Give us an option to turn beards off on females please. ( except dwarfs )

[Elmagor]

Women can't grow beards like the ones in the game in real life. Maybe a couple hairs at most. It's literally impossible without any medical aid. Men wearing dresses is weird, but not impossible.
It's such a non-argument and for some reason it's repeated here all the time.

Bilbo and Frodo already have reputation as weirdo in The Shire, just imagine if they start wearing dress, how other hobbits accept that? Not all people in Gondor accept Aragorn, imagine if he have dark skin

[TesalionLortus]

This is absolutely nonsense. Anyone who wants to criticize the new character update is free to do so in the Reddit sub.
The only thing that isnt allowed is bringing politics or religion into the discussion.
In other words: keep your cultural war out of it.
And that is why so many people prefer to post in the Reddit sub, instead of on this mb of a handful of negativos and whiners.

But I love how you want to silence 56.000 players, because you disagree with the moderation of the Reddit sub.

Yeah, sure, and everything that is a critique or even a slight joke supposed to ridicule the update (without any ill intention towards any group of people in particular) will be shut down because it's immediately considered "religion and politics." Now, that's nonsense. Every player's words that mention lore in the context of the update (and we know what lore entails but that's just lore talk) will, again, be considered controversial "religion and politics" because lore now means cultural war, I bet, according to some of you. Which is again, nonsense. And even if I was to theoretically post a giant "Here is why X about this update" (not that I would, but theoretically) you gotta consider the fear factor - many posts, under which people upvoted some of my comments, disappeared/were closed for comments/had entire moderately intense/or utterly unharmful discussions deleted, so you kinda don't want to lose your account if you're active, so you won't risk it to talk. But that's what reddit means, not just lotro reddit. Silencing people even before there is any actual problem, just because of fear that there will be a problem (at best, or at worst - because of differing views). So just an echo chamber, most of the time, especially regarding any heavy subject and controversy around the game's features. Regarding the update, there were also some players with low activity who came out of their caves to voice their disappointment but of course were met with harsh censorship. (I bet you have no right to voice disappointment if you're inactive because in this context you'll always be considered some troll or part of some imagined coordinated attack, which is crazy).

Mostly, *some* people (who are active there) prefer to post in reddit sub because they're absolute postitivos no matter what and love their peaceful butterflies, with mods who take care to keep the "paradise" even if it means silencing people. Again, most people don't post anything online, maybe just once or twice a year with a question, that's true of reddit as well. There is only a handful of more frequently active posters, the 56 000 number being reflective of everyone who ever joined, not those who are active. It's funny that me being against silencing people is... silencing people? How do you even make that argument and not see the flaw of it? Especially that less harsh moderation would extend to all of those inactive reddit posters with low post count, who are rightfully a part of that reddit. Like, I love reddit for its community but... well, other than list of some wishes for features to implement... it's basically a non-feedback zone in all other areas and regarding any potential blatant flaw of the game. Yes, exactly, because "negativity not allowed" and always downvoted to oblivion, a giant copium space - of a handful of positivos and sycophants, to paraphrase There might be a bit more people who occasionally comment over time and remain active (than what we have here), but sure as hell nowhere near thousands, so a relatively small percentage as well, given the total number of playerbase.

PS: But I'm looking forward to the article-styled posts of the new forum. Where applicable, that might be a good way to drive some engagement between reddit and forum.

[Fadil]

Yeah, sure, and everything that is a critique or even a slight joke supposed to ridicule the update (without any ill intention towards any group of people in particular) will be shut down because it's immediately considered "religion and politics." Now, that's nonsense. Every player's words that mention lore in the context of the update (and we know what lore entails but that's just lore talk) will, again, be considered controversial "religion and politics" because lore now means cultural war, I bet, according to some of you.

Some of you?
Do you ever listen to yourself?

If you dont like Reddit, stay away from there. Just as many people who dont like the forums stay away from the forums.

Just dont ever argue the devs should only listen to the 10 or 20 obsessive posters (like yourself) on these mbs, who represent exactly no one.
And yes your repeated posts arguing exactly that is in effect your attempt to silence everyone, who doesnt see your very limited point of view.

[Twitcheetwitch]

I'm with the first poster, I really don't want to see a "bearded woman" option in the game. Feels like modern social nonsense creeping into my escapist video game, and I really don't want to see that happen.

[TesalionLortus]

If you dont like Reddit, stay away from there. Just as many people who dont like the forums stay away from the forums.

Just dont ever argue the devs should only listen to the 10 or 20 obsessive posters (like yourself) on these mbs, who represent exactly no one.
And yes your repeated posts arguing exactly that is in effect your attempt to silence everyone, who doesnt see your very limited point of view.

