lot of issues i have by reminding me of core Tolkien philosophies ❤️
Lots of wisdom in this one. Thanks to Tolkien for putting so much heart and sincerity into a story for the generations to experience, and thanks to Tim for sharing your journey and what you've learned and struggled with along the way. Keep going, my friend; you're hitting home with this work.
I have become a huge fan of your videos of late and this one is the most powerful yet. My son is 24. I sent it to him because I believe it will inspire him. I am 46 and have seen so, so much. And I still feel like I'm waiting to come of age.
What a beautiful message! Reminded me of one of my favorite Stanley Kubrick quotes: "Children, of course, begin life with an untarnished sense of wonder, a capacity to experience total joy at something as simple as the greenness of a leaf; but as they grow older, the awareness of death and decay begins to impinge on their consciousness and subtly erode their joie de vivre, their idealism - and their assumption of immortality. As a child matures, he sees death and pain everywhere about him, and begins to lose faith in the ultimate goodness of man. But, if he’s reasonably strong - and lucky - he can emerge from this twilight of the soul into a rebirth of life’s elan. Both because of and in spite of his awareness of the meaninglessness of life, he can forge a fresh sense of purpose and affirmation. He may not recapture the same pure sense of wonder he was born with, but he can shape something far more enduring and sustaining. The most terrifying fact about the universe is not that it is hostile but that it is indifferent; but if we can come to terms with this indifference and accept the challenges of life within the boundaries of death - however mutable man may be able to make them - our existence as a species can have genuine meaning and fulfillment. However vast the darkness, we must supply our own light."
You can see this concern with industrialization all the way back in the Lost Tales. And this increase in knowledge is one of the risks of rereading a childhood favorite - the difficult aspects are now obvious.
You are 25 now … I am almost 40,¹ and I learn painfully how dependencies and bonds take up resources that could otherwise be used to save the world. And then I think about how I can find the right balance between Homers mother who fought for the planet while leaving her child alone and Homer himself who gave up on his dreams to support his kids and became that father who strangles his son. ¹: When did that happen? This feels kinda unreal …
Tim you have an excellent way with words, the mark of a truly inspired author. You have a lot of wisdom to share even though you are so young. Stay strong Tim. Keep fighting the good fight. Best wishes and thank you for all your beautiful, inspired and inspiring commentary on the themes embedded in the works we all loved and thought we understood.
Yay I'm 25 too! And jokes aside you talked very important topics in this video. Thank you for that. Keep learning, keep growing and keep teaching us, it means a lot
I like how this touches on the core sadness of the Tolkien world in decline, and brings it into something real and relatable. I've always felt a connection to that feeling from the story. It's sad, but it's real, it's there, and it doesn't get expressed much in other media.
Hot-take: Treating bodies of land as legal entities with established rights. This is a lot like the principle of animals rights; in that these do not have to be the same as human rights at all but should establish legal precedent for society to challenge abuses on a class action level. That well there can be established reason to make use of natural resources this doesn't entitle anyone or any collective to commit permanent harm.
Yes this was a discussion and is one, that started at least a few years ago internationally; some animals are sentient and/sapient, and close to or exceeding in some ways, our intelligence, others even if not also have cultures, languages, societies.... And the discussion was, shouldn't they count as people? And have the rights of them? Be subject to the same protections and not to be subject to hunting, their land/environments being destroyed? It was really interesting and something I agree with. The idea of land being respected for itself and for larger balance fits with my personal philosophy I suppose and religion too. I hope it catches on more.
This is a truly awesome and moving video essay - thank you for making it. I love how you wove your own story into it and the repetition of the phrase "I'm 25 and..." The scouring of the Shire is such a powerful part of the book and for many years I've felt that it's not discussed frequently with much depth. I remember how the felled party tree impacted me. I was surprised by how much I cared about its loss - but of course Tolkien had done a great job in making that tree so beautifully represent familiarity, home, celebration, family tradition. You would desperately look forward to seeing it again and celebrating under its branches after suffering and almost dying in a far away land. Also, living in Birmingham, less than a mile from Sarehole Mill, Tolkien's childhood haunt. I feel like the f**ked up spirit of Sharkey and the industrial revolution is still here. I wonder how much Tolkien would have despaired had he lived to see for example the destruction of ancient woodland, countryside and parts of the city to build HS2 (an expensive and absolutely unnecessary high speed rail line between London to Birmingham). There is hope. Various groups within Birmingham are working towards transforming our city: making it more human and actually sustainable. But Sharkey is very much alive here.
I'm fine with then leaving it out of the films. There's something beautiful about book and movie endings. I like the movie ending because it shows that, even with everything that's happened, the Shire remained untouched, and even after all the major battles that the hobbits have taken part in, back the the Shire there still just troublemaking hobbits. The book ending, on the other hand, is also beautiful, showing that the hobbits have grown into leaders of men, and have the power to save the Shire themselves. Both are great, in their own ways.
Happy birthday (belated possibly?) Glad you've found yourself a survivor having made it out of that dark forest. As a survivor myself of that dark place we have to help be lanterns to light yhe path so that others don't get lost in that forest of despair and self destruction. Thank you for all you've done and will do.
As someone who's lived a good bit longer than you, I've loved your analysis of The Scouring and Tolkien's themes. Also, your honesty really resonated with me. I don't think I've ever cried over a TH-cam video before, but I sure got teary-eyed here. And on a more superficial note: god, I miss New Zealand, I miss my second home and my kiwi whanau!
I don't know if you'll see this, and maybe it doesn't mean a lot from one of thousands of people here, but I felt the need to say, Tim, that your videos mean a lot to me. I've been here for quite a while, and I really appreciate the care you put in, the vulnerability you share, the beauty you also draw from stories, the calls to action to make a better world, the writing advice, Supreme Leaders Mishka and Momo, even the rain at the end of videos. So thanks for sharing. I hope you have a wonderful day
This channel is so freaking comforting to me. I´m 24 and struggle with self-harm and MDD and I used to write before I became to exhausted years ago. There´s barely any of me left but this makes me feel like it´s still possible to find and rebuild a new life despite the fact that it isn´t 3am in my timezone right now.
