#there are many evils behind commercialism and capitalism that you haven't even dreamed of

[simplytolkien]

One last post about Rings of Power. Last defense post anyway. Any other posts about it will just be normal posts from someone enjoying a tv show. Well, this post really isn’t about Rings of Power. It goes beyond that. I never ever intended on being one of those people who paste their opinions all over the internet just because I have them. My first post about RoP was just because I don't know anyone else who is even interested in a Tolkien show, so I just wanted to say something here on my humble Tolkien tumblr to people who would know, maybe have a little dialogue with people who love Tolkien. But geez, the messages are stupid. And oh my word, I should never have scrolled through the Rings of Power tag that one time. People are losing their minds over something that is happening with every other show they watch and love. Look, Amazon isn't MAKING Rings of Power. They are FUNDING Rings of Power.

This is how the entertainment world works, since so many people don't seem to have a clue: A person or people have an idea and would love to make a show or movie. They are usually not the people with the money, and since they need this money to create their project, they approach studios with their pitch as to why this project is a good investment. If all goes well, the studios agree that yes, this is a project people will be interested in and will, therefore, make us a lot of money. If the creators are fortunate and multiple studios are interested in the project, they get to pick the offer they prefer. The studio then gives the creators the money, and the creators take it and make their idea a reality.

That is why every studio invests in every project ever. Period. Because they can make money from it. Amazon is just doing what every other tv or movie production company does. They put in the money but aren't working on the project. The actual people behind the show are doing it because they love Tolkien. Yes, people can quibble about this all they want, but if you want to make a movie or tv show of a book you're not actually legally allowed to use, then you'll find that you have to change some things that you probably don't even really want to change. I am impressed with what they've been able to do NOT being able to use any of Tolkien's books besides LotR and The Hobbit. It's pretty creative. I’ve worked on screenplays for projects I would love to see made purely to the book, and I was shocked at how much harder it was than I thought it would be, even without the limitations of copyrights or the difficulties of stories that span thousands of years.

My first thought when I heard that Amazon was funding this project was, 'Hey, they'll have the budget to hopefully do justice to it.' And who on earth could refuse such a budget when they have the dream to bring Tolkien’s big, rich, lush world to life on the screen? Yeah, they're doing a great job. No, it's not always perfect, but again, there are usually compromises somewhere. Every project has its weak spots, but there are a lot of strengths so far. Off the top of my head, that scene where Míriel has the dream about the destruction of Númenor was awesome. Just incredibly beautiful. Númenor itself is just beautiful. Among other beauties. And I'm looking forward to what is to come. 

Yes, Jeff Bezos is evil. Yes, he is a crazy narcissist completely out of touch with reality. Yes, all of the criticisms about Amazon are real and valid, and I agree. But Amazon isn't doing anything that just about every other company does, even the ones who charge $3000 for a freaking pair of shoes. And Amazon only recently started actually selling their own brand. All these years they’ve simply been a platform where other companies could sell things. All these years the other companies you have shopped from have used these evil production/selling methods while those of us protesting were thrown in the corner as loonies. No, none of these injustices should happen in any society EVER, but it does, and unless all of you 'activists’ are making the huge massive effort and financial investment it would take for an American to NOT rely on companies who exploit workers and destroy the environment and all that really crappy evil stuff (hint: it’s all of them who sell you anything you want unless you’re making your own {but then where do you get your supplies?} or only buy locally-made products {but then where do they get their supplies?} or from small companies who still have ethics. but can you buy locally-made cars or tvs or computers or smartphones or name-brand clothes? no. and do all the companies you buy your stuff from make efforts to have a much more environmentally-friendly fleet of transport vehicles? no.), then you can criticize Amazon all you want, but you're just being a hypocrite sitting there in your name-brand clothes and mainstream personal grooming products with your fancy new cars and electronics watching all the other shows and movies that come out from all the other studios while you eat genetically-modified foods thinking up your next ‘activist’ tumblr post just because Amazon is funding a Tolkien project. Yes, you’re right about Amazon to a point, but follow your arguments all the way to their ends and you’ll realize we’re all part of the bigger problem no matter how much noise you make about one part of it. 

I do subscribe to Amazon. It took me a while to do it, but I finally had to because I had to move to a small town in Texas due to health issues that hit my life like a nuclear bomb, and being an organic vegan who only uses 100% natural (truly 100%, not the marketing crap so many pull), cruelty-free, sustainable products and has to do it on a tiny budget, it is now almost impossible for me to support companies with an ethos I believe in unless I buy online. And because my budget is so small while I rebuild my life, the free shipping without having to spend $50 or more per order to qualify for it helps me massively and saves me enough money to be able to feed a good-quality food to a TNR colony of 40 homeless cats that was starving and reproducing until I stepped in.

I also would prefer to buy, for example, from a company that pays women in disadvantaged countries fair-trade prices to beautifully craft sustainable wooden knitting needles so that they don't have to succumb to prostitution to feed their families rather than go to the only store I have here in town that sells them, Walmart, and buy crap plastic ones that benefit no one. So until the day I can afford options that aren’t evils, I'll weigh all the info and pick the lesser of the evils for my situation and order my knitting needles or whatever from ethical sellers who sell on Amazon. And if I ever find a less evil option that tics all of the boxes I have at the moment, I’ll jump right on it. I live by a mantra from Maya Angelou: ‘I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better.’ Many times in my case I have to change it to ‘I did then what I could afford to do. Now that I can afford better, I do better.’ And I will continue to know better and do better and hopefully afford better until the day I die.

Here is an E.M. Forster quote that sums up my take on it as someone who can’t afford to live 100% according to her ideals at the moment: ‘We cast a shadow on something wherever we stand, and it is no good moving from place to place to save things because the shadow always follows. Choose a place where you won't do harm - yes, choose a place where you won't do very much harm, and stand in it for all you are worth facing the sunshine.’

So again, why all of this has to be said in a post about a tv show is insane. All of the big studios are backed by deep pockets who are evil and corrupt and don't care about you and are invested in companies that would surprise you. If this is your gripe with Rings of Power, you had better cancel your Netflix, Hulu, Disney, etc. subscriptions too! Bezos just has the disgusting arrogance to do it openly and publicly.