I don't need to stay in any one place, just because a certain aspect of reddit is unfortunately what it is, that would be closed minded and tribal behavior. What's wrong with being at different places for different purposes, each with their own pros and cons? Neither reddit nor the forum are pinnacles of it all, and as I said, both combined (their actual activity, not numbers of members) would represent only fraction of player base. I enjoy reddit for its pros and its butterflies, but at the same time I can see its faults too.

I've never said anything like that nor was I advocating for importance of this forum alone so stop throwing false accusations. At best, I said the devs should take into account quality feedback and, recently, I also remember myself saying a lot of people on reddit (not just forum) said X and Y in the aftermath of the release so the devs would be smart if they did Z, which ideally they should have done to begin with, with some foresight. Which I mentioned here precisely because I happened to saw it unfold in real time on that day but as I was saying this, some of the comments/posts already had started to disappear/be more aggressively moderated, unfortunately taking down some of these normal discussions and asks with them. How was that excluding everyone and reddit? If I specifically mentioned what many people on reddit seemed to want (like, say, the missing origins). So, really, you're not making any sense with these accusations and even in the post directly above I expressed a wish for some more intermingling between those two places, which might be a good thing too and certainly better for feedback loop.

[Baggins]

Bilbo and Frodo already have reputation as weirdo in The Shire, just imagine if they start wearing dress, how other hobbits accept that? Not all people in Gondor accept Aragorn, imagine if he have dark skin

Magic The Gathering, were they apparently reimagine him differently in each and every artwork (some dark skinned, some Asian?)…. And lesser extent Animated Aragorn from 70s (Fellowship), YMMV with the latter one. I think Gimli was darker skinned than hobbits in that one too.

But lighter in Return of the King were they gave him a beard…

Forlong was given darker skin in the Lord of the Rings TCG. But it somewhat makes sense based on how his people are described in books. But another card from wizards expansion set made him light, so no consistency there.

[paintpixie]

I have been reading these forums a lot these past few days, and I have to say that I'm surprised over the huge backlash due to adding beards as an option for people who play as females.

I know it's not realistic, but if we got right down to it, unless you are role playing *specifically* as Eowyn, no other female would be adventuring around Middle Earth either. That also wasn't a thing.

I don't see a problem with giving people options, I don't think that means they need to make a way to selectively hide away the cosmetic look of other characters, that's just silly. I haven't seen wandering droves of bearded women in the game, I just don't get it. I think, honestly, that the only reason this is an issue at all is because it reminds people of "political" issues in the real world. But honestly, ask yourselves how long do you legit spend scrutinizing other players in the game?

For me, I honestly think it's dumb. But, it isn't like I have to do it myself. I'm more bothered by the animation glitches and them forcing appearance changes on pre-existing characters.

I like the different skin options, too. Again, if it were "realistic", we wouldn't be able to select females at all for fighting playable characters, and hobbits would be far more exclusive. And with their new up-coming expansion, it makes sense. I hope they even add more skin options for elves because they should be inclusive not only to sex but also to race of real life customers and I wouldn't like to be limited to a skin tone that wasn't like mine, any more than I'd want to play as a man if I had the option to be a female character.

I know it gets into slippery-slope territory, where it starts to suggest that anything goes, but I am genuinely surprised by the amount of backlash that this is getting, that's all.

(And I KNOW my opinion will annoy people. I'm not going to argue over it. I'm just putting it out there to add to the voices who are speaking their opinions.)

[Pontin_Finnberry]

Dumb suggestion for an option to turn off beards so you cannot see it.

Also I gotta ask are there any other big named MMOs that have this? i mean Beards for Females on Human/man race. I've tried out a few MMOs before don't remember seeing such option.

[TesalionLortus]

and I wouldn't like to be limited to a skin tone that wasn't like mine, any more than I'd want to play as a man if I had the option to be a female character

That's the thing right there. Some players (or perhaps a lot of them, not just some) like to be limited and immerse themselves with some meaningful limited choices based on the setting (rather than anything goes). Not all players want to make their perfect sim based on IRL. Some want to roleplay. And seriously, I'm pretty sure the world won't collapse and it doesn't diminish anyone's experience just because Bayek in AC Origins can't be customized to be white. Same goes for gender - I don't always pick my gender in games, and if I'm limited to gender other than my own I don't feel like I would have preferred my own, I let the story/setting guide me.

Anyway, personally I don't mind, even the beards - sounds silly but... ok, whatever. As long as... they remove the beards from randomization (already checked!), add origins and more options, especially those that are jarringly missing but had been asked for by players over the years. Then fine, makes sense.

[Baggins]

I have been reading these forums a lot these past few days, and I have to say that I'm surprised over the huge backlash due to adding beards as an option for people who play as females.

I know it's not realistic, but if we got right down to it, unless you are role playing *specifically* as Eowyn, no other female would be adventuring around Middle Earth either. That also wasn't a thing.