I almost tear up with this, especially with that quote in the end; that's one of my favorite quotes from all time, i feel like it holds so much meaning especially in the times we're living now... Anyways, i really enjoy your vids, they haven't just thought me a lot about how to give a story and it's characters meaning, but also you put so much emotion into it and some of the things you say really stick with me. Please keep this up cause you're doing great 👍🏻
Tim, your channel is one of the places I come to online for truly exceptional content. Your ability to weave together fiction analysis and real-world issues in a coherent video essay is genuinely staggering. I turned 30 last week and I can say I'm still on the journey too, it never ends. Keep doing what you're doing. Maybe see you in AoE4!
Awesome video!! Truly makes me feel how the most pure thing can and will be corrupted by evil eventually. That is, until Frodo and his friends come back to reclaim it!! 💯💯💯
Man, I did not anticipate having to fight back tears watching this video but knowing the brilliance of your work and thoughts I should not be surprised. Aweseome video that stirred something in me which I cannot really put into words but I have feeling will help me tremendously. Thank you!
this is lovely and melancholy. One of the things Tolkien folks on tumblr have been talking about is that one of the major themes of the LOTR is hope vs despair. When we see what we collectively as a species are doing to our world it is easy to sink into despair, but that is always the wrong choice. We cannot defeat Sauron's armies, perhaps we cannot reverse global climate disaster, but we must face them anyway.
This made me cry. The promo patter on the original Ballantine paperbacks read "And in that war, the Third Age of Middle-earth came to an end..." and that always resonated, but The Scouring of the Shire quickly became one of my favorite parts of the book, and many years and around 30 rereads later, it endures as a special treasure. I was heartbroken when I learned PJ had made the conscious decision to omit it (although he was so heavy-handed with so many things, like Aragorn lopping the head off the Mouth of Sauron rather than just posturing in a way that creeped him out), maybe this is a good thing. I had always seen it in light of a good novel having a story-after-the-story as a wind-down, but I really liked your perspective that it's showing-not-telling how the younger Hobbits have come of age (and Sam's sad observation about how little renown Frodo got in his own country). Tolkien's phrasing throughout the book and in the Grey Havens section has always made me feel he understood 1) drug addiction (simultaneously hating and loving the Ring) and 2) the nature of the Prophets of God (someone has to give up all that is good in life that others may enjoy what the Prophet is sacrificing). Have just restarted read-through infinity plus one and was thinking how incomplete the story would seem without that section and how tripe-y PJ's speech for Frodo sounded as the Hobbits transitioned homeward in the movie. Can I just mention (may have missed this) that it was not only the mallorn seed that allowed the revivification of the Shire but the dirt-in-a-box Sam still carried (Galadriel's gift) and used sparingly all over the Shire. Also, I always thought "Scouring" was the process of cleaning up. If Tolkien had called it "The Harrowing of the Shire" (like "The Harrowing of Hell"), this would have referred to the mess Sharkey's Men and a few self-important Hobbits made of the once-beautiful Shire. (And I, too, always miss Tom Bombadil in dramatizations.) I'm also a fantasy author getting a jump start on my series and will check out Campfire! Again, thanks for this. Your analyses are always excellent, but this one really hit home.
Loved this, fantastic video! ...I'm 25 myself, and I realize it's mostly there as a narrative device to build your point around but damn - it's strange to think back, to look forward, about where you are in life, what you've learned, what limits you've found and which are still unknown - and what kind of world you've found yourself in. Sometimes I feel like I've really not come of age at all, but then - if I'm being perfectly honest to myself? I _did_ accrue a quarter-century's worth of experiences. hardly every experience you _could_ make, but more than enough to understand maybe just one thing, or two. Iunno, I'm rambling. I mostly started writing this comment in the hopes that it'd help out the weird, twisted algorithm stuff that governs how youtube creators spread their work. I wish you the best
I love how your videos are both essays and monologues, It's very theatrical and stops content from feeling scripted. Super well done as always, and you're a fellow Kiwi, so that'll forever be a bonus haha
You're far kinder and better hearted than most people. To be honest, this is why I follow your channel. Thank you for being a good person, we need more good people in the world.
Tim this entire video: "I'm 25 now, and I think we done goofed a little too much to fix, let's all be depressed together as we desperately try to fix it!"
While I do agree that the Scouring of the Shire carries a lot of weight to the story in showing that war has far-reaching impact on even the seemingly safest of places, it really would not have worked in the movie.
@@nhmooytis7058 - Well, it wouldn't have worked unless some things were changed substantially. Maybe if Saruman's industry took place in the Shire instead of Isengard, and that's where the Ents went to fight while Merry and Pippin riled up the other hobbits? But that would present its own issues, like how long the travel time would be and whether Isengard itself would still be conquered. I don't know why you insist on simplifying it to Jackson "just didn't wanna do it" in several threads, but you've got to realize it's not that simple. K?
Agreed. Return of the King is already so long, with so many endings... it would have just been too much, imo. The Scouring is very important, but for the films... yeah, I'm glad it was done how it was.
@@patrickramseyart - Yeah, plus at least the point of not seeing home (and the world) the same way again for those who have been IN war (or growing up) is made really well with the post-return to Shire scenes.
I feel as if this work of literature is so profound and has so many levels intended and unintended. There is so much to unpack and its beautiful. There is much displayed so perfectly about human nature, spirituality, philosophy and just universal knowledge and understanding. To me, the Lord of the Rings is the most perfect work of art that I have experienced and engaged with...
Gandalf's comment was also referring in a larger sense to the Dominion of Men. Humans are in charge of the world now with the downfall of Sauron and the departure of the other supernatural beings, the departure of the elves, etc.
This is the ending Jackson doesn't want you talking about!!!! Thank you for a very thoughtful video. Growing up is hard and when you get home and don't have that elixir, that ancient panacea, the lesson learned to heal your home... It hurts worse than I thought it would... BUT maybe in those dark days we're actually in act 4 and the solution is right around the corner.
Ugh, this video is just so good and thoughtful. I don't have anything specific to say, my brain is just flailing at the second, but I wanted to contribute to the engagement, so here!
8:52 is Silver Falls in Oregon, I know that sight anywhere. Of course nature is so important, and I'm glad that is touched on. I've yet to finish the video, but I had to give a shout out to one of my favorite places here in the PNW
interesting, i watched your how to train your dragon vids all the time as a kid, probably around 2015 to 2019 i loved your videos then i grew out of that space. today one of your videos popped up (not this one) i thought "oh i have not watched him in years i must see what he is doing these days", I clicked on your channel link and this video wasthe first one i watched was. it was perfect that it was about growing up exploring the world and coming back and seeing the darkness follow you (literally what i have done with your channel). thanks for all your work i have seen over the years and thanks for every video i will see in the future.
