A bittersweet legacy

Let me explain.

Tolkien wrote about the machines that are corrupting people (Saruman and his industry, Sauron in Mordor, but also the Ring itself as a machine to gain more power)

[Selected excerpts from Tolkien's Letter 131 to Milton Waldman, 1951]

That's exactly what AI is all about: the Machine "with destructive and evil effects" and which reduces "to a minimum (or vanishing point) of the gap between the idea or desire and the result or effect".

Of course, back then, Tolkien wasn't talking about gen AI, but about industrialisation at large... but I think that his argument can perfectly apply to gen AI. And if you can't see the similarities, then I can't do anything for you.

Using gen AI to adapt Tolkien's work is not just disrespectful, it's offensive. It's like stepping on his legacy and the points he was trying to explore through his work.

Besides, we all know why Andy Serkis do this: because he wants the P. Jackson's cast to come back, toying with people's nostalgia to better sell his movies. It's pure marketing, manipulating the fanbase's sensible cord to better sell his movie. He isn't creating anything new, he rebrands PJ's work and uses AI to make it fit our times. (I'm not fond of the Rings of Power series, but at it offers something new - even if draws on PJ's work, it's a different, diverse cast, a kinda new proposition based on Tolkien's work).

Tolkien's work focuses on creativity, on the power of imagination and creation. He praises it as a highest type of magic.

Using AI is all but creation.

And don't let me start on Serkis's whitewashing discourse. He made it clear that he didn't want any actor of colour in his movie... which is basic racism.

Not only because there are mentions on brown skins in Tolkien's work, but also (mostly) because this man disregard the importance of inclusivity and representativeness. Middle-earth is a world in which dragons exist... How dare you say the presence of black or brown people would be "unrealistic" in that world??

So I'm going to say it once a for all: Andy Serkis is a racist, an opportunist, and someone who doesn't give a shit about Tolkien's legacy or about inclusivity at large. I don't need more to know where this man stands on the political umbrella.

The Sentence of the Valar

Unfortunately, I haven't actually seen it yet (the publisher sent my copy to my former address 😑), but there's already a short on YT.

El arte y el artista + The art and the artist

Maglor (tormented singer)

Am I doing this because I want to see this freaking ass of a Noldo will react to Astarion?

Am I planning a fanfic about my two favourite high-elves from different plans?

So many questions... too early to answer.

Yep.

And I will commission them as soon as I can.

Please, pay the artists you like if you can afford it. If you can't, share their works. Tell them you love their work. They deserve to know you love what they do.

And to the artists : You are important. Your art is important. If your followers don't commission you, it's not because they don't like your work. We adore what you do.

Galadriel why do you have to make everything so complicated?

Curufin and Celegorm, you are still my problematic favs, but how do I explain your embarrassing behaviours to the proof-reader and publisher?

Oh, and Lúthien, nobody understands how your powers work, that's annoying. Or how and why you fell in love with Beren.

The naming system among the Noldor... How am I supposed to explain that to someone who knows nothing about Noldor?

Time is different in Aman. How different? Do you have tome for a 30 pages essay? Because I don't.

NO you can't use the historic present tense when you talk about Beleriand or Númenor. Because they're gone. For good. MYTHS. Please don't let me start on this, it just feels too weird.

But present tense for Aman. It still exists, period.

Yes, "Hair-commander" is a weird name but don't you dare judge the Eldar for their hair-kink.

It's not inconsequential.