I don't see a problem with giving people options, I don't think that means they need to make a way to selectively hide away the cosmetic look of other characters, that's just silly. I haven't seen wandering droves of bearded women in the game, I just don't get it. I think, honestly, that the only reason this is an issue at all is because it reminds people of "political" issues in the real world. But honestly, ask yourselves how long do you legit spend scrutinizing other players in the game?

For me, I honestly think it's dumb. But, it isn't like I have to do it myself. I'm more bothered by the animation glitches and them forcing appearance changes on pre-existing characters.

I like the different skin options, too. Again, if it were "realistic", we wouldn't be able to select females at all for fighting playable characters, and hobbits would be far more exclusive. And with their new up-coming expansion, it makes sense. I hope they even add more skin options for elves because they should be inclusive not only to sex but also to race of real life customers and I wouldn't like to be limited to a skin tone that wasn't like mine, any more than I'd want to play as a man if I had the option to be a female character.

I know it gets into slippery-slope territory, where it starts to suggest that anything goes, but I am genuinely surprised by the amount of backlash that this is getting, that's all.

(And I KNOW my opinion will annoy people. I'm not going to argue over it. I'm just putting it out there to add to the voices who are speaking their opinions.)

Technically storyline wise all characters are essentially the “only” character adventuring storyline wise (with the rare exception of “bring some friends to do fellowship/group/raid for major and events). So ya as far as the ingame story is concerned there might be some occasional Eowyn type characters but not hundreds of adventures running around. Where there this breaks down is npc guards can spawn as women, yet quests lore still tends to point to this being extremely rare situations. Eowyns storyline as being rare remains intact when you do her quest lines. Some cultures have their exceptions too, but usually culture that existed outside of the books, not part of the free peoples.

Game is pretty clear not a lot of hobbits, beornings, elves, dwarves, etc are leaving their homelands to go on adventures. To maintain their rareness like in books.

[Silmelin]

But honestly, ask yourselves how long do you legit spend scrutinizing other players in the game?

I have spent a lot of time zoomed in on people in game but that's because I enjoy drawing my friends' characters, and I'm happy about the added variation I used to be able to go "that guy has head 5 and mouth 1" but now they all seem to have different faces from each other and I can't tell anymore

Last update they took away the "eyeshadow" options for guys and made us look middle-aged and rough, while the women could still have those "eyeshadow" options and look young and beautiful, which was very unfair. If they have now decided to even the field and let everyone enjoy all parts of their avatar work, then that is a good thing to me Let me make male characters that are elegant and beautiful, and let women have an option to pick what kind of hair growth they want to have. Live and let live, I say

[Baggins]

I have spent a lot of time zoomed in on people in game but that's because I enjoy drawing my friends' characters, and I'm happy about the added variation I used to be able to go "that guy has head 5 and mouth 1" but now they all seem to have different faces from each other and I can't tell anymore

Last update they took away the "eyeshadow" options for guys and made us look middle-aged and rough, while the women could still have those "eyeshadow" options and look young and beautiful, which was very unfair. If they have now decided to even the field and let everyone enjoy all parts of their avatar work, then that is a good thing to me Let me make male characters that are elegant and beautiful, and let women have an option to pick what kind of hair growth they want to have. Live and let live, I say

One thing I can say having an option to turn off women beards as a menu option shouldn’t bother anyone anyways either because no one would know if someone had it turned off or on in first place. It would be individual personal choice.

To make it egalitarian they could have a second toggle to turn off beards on male men too. For people who want to see all men as smooth faced.

[Fadil]

I don't need to stay in any one place, just because a certain aspect of reddit is unfortunately what it is, that would be closed minded and tribal behavior. What's wrong with being at different places for different purposes, each with their own pros and cons? Neither reddit nor the forum are pinnacles of it all, and as I said, both combined (their actual activity, not numbers of members) would represent only fraction of player base. I enjoy reddit for its pros and its butterflies, but at the same time I can see its faults too.

I've never said anything like that nor was I advocating for importance of this forum alone so stop throwing false accusations. At best, I said the devs should take into account quality feedback and, recently, I also remember myself saying a lot of people on reddit (not just forum) said X and Y in the aftermath of the release so the devs would be smart if they did Z, which ideally they should have done to begin with, with some foresight. Which I mentioned here precisely because I happened to saw it unfold in real time on that day but as I was saying this, some of the comments/posts already had started to disappear/be more aggressively moderated, unfortunately taking down some of these normal discussions and asks with them. How was that excluding everyone and reddit? If I specifically mentioned what many people on reddit seemed to want (like, say, the missing origins). So, really, you're not making any sense with these accusations and even in the post directly above I expressed a wish for some more intermingling between those two places, which might be a good thing too and certainly better for feedback loop.