This was a beautiful video and you are so right. Coming of age is like getting a deeper understand. Learning to see and deciding what you do with this. Very good! And I hope you are alright. Hearing what you have dealed with made me worry because I noticed how often I return to your videos and how much I enjoy them and how they help me. So I hope you found help and could help yourself too! I am 33 now and I can tell you. I am fresh of age now and I am stil debating what to do with some things I have learned. You aren't all grown up the moment you hit 18. You aren't with 25.... With 25 your personality just has entered his last level of development. Almost done but not quite. So you will see and learn even more. I understand know why Tolkien decided that Hobbits are of full of age when hitting their thirties.... It had a reason ... a good one.
Honor bright my friend ❤ we learn different things at different times, but always know that you touch so many with every video and you never know how powerful that may be my man ;-) be good brother here's to 25 more and more after that!
Hey man, thanks for sharing your struggle. Every time someone does it the world becomes a more understanding and empathetic place. I hope you're doing okay. I know a lot happened in this 25 years, but let me tell you: there is a lot of time left. You can start anything new today. And don't ever think that you've wasted your time struggling. You learned, if not anything else, at least how does it feel for so many people, and hopefully you're now more empathetic than the average people.
One of my greatest anxieties is the idea that my small home town will one day irrevocably change and I'll find myself a stranger in it. But change is inevitable and I'll have to deal with it someday. It's good to have media that helps process that.
The Scouring was always one of my favorite chapters. It shows how much the four hobbits have grown, and how they show their people how to stand up to evil.
When I was a child, my father built us a house on 34 odd acres of land. I remember playing in the foundations with my older brother before the concrete was poured and later in the forests imagining that the trees were Cerberus and Giants from 'The Hobbit' (several years before the LotR live-action movie was made). Years later, we had to sell the house and land, and several years after that, we went back just to see how it was being taken care of. The changes weren't Shire purge horrible, they put horses, a greenhouse, a large shed on a small-ish part and cut down a few of the trees, but to me, it wasn't right. They changed it, and we hardly touched more than an acre or so. It was wrong. It was then that I understood why we need to care for our land(s). Cutting down a tree is tragic, but it also takes away from what it is to imagine a world that can exist beyond us. I love a lot of what industry give us, my computer for one. But I don't like that the price is an end to parts of us we can't get back as quickly as tearing it up.
I have a question. As we all know the Lord of the Rings movies were filmed in New Zealand, but Norway was also considered. Which makes sense since Norway also has incredible beautiful nature (much of which actually resembles New Zealand) and Norse myths were a huge inspiration for Tolkien. Do you think this would have been more fitting?
This is such a topical, yet beautiful piece; relating your own struggles and the struggles of every person ever to a high fantasy world with elves and gods. Absolutely brilliant and startingly emotionally written. 👍
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📖✍️🌎🔨 All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us. And you can decide to get *On Writing and Worldbuilding Volume II* on December 1st!
~ Tim
Wow
Count me excited for volume 2! We can find out who the killer is from volume 1, lol. Thanks for the video. I've been screaming about the scrounging of the shire since the movies were released. Read the books kids.
The sad part about all the environmental arguments is that they fall on deaf ears. Because the ears that need to hear them don't understand English. They understand Hindi and Mandarin. So most folks in the west are getting sick of being preached at when they know they're doing all they can but the East just laughs and keeps making money.
@@1tether Most folks in the west are not doing what they can. Seriously not.
Here to report the existence of Girlfriend Reviews.
The most impactful part to me about the Scouring was when the first hobbit died. Because.. Hobbits don't do that. In all the media I'd had prior, 6 movies, 3 previous books, no hobbits had been actually killed. They felt safe before.
Well Smeagol killed Deagol,and this is just an example of the early hobbits,so hobbits have definetely killed one another before
@@Elia-fn8jv I think they weren't hobbits. They were called river people.
@@Elia-fn8jv That was from the influence from the ring and is the exception that proves the rule. I haven't read it in awhile but as I remember it, the halflings that Sméagol lived with didn't know what to do with a murderer, there was no trial or punishment because it was so foreign to them, instead he was chased out of the community and the problem was solved that way. Which lead to him living under the Misty Mountains where we meet him in The Hobbit.
@@ookami5329 They are definitely hobbits.
Hobbits do die in the lore. Before the war of the ring, the Shire is struck by plague and famine, raided by wolves and orcs (that Bandarboras Took repelled).... And the Hobbits sent archers to the King of Arthedain to fight against Angmar. Hobbits weren't as innocent, they just had been on a streak of good times by the time of the War of the Ring.
Sam"wise" indeed.
Just re-read The Lord of the Rings a few weeks ago, and the ending hit much harder this time, only a few years after the first.
Reminded me of how the night sky is never visible in the city I currently live in, but the night sky over the farm/village I used to live in (and only visit now) is still almost indescribably beautiful. The colours and the stars amazing to experience (the mosquitoes less so).
Tim, thank you for talking openly about suicide. So many young men struggle silently with this - its so important that people share their own struggles to help others. I have always deeply loved the LotR films, and the end of RotK has also resonated with me personally after my own struggles. I am better, stronger than before, but those old thoughts still linger, like Frodo's wound. They have gone deep, taken hold...and Gandalf's famous line is one of the most powerful and important in all fiction. But Gandalf and Frodo were part of a Fellowship...and we too need to reach out to friends and family when we are struggling.
This comment is every bit as important as the video
To add to this:
Feeling emotion, opening up about pain, crying, and just admitting you aren’t okay are strengths, not weaknesses. It takes strength to show vulnerability.
@@Isometrix116 very true!
"Maybe Treebeard's right. We don't belong here, Merry. It's too big for us. What can we do in the end? We've got the Shire. Maybe we should go home."
"The fires of Isengard will spread. And the woods of Tuckburough and Buckland will burn. And all that was once green and good in this world will be gone....There won't be a Shire, Pippin."
I keep returning to the quote from Treebeard: “Of course, it is likely enough, my friends,' he said slowly, 'likely enough that we are going to our doom: the last march of the Ents. But if we stayed home and did nothing, doom would find us anyway, sooner or later. That thought has long been growing in our hearts; and that is why we are marching now.”
This motivates me every time I resolve to try and help the earth
That scene in the movies where the 4 hobbits look around at all their neighbors who could never understand what they've been through and just wordlessly raise their glasses (before Sam goes and talks to Rosie :3) is one of my favorite scenes in....all of film really. I'm glad we have that instead of the scouring....FOR The movies. As for the narrative of the books, well, tolkein knew what he was about :)
I'm with ya. Both are impactful in their own way, but there’s something about the film's ending that really resonates with me. I'm glad we get to have both.
