Tolkien and Modern Surveillance

This is why we all love Tolkien's "applicability".

He didn't wrought and write a story to pass on a message (he wrote himself he hated allegory with a passion), he wrote down a legend, however false it may be, that can be applied to many situations and... yes, you can even find that.

There is no morale in Tolkien's stories. Tolkien doesn't tell you power is bad, because look, Aragorn get's to be the High King and thousands of liege are rejoicing. Tolkien doesn't say technology is wrong; Gimli is explicitly telling Aragorn he will bring his best people to make the city stronger. Pollution happens and people are killed, but that is something natural : pollution kills. No morale here, just a simple truth, and list of fortunate and unfortunate events.

There are only events, flowing as a true history, that tell us how things may go. And you can make what you want of them.

Including a very good understanding of modern surveillance.

The article however fails to discuss one thing. Surveillance in Tolkien is happening on both sides; and not all information was tickling down on the "Good" side either. (I mean here Gandalf and the old Alliance of Elves, Dwarves and Men)

However, on the "Good" side, their goal wasn't domination, but simply to live as they wished. The war done, Hobbits were left alone; Rohan is still autonomous; Gondor returns to peace; the Northern Wilderness flourishes independent; little Breeland itself stays cool. The Elves left, but that was their own wish.

And, obviously, on the "Good" side, everyone trusted each other because and, ultimately, everyone was worth being a surveillance member. This meant that while the Eye could have been all-Seeing, the "Good" side could filter the load of information to actually get rid of all the noise. It also helps that, since most of what you need to know is the goal of a couple of individuals, you can focus on them.

Thank you, Tolkien.