@@patrickramseyart exactly, like both are perfect for the version of the story they're in
Yeah it's so poignant...the four of them sitting together, solemn and quiet, while everyone else is happy, merry, and oblivious
I do love that scene in the film, it's like they've endured so much and learned so much in order to keep their home safe, and to keep the people they love blissfully innocent to the horrors of the world, and the "there is no going back" is personal, in that Frodo will always carry the Morgul wound with him. Whereas the Scouring in the books is a commentary on how there is no going back as a society, that war leaves its mark on everyone and everything, and the final fight isn't for the whole world but for the places and people nearest and dearest to you.
The Scouring would still have been a great ending to the movies though. You can't imagine it now, but had it been like that, You would see it. It would be similarly epic as the final London fight in Spectre.
Man you had me crying. I think everyone can relate to what you're talking about here, and it's definitely the task which is most difficult. How do you know what to do? How do you know what decision you make is going to be the right one? How can you tell the outcome with the decisions you make? Can you ever really be certain? That uncertainty, at least to me, is paralyzing. It makes me envious of the heroes call, the moment where you are forced into the decision, because without that, the hero never would have made that decision. Frodo would never have left the Shire had Gandalf not urged him too, Bilbo never left either, had Gandalf not forced him too. And when they began their trip, they didn't know what choices were the best to make. How are we to ever know what we should do for the future, "for not even the wisest can see all ends." Just like the hardest part of writing the story is the beginning, the hardest part of starting out lives is where to start, especially when Gandalf can't give you the push you need.
To quote another amazing author "To love the journey is to accept no such end. I have found, through painful experience, that the most important step a person can take is always the next one." I think we all have our own personal heroes call, but I don't think anyone will ever sound it for us. It is your passions and convictions that call you to greatness, not a necessity. “The question,’ she replied, ‘is not whether you will love, hurt, dream, and die. It is what you will love, why you will hurt, when you will dream, and how you will die. This is your choice. You cannot pick the destination, only the path.”
While I'm sad we didn't get to see a live action scouring, the movie would not have worked with it lol
We kind of did. Galadriel’s visions of the future were of the Shire under attack.
Sure it would.
An animated series would be a great medium to go more into depth with a more faithful recreation of the story for the screen.
But more than anything I wish more fans of the movies would simply take the time to read the books. They're a far more enriching and rewarding experience as many things are that take time and effort to complete.
It's basically an epilogue, it could have worked fine, but it would have been difficult to write. It could also have been terrible, which would be much easier to write, hence much more likely to be the outcome. I think the exact same applies to including prologues in cinema, but that hasn't stopped them showing up ever more often. It's a risk, but I believe one worth taking. Unfortunately I am not Peter Jackson two decades ago, so somewhat of a moot point.
@@piratewhoisquiet yeah because you’re an Oscar winning screenwriter. And it was NOT an epilogue. In 2 decades I’ve never seen as many asinine comments about LOTR as on this vid.
I just re-read the books for the first time in many years, and had forgotten that Saruman's lackeys had taken out the Party Tree, and that made me really sad. Even when Sam replaced it with the mallorn, perhaps objectively a better tree because it's a fancy pants elf tree, I can't help but think that when the hobbits look at it, their appreciation of said fancy elf tree will be tempered with the memory of the old Party Tree, probably several hundred years old when it was destroyed.
"I will not say, dont weep. For not all tears are an evil." Beautiful video, great message. Keep it up, Tim. You're still needed out here :)
Welp, I'm older than Tim. Good to know.
"All of our years are formative." Felt that more than I expected.
Aaaaaaaaaaand now I'm crying a bit.
I watch the extended LOTR every new year's (not The Hobbit), and as I've moved through various depths/forms of treatment-resistant depression, the movies feel different based on where the pain is every year. But it does feel worth it, to keep going. There's all of the pain, but I feel very much like Arwen thus far in 2021, I think. There will be pain, but there will also be joy.
I am grateful to this community for being part of the joy.
I really like the idea of treating the land as an equal not a dependent. Maybe if it's a corporation the US would be more respectful... new project to look into for sure.
IDK what you mean by "Maybe if it's a corporation the US would be more respectful", but if you let the US government do something like this it would just end up another pawn for someone's political agenda. So in other words, I agree a corporation or non-profit would be a great idea to actually get something done in the US.
@@rosswalenciak3739
TLDR, yep
It was largely a comment on the mess of "corporations are people"🤷♀️
The whole thing's a mess. The US isn't great about respecting reservations, for example, but corporations get the shenanigans in their favor.... I'm doing some exploring in that direction now.
Yeah, every time he said it, I was thinking "stop bragging, you young thing" 😅😅
(also excellent other points :))
The repetition here is so well done and so necessary.. It took me until the third repetition to actually start thinking more deeply about what you were saying
Yeah, it also took me a few repetitions to realize he was telling us to buy Bitcoin.
"I'm 25 now, and I've learned this."
The Scouring is my favorite part of the entire LotR novels. Specifically because of how it shows just how far the hobbits have grown from where they started. It shows how far Saruman has fallen from where he started. The scars of war, abuse and exploitation never truly heal or can be reversed to what they were before. It's an incredibly beautifully heart wrenching chapter that is the most real in all of Tolkien's works.
After the epicness of what came before, and how definitive the final defeat of Sauron is, the Scouring in the film would just feel weak, like an out of place epilogue.
I agree. It's great for the books, but in the films? The difference in runtime would surely make the Scouring feel quite off, pacing-wise.
Amazing video again!
I'm addicted to the relaxing and deeply philosophical content you're producing. I always have time to sit down and watch these kinds of exposés!
This video had me in tears…Thank you Tim for such a beautiful video. Thank you for opening up, I know what you said truly resonated. I’m 25 too and I feel so guilty for not having my life together. But this video made me think of my life in a totally new way.
”I'm 25 now."
I realize your tone in saying this was more like "damn, I'm old" but when you said it my thought was "he's just as old as me?" Kinda of a reminder to get my act together. Because while we're the same age, you've done so much with your life while I, a 25yo who has yet to finish college in a 3rd world country where even Starbucks baristas need college degrees, feel like I'm just wasting my life.
I didn't intend for this to spread negativity. Just kind of a somber reminder to myself.
Remember that everyone has different opportunities and challenges. Comparing yourself to others is one of the worst things social media encourages, and it's always zero-sum. You will always come away feeling worse than everyone else because you don't see the things others don't show.
I'm 26 and been shelter most my life..I didn't start learning more about the world til I was 25 cause personal family issues..but I'm still learning and I think that all we can do as long as we learn form our mistakes and just grow and learn..Idk that's just what I think and gone through some wish you all the best in your lives tho no matter the age.🌺🌸
"in a 3rd world country where even baristas need college degrees"
Oh, so you're American.
25-year old getting all "damn, I'm old now" or "I'm behind" is always kind of adorable (and common). Don't fret, you've only just reached the age where you have memories outside of being a child or teenager, but that's not a reason to panic. With a bit of care and luck you have another 50 to 'get your act together', whatever that means to you.
If you want, give Baz Luhrman's song "Sunscreen" a listen. It's basically an elderly man giving a speech set to music. You would have been a preschooler when it came out, but now some of what it says could be good for you to hear.
@@havcola6983 I just listened to it it help a bit Thank you 💖idk if I ever hear it when I was little tho but am happy I did now as a young adult 🌸🌺
Tolkien saw what the Industrialization of Great Britain did to his country, he survived the trenches of WWI. The Scouring of the Shire is more about his life experiences than everything else he wrote. It was Tolkien at his rawest, and I think why Tolkien considered it one of the most important parts of the Lord of the Rings, at least in one interview I read.
Tolkien was a master of Anglo Saxon cultural history, he always said that if the Saxons had embraced cavalry instead of being a purely infantry culture the history of 1066 would have been so different. His creation of the Rohirrim was his 'What if' answer to the destruction of his beloved Anglo Saxon world!
I ran away once, trying to escape the abuse I'd suffered in childhood. 5000kms to a city in the desert, filled with all sorts of venomous creatures, all out to kill you -- and then there was the wildlife!
Gratefully, I have escaped Australia now, and come back to the cool green hills of Aotearoa. I haven't gone back to my hometown or district yet. I don't know if I ever will. That place belongs in the past. Instead, I came down to Dunedin. There's a university here where I might build myself a future.
I admire how you connected with the Scarring of the Shire with your own personal experiences. It was very insightful and well-thought-out.
I appreciate these videos you make. They help me understand certain subjects that I could use for my own writing.
Appropriate timing for this video to come out on the back of discovering the American bumblebee is extinct in 8 states and 99% gone in mine. Very sobering.
What? No..... 😭😔
I went and looked up an article about this when I saw your comment, thinking "I wonder what states they are, there's still tons of them in my state"
My state is on the list of 8 where they are supposedly extinct.
I literally see them everywhere that there are flowers all summer long. I have no doubt that they're dying off, I mean, what isn't? But it sure looks like they didn't do their research very well if they think that bumblebees are gone from my state.
@@KellithV There is a difference between honeybees and bumblebees. Honeybees, which are the smaller ones humans use for honey and such, are still around. The larger and fuzzier bumblebees, however, are more solitary and are the bees which are currently under extreme danger. Are you sure you didn't see honeybees instead of American bumblebees?
I read the Trilogy as soon as I saw the first movie and tried to get my hands on as many of his books as I could. I managed to have an almost complete collection.
Years later, when the 3rd movie was finally in cinemas, I heard "Into the West" for the first time. Knowing what I knew of the 3rd book and the Silmarillion, I had to restrain myself from crying too much as it was in public. The fate of the elves on Arda, the death of Aragorn and Arwen, Sam Gimli and Legolas sailing for Valinor, and I still don't know what happened to Elladan and Elrohir - did they follow Elrond or did they stay?
It was very bittersweet ending for me.
I'm a writer and when I turned 20 (about to turn 25 now), I realized many of the Heroes I watched or read about are now Mentors. Aang had been reincarnated and many people from ATLA were mentoring Korra. Luke was now an older Jedi Master who was meant to train Rey. I realized that meant that in theory, me and my generation were the new "Heroes" and it was time to begin our Journey...I think about that alot. and I do my best to learn from the world each and every day.
I think i love that anout tenzin, as much he is a stubbern older guy, he learns as much he has to teach.
Korra is shit
@@elgatochurro It really is though, isn't it? Even with all of those heroes mentoring her, she ends up destroying what was left in her care and unable to accomplish anything.
@@mylesleggette4539 yeah, she's a failure of a hero, a decent person, and utterly irredeemable... At no point does she deserve any kindness respect nor sacrifice or gift given to her
As much as people, including myself, like to make fun of Naruto, it is a show that exemplifies the idea of yesterday's heroes stepping aside to become mentors. Kakashi, Asuma, and the Sanin are great examples of this, as each passes on their will for the future to the next generation as they rise to the new challenges their world faces.
Thank you for this! I think Tolkein did such a great job making you feel like Frodo does by the end of the book. The sense of loss and how even though you're home, it doesn't feel the same anymore. That's the irony of defeating evil, it still affects you afterwards.
Im 28 and I can tell you, I have found that you think you found yourself and so on, you discover later you can do it all again.
Again a great video tuching on how deep and complex Tolkien's work is. This is also why it so misunderstood by modern progressives, interpretors and movie/game makers.
Yep, constantly rediscovering yourself and changing as a person is something I kept thinking about when watching the video. I'm old enough (going into my middle age) now where the constant existential dread of various made up anniversaries and where age and eras just don't mean as much, if anything and yet young enough to know that there will be far more revelations in my future. Also age isn't important, experience is, some get it at a very young age much to their detriment, and some never gain it, much to ours.
@@KyleNordstrom sometimes I think people for one reason or another can't find or dont want to be content and happy ether, with what they have achieved and what they have. They dont or cant enjoy the little pretty and simple things. They all want to be famous and like rich people do absurde things because they can't find anything else better to do. I wonder where we went wrong as a society. I believe people should grow more gardens, do more sports and have families. And just get to terms that nothing is forever, other then "a line of life" from those who survive to have kids. As in ther has been a line since begining of life to all of us living, for 3,8 billion years.
I left the US age 65 alone on a one way ticket to NZ, went to Hawaii, Fiji, Bali too and now am stalled in AU til I can move on to Japan.
25 and you've learned so much. This is just the beginning, my friend. Imagine what you will learn in the next 25 years.
FYI I will turn 40 this month and I am still struggling to get myself together, so kudos for all your accomplishments. Looking forward to seeing what you do from here.
I’m going to be 25 in a month. This channel has been a source of great joy to me. An Avenue for seeing another’s thoughts on some of my favourite media (particularly ATLA).
You inspired me to consider exploring writing and your book on writing is a joy. You have been a mentor to others already and will continue as you share your own well digested learning.
Thanks, Tim. I enjoy how emotionally vulnerable you can be in your videos. I've battled with depression, and I'm 25. I also find myself grappling with what I've learned about the world and what I want to do about it.
This is one of your most 'felt' videos. In lack of a better word for it.
It struck a totally different chord in Me than your videos normally do. And it was a good one!
If I wasn't already subscribed, now I would be. :)
The last few minutes were amazing, made me tear up. One of your best videos by far.
Thank you for this wonderful Essay. I love your lord of the rings content and how you bring out the less explored themes. Thank you for making me think and making me cry
I turned 26 a few weeks ago and my life is exactly nothing like I thought it would be and I've been struggling with this, but your videos (particularly LotR ones) help me reconcile a lot of issues i have by reminding me of core Tolkien philosophies ❤️
Your videos have made me appreciate lotr in a different way and my love of it has grown as a result.
Lots of wisdom in this one. Thanks to Tolkien for putting so much heart and sincerity into a story for the generations to experience, and thanks to Tim for sharing your journey and what you've learned and struggled with along the way. Keep going, my friend; you're hitting home with this work.
I have become a huge fan of your videos of late and this one is the most powerful yet. My son is 24. I sent it to him because I believe it will inspire him. I am 46 and have seen so, so much. And I still feel like I'm waiting to come of age.
What a beautiful message! Reminded me of one of my favorite Stanley Kubrick quotes:
"Children, of course, begin life with an untarnished sense of wonder, a capacity to experience total joy at something as simple as the greenness of a leaf; but as they grow older, the awareness of death and decay begins to impinge on their consciousness and subtly erode their joie de vivre, their idealism - and their assumption of immortality. As a child matures, he sees death and pain everywhere about him, and begins to lose faith in the ultimate goodness of man. But, if he’s reasonably strong - and lucky - he can emerge from this twilight of the soul into a rebirth of life’s elan. Both because of and in spite of his awareness of the meaninglessness of life, he can forge a fresh sense of purpose and affirmation. He may not recapture the same pure sense of wonder he was born with, but he can shape something far more enduring and sustaining. The most terrifying fact about the universe is not that it is hostile but that it is indifferent; but if we can come to terms with this indifference and accept the challenges of life within the boundaries of death - however mutable man may be able to make them - our existence as a species can have genuine meaning and fulfillment. However vast the darkness, we must supply our own light."
i love your videos bro, u give out amazing essays and insight, wish you nothing but the best
"West of Westeros is actually Middle-Earth."
-random TH-cam comment
I saw "Lord of The Rings" in the title and came running
I jumped out of a window
Same lol
Dang, Tim. That was…beautiful and meaningful and profound. Thank you for putting it all out on the table like that.
You can see this concern with industrialization all the way back in the Lost Tales. And this increase in knowledge is one of the risks of rereading a childhood favorite - the difficult aspects are now obvious.
You are 25 now … I am almost 40,¹ and I learn painfully how dependencies and bonds take up resources that could otherwise be used to save the world. And then I think about how I can find the right balance between Homers mother who fought for the planet while leaving her child alone and Homer himself who gave up on his dreams to support his kids and became that father who strangles his son.
¹: When did that happen? This feels kinda unreal …
Tim you have an excellent way with words, the mark of a truly inspired author. You have a lot of wisdom to share even though you are so young. Stay strong Tim. Keep fighting the good fight. Best wishes and thank you for all your beautiful, inspired and inspiring commentary on the themes embedded in the works we all loved and thought we understood.
Yay I'm 25 too! And jokes aside you talked very important topics in this video. Thank you for that. Keep learning, keep growing and keep teaching us, it means a lot
Thank you, Tim. Thank you.
I'm honestly going through similar feelings right now and this video helps a lot.
Thank you.
I like how this touches on the core sadness of the Tolkien world in decline, and brings it into something real and relatable. I've always felt a connection to that feeling from the story. It's sad, but it's real, it's there, and it doesn't get expressed much in other media.
Hot-take: Treating bodies of land as legal entities with established rights.
This is a lot like the principle of animals rights; in that these do not have to be the same as human rights at all but should establish legal precedent for society to challenge abuses on a class action level. That well there can be established reason to make use of natural resources this doesn't entitle anyone or any collective to commit permanent harm.
Yes this was a discussion and is one, that started at least a few years ago internationally; some animals are sentient and/sapient, and close to or exceeding in some ways, our intelligence, others even if not also have cultures, languages, societies.... And the discussion was, shouldn't they count as people? And have the rights of them? Be subject to the same protections and not to be subject to hunting, their land/environments being destroyed? It was really interesting and something I agree with. The idea of land being respected for itself and for larger balance fits with my personal philosophy I suppose and religion too. I hope it catches on more.
This is a truly awesome and moving video essay - thank you for making it. I love how you wove your own story into it and the repetition of the phrase "I'm 25 and..." The scouring of the Shire is such a powerful part of the book and for many years I've felt that it's not discussed frequently with much depth. I remember how the felled party tree impacted me. I was surprised by how much I cared about its loss - but of course Tolkien had done a great job in making that tree so beautifully represent familiarity, home, celebration, family tradition. You would desperately look forward to seeing it again and celebrating under its branches after suffering and almost dying in a far away land. Also, living in Birmingham, less than a mile from Sarehole Mill, Tolkien's childhood haunt. I feel like the f**ked up spirit of Sharkey and the industrial revolution is still here. I wonder how much Tolkien would have despaired had he lived to see for example the destruction of ancient woodland, countryside and parts of the city to build HS2 (an expensive and absolutely unnecessary high speed rail line between London to Birmingham). There is hope. Various groups within Birmingham are working towards transforming our city: making it more human and actually sustainable. But Sharkey is very much alive here.
I'm fine with then leaving it out of the films. There's something beautiful about book and movie endings. I like the movie ending because it shows that, even with everything that's happened, the Shire remained untouched, and even after all the major battles that the hobbits have taken part in, back the the Shire there still just troublemaking hobbits. The book ending, on the other hand, is also beautiful, showing that the hobbits have grown into leaders of men, and have the power to save the Shire themselves. Both are great, in their own ways.
Nope, PJs version is shit
@@martymuller9902 Gotcha, Peter Jackson’s version was Great, glad we agree.
Happy birthday (belated possibly?) Glad you've found yourself a survivor having made it out of that dark forest. As a survivor myself of that dark place we have to help be lanterns to light yhe path so that others don't get lost in that forest of despair and self destruction. Thank you for all you've done and will do.
As someone who's lived a good bit longer than you, I've loved your analysis of The Scouring and Tolkien's themes. Also, your honesty really resonated with me. I don't think I've ever cried over a TH-cam video before, but I sure got teary-eyed here. And on a more superficial note: god, I miss New Zealand, I miss my second home and my kiwi whanau!
This video was amazing. I loved this take on LotR, your connection to your own story and our own world. Just pure TH-cam magic.
I don't know if you'll see this, and maybe it doesn't mean a lot from one of thousands of people here, but I felt the need to say, Tim, that your videos mean a lot to me. I've been here for quite a while, and I really appreciate the care you put in, the vulnerability you share, the beauty you also draw from stories, the calls to action to make a better world, the writing advice, Supreme Leaders Mishka and Momo, even the rain at the end of videos. So thanks for sharing. I hope you have a wonderful day
This channel is so freaking comforting to me. I´m 24 and struggle with self-harm and MDD and I used to write before I became to exhausted years ago. There´s barely any of me left but this makes me feel like it´s still possible to find and rebuild a new life despite the fact that it isn´t 3am in my timezone right now.
You really can bro! And you ought too! You deserve to see yourself as happy as you can be
@@samseloo4962 thank you for that
This is one of (if not the best) video you've done. My heart to you you thoughtful and kind hearted friend 🤗
Besides a self-reflection, this video is a good look into character transformation as applied to ourselves.
Thank you for sharing your experiences. I know how hard it is to learn from our negative experiences. Well done!
I almost tear up with this, especially with that quote in the end; that's one of my favorite quotes from all time, i feel like it holds so much meaning especially in the times we're living now... Anyways, i really enjoy your vids, they haven't just thought me a lot about how to give a story and it's characters meaning, but also you put so much emotion into it and some of the things you say really stick with me. Please keep this up cause you're doing great 👍🏻
Amazing video! loved the personal touch and recognision on ''becoming of age'' type of thing. the phrase in the end, perfect. thank you
Didn't plan on crying this morning. Beautiful video. Thanks 👍😌
Tim, your channel is one of the places I come to online for truly exceptional content. Your ability to weave together fiction analysis and real-world issues in a coherent video essay is genuinely staggering. I turned 30 last week and I can say I'm still on the journey too, it never ends. Keep doing what you're doing.
Maybe see you in AoE4!
You have made many great videos. But this one, this one is your masterpiece. Beautifully done.
Awesome video!!
Truly makes me feel how the most pure thing can and will be corrupted by evil eventually.
That is, until Frodo and his friends come back to reclaim it!! 💯💯💯
Man, I did not anticipate having to fight back tears watching this video but knowing the brilliance of your work and thoughts I should not be surprised. Aweseome video that stirred something in me which I cannot really put into words but I have feeling will help me tremendously. Thank you!
this is lovely and melancholy. One of the things Tolkien folks on tumblr have been talking about is that one of the major themes of the LOTR is hope vs despair. When we see what we collectively as a species are doing to our world it is easy to sink into despair, but that is always the wrong choice. We cannot defeat Sauron's armies, perhaps we cannot reverse global climate disaster, but we must face them anyway.
bro i turned 25 last week stop reminding me of my existentialism
"No hobbits of note were killed."
Sackville-Bagginses: Are we a joke to you?
This made me cry. The promo patter on the original Ballantine paperbacks read "And in that war, the Third Age of Middle-earth came to an end..." and that always resonated, but The Scouring of the Shire quickly became one of my favorite parts of the book, and many years and around 30 rereads later, it endures as a special treasure. I was heartbroken when I learned PJ had made the conscious decision to omit it (although he was so heavy-handed with so many things, like Aragorn lopping the head off the Mouth of Sauron rather than just posturing in a way that creeped him out), maybe this is a good thing. I had always seen it in light of a good novel having a story-after-the-story as a wind-down, but I really liked your perspective that it's showing-not-telling how the younger Hobbits have come of age (and Sam's sad observation about how little renown Frodo got in his own country). Tolkien's phrasing throughout the book and in the Grey Havens section has always made me feel he understood 1) drug addiction (simultaneously hating and loving the Ring) and 2) the nature of the Prophets of God (someone has to give up all that is good in life that others may enjoy what the Prophet is sacrificing). Have just restarted read-through infinity plus one and was thinking how incomplete the story would seem without that section and how tripe-y PJ's speech for Frodo sounded as the Hobbits transitioned homeward in the movie. Can I just mention (may have missed this) that it was not only the mallorn seed that allowed the revivification of the Shire but the dirt-in-a-box Sam still carried (Galadriel's gift) and used sparingly all over the Shire. Also, I always thought "Scouring" was the process of cleaning up. If Tolkien had called it "The Harrowing of the Shire" (like "The Harrowing of Hell"), this would have referred to the mess Sharkey's Men and a few self-important Hobbits made of the once-beautiful Shire. (And I, too, always miss Tom Bombadil in dramatizations.) I'm also a fantasy author getting a jump start on my series and will check out Campfire! Again, thanks for this. Your analyses are always excellent, but this one really hit home.
Loved this, fantastic video!
...I'm 25 myself, and I realize it's mostly there as a narrative device to build your point around but damn - it's strange to think back, to look forward, about where you are in life, what you've learned, what limits you've found and which are still unknown - and what kind of world you've found yourself in.
Sometimes I feel like I've really not come of age at all, but then - if I'm being perfectly honest to myself? I _did_ accrue a quarter-century's worth of experiences. hardly every experience you _could_ make, but more than enough to understand maybe just one thing, or two.
Iunno, I'm rambling. I mostly started writing this comment in the hopes that it'd help out the weird, twisted algorithm stuff that governs how youtube creators spread their work.
I wish you the best
I love how your videos are both essays and monologues, It's very theatrical and stops content from feeling scripted. Super well done as always, and you're a fellow Kiwi, so that'll forever be a bonus haha
You're far kinder and better hearted than most people. To be honest, this is why I follow your channel.
Thank you for being a good person, we need more good people in the world.
Tim this entire video: "I'm 25 now, and I think we done goofed a little too much to fix, let's all be depressed together as we desperately try to fix it!"
i love your videos often because they are just like this one, philosophical and relaxing, meditative and deeply fascinating please keep on doing this!
While I do agree that the Scouring of the Shire carries a lot of weight to the story in showing that war has far-reaching impact on even the seemingly safest of places, it really would not have worked in the movie.
You can’t know that. Jackson said so because he just didn’t wanna do it.
@@nhmooytis7058 - Well, it wouldn't have worked unless some things were changed substantially. Maybe if Saruman's industry took place in the Shire instead of Isengard, and that's where the Ents went to fight while Merry and Pippin riled up the other hobbits? But that would present its own issues, like how long the travel time would be and whether Isengard itself would still be conquered. I don't know why you insist on simplifying it to Jackson "just didn't wanna do it" in several threads, but you've got to realize it's not that simple. K?
Agreed. Return of the King is already so long, with so many endings... it would have just been too much, imo.
The Scouring is very important, but for the films... yeah, I'm glad it was done how it was.
@@patrickramseyart - Yeah, plus at least the point of not seeing home (and the world) the same way again for those who have been IN war (or growing up) is made really well with the post-return to Shire scenes.
@@patrickramseyart ever hear of editing?
This video man, seriously beautiful work. Thank you.
I feel as if this work of literature is so profound and has so many levels intended and unintended. There is so much to unpack and its beautiful. There is much displayed so perfectly about human nature, spirituality, philosophy and just universal knowledge and understanding.
To me, the Lord of the Rings is the most perfect work of art that I have experienced and engaged with...
I love how you end with the most impactful phrase that Gandalf has said
Gandalf's comment was also referring in a larger sense to the Dominion of Men. Humans are in charge of the world now with the downfall of Sauron and the departure of the other supernatural beings,
the departure of the elves, etc.
Stop MAKING ME CRY when I watch your videos!
Another fantastic essay, as always. (:
This is the ending Jackson doesn't want you talking about!!!!
Thank you for a very thoughtful video. Growing up is hard and when you get home and don't have that elixir, that ancient panacea, the lesson learned to heal your home... It hurts worse than I thought it would... BUT maybe in those dark days we're actually in act 4 and the solution is right around the corner.
Ugh, this video is just so good and thoughtful. I don't have anything specific to say, my brain is just flailing at the second, but I wanted to contribute to the engagement, so here!
8:52 is Silver Falls in Oregon, I know that sight anywhere. Of course nature is so important, and I'm glad that is touched on. I've yet to finish the video, but I had to give a shout out to one of my favorite places here in the PNW
interesting, i watched your how to train your dragon vids all the time as a kid, probably around 2015 to 2019 i loved your videos then i grew out of that space. today one of your videos popped up (not this one) i thought "oh i have not watched him in years i must see what he is doing these days", I clicked on your channel link and this video wasthe first one i watched was. it was perfect that it was about growing up exploring the world and coming back and seeing the darkness follow you (literally what i have done with your channel). thanks for all your work i have seen over the years and thanks for every video i will see in the future.
You are a damn good storyteller! I could listen to your analyses all day! Thanks for doing this!
Man, I wasn't expecting this. It was a heartwarming video, relating something I've been thinking about for a while
This was a beautiful video and you are so right. Coming of age is like getting a deeper understand. Learning to see and deciding what you do with this. Very good!
And I hope you are alright. Hearing what you have dealed with made me worry because I noticed how often I return to your videos and how much I enjoy them and how they help me. So I hope you found help and could help yourself too!
I am 33 now and I can tell you. I am fresh of age now and I am stil debating what to do with some things I have learned. You aren't all grown up the moment you hit 18. You aren't with 25.... With 25 your personality just has entered his last level of development. Almost done but not quite. So you will see and learn even more.
I understand know why Tolkien decided that Hobbits are of full of age when hitting their thirties.... It had a reason ... a good one.
I love how you put the themes of LotR into a higher context. This makes the whole piece so much more meaningful.
Honor bright my friend ❤ we learn different things at different times, but always know that you touch so many with every video and you never know how powerful that may be my man ;-) be good brother here's to 25 more and more after that!
Hey man, thanks for sharing your struggle. Every time someone does it the world becomes a more understanding and empathetic place. I hope you're doing okay. I know a lot happened in this 25 years, but let me tell you: there is a lot of time left. You can start anything new today. And don't ever think that you've wasted your time struggling. You learned, if not anything else, at least how does it feel for so many people, and hopefully you're now more empathetic than the average people.
Tim, you're back to your bed again. In fact, better than ever. Thanks for this great, insightful piece
This was a really really beautiful video, thank you for this, I appreciate it
One of my greatest anxieties is the idea that my small home town will one day irrevocably change and I'll find myself a stranger in it. But change is inevitable and I'll have to deal with it someday. It's good to have media that helps process that.
Just remember that you cannot stop change, but you can help direct it, if you wish.
And I was all set to not cry today
You went from giving excellent writing tipps to giving excellent literatur analysis.
The Scouring was always one of my favorite chapters. It shows how much the four hobbits have grown, and how they show their people how to stand up to evil.
When I was a child, my father built us a house on 34 odd acres of land. I remember playing in the foundations with my older brother before the concrete was poured and later in the forests imagining that the trees were Cerberus and Giants from 'The Hobbit' (several years before the LotR live-action movie was made). Years later, we had to sell the house and land, and several years after that, we went back just to see how it was being taken care of. The changes weren't Shire purge horrible, they put horses, a greenhouse, a large shed on a small-ish part and cut down a few of the trees, but to me, it wasn't right. They changed it, and we hardly touched more than an acre or so. It was wrong. It was then that I understood why we need to care for our land(s). Cutting down a tree is tragic, but it also takes away from what it is to imagine a world that can exist beyond us. I love a lot of what industry give us, my computer for one. But I don't like that the price is an end to parts of us we can't get back as quickly as tearing it up.
I have a question. As we all know the Lord of the Rings movies were filmed in New Zealand, but Norway was also considered. Which makes sense since Norway also has incredible beautiful nature (much of which actually resembles New Zealand) and Norse myths were a huge inspiration for Tolkien. Do you think this would have been more fitting?
Thank you for sharing this amazing video!!
You're awesome Tim!!!
This is such a topical, yet beautiful piece; relating your own struggles and the struggles of every person ever to a high fantasy world with elves and gods. Absolutely brilliant and startingly emotionally written. 👍