You weren't advocating for the importance of this forum alone, when you literally posted that the devs shouldn't listen to people on "a certain renown discord server" and that they can't trust the Reddit sub?

"They should go to and actually listen to some visually attentive people for such feedback and those who love to immerse themselves in the world they created - those who actually care about such things to a bigger extent. Seems like that would be the forum and reddit (and yet they can't trust reddit, because yes, things are disappearing from there and people silenced either for a few days or perma banned if they made some slight missteps, because mods gonna protect their peaceful screenshoty place of butterflies and the venue for answering random questions, the only place reddit is really good for in the end - I myself had contributed a lot of appreciated screenshots or helped other players, but make a slight misstep, try to defend other player who is being attacked by someone, be reported by the attacker and you might just be gone, puff, just because the mods like certain opinions better. I'm still fine but who knows for how long given the current situation, saw many people disappear)."

Again: because you disapprove with the moderation, the devs shouldnt trust Reddit.
Guess what? The moderation in the Reddit sub is pretty damn good. You can post any criticism you want, as long as you leave insults, politics and religion out of it.

Just as the rules on this forum states btw:
"We are a Politics and Religion-free zone. That also includes political language and discussions that amount to political or religious debates."

[Baggins]

Fun fact there is an Ignore option on forums that makes people invisible to you. They should have that ingame too. I know there is an ignore option in game but I think you can still see people I think. But if they made them invisible people could hide anyone for any reason.

[Mund]

Some people really need to regain perspective. Flipping out over some customization option you probably won't ever see is just silly.

The funny thing is, I would bet money that option is there just because of some technical issue, like it was just easier to leave it there than take it out, and it's not actually the woke transgender boogeyman coming to torment you.

[Feldanor]

Why does this post exist? If you won't want a beard in your female character, don't have a beard... If it bothers you just grow up. It's such a non thing to most ppl, but to the few that this is important to it'll mean a lot.

[elvenes]

Why does this post exist? If you won't want a beard in your female character, don't have a beard... If it bothers you just grow up. It's such a non thing to most ppl, but to the few that this is important to it'll mean a lot.

so much this. finally someone else with reason around here

[Amarthwen]

Why does this post exist? If you won't want a beard in your female character, don't have a beard... If it bothers you just grow up. It's such a non thing to most ppl, but to the few that this is important to it'll mean a lot.

You don't understand.
If you will create female character with beard, we will see. And we are ready to pay for option not to see beard of YOUR female character in OUR monitors.
Not long ago we had an option not to see avatar update visible for all characters. At the same time you could see them in new design.

[paintpixie]

Sorry, but that's not right: the Rohirrim plainly had 'shield-maiden' as a pre-existing concept; it's a cultural thing (borrowed from real-world epic sagas) that goes along with their 'Germaniic' styling...

You aren't sorry. You love arguing that everybody has to have the exact same opinion as you do. You're wrong too, though, and I will explain why:

People interpret stories differently. I have my own evidence for my opinion, as you have yours.

I will give you one such example, and I will leave it at that because I have better things to do today than argue opinions and interpretations which are open to each individual. You can bring up your evidence (from real life history, outside the story by the way), and I can bring up mine, and nothing will change. It's a waste of time. And I know you enjoy it, but I do not.

My evidence is this: In Lord of the Rings, when they find Eowyn's injured (thought dead) body and are bringing her into the city, a citizen of Gondor remarks with shock that they aided them so that even their women rode to their aid, to which the person from Rohan responds that that is not true, and also that they greatly regret that she is there.

Everything else you have stated is conjecture on your part, just as mine may be conjecture on mine. And conjecture can be neither right nor wrong, ultimately, as it is opinion. I know that will twist you into knots, but I'm not sorry. I disagree with you, I have my own evidence to back it up, and you will not change my mind no matter how many outside sources you use to back up your own opinion and interpretation thereof.

I do appreciate your opinion, and enjoy reading what you have to say about things from time to time, but I still disagree with you in this case, and you will not convince me otherwise, no matter how correct *you* think you are. : P

[Baggins]

My evidence is this: In Lord of the Rings, when they find Eowyn's injured (thought dead) body and are bringing her into the city, a citizen of Gondor remarks with shock that they aided them so that even their women rode to their aid, to which the person from Rohan responds that that is not true, and also that they greatly regret that she is there.

And strangely the game still makes comments like that when you follow Eowyn’s quest line with the game. The game is kinda self-contradictory on that kind of lore.

[Baggins]

Anyone want bicycles? Tolkien once wrote about bicycles in the Shire in an early draft… then he thought better of it because it didn’t fit his world. But maybe we should have bicycles?

“There was a hill some way off with some trees on, pretty thick in parts. Out of the trees shone a light, a reddish comfortable looking light, as it might be a fire or torches twinkling. When they had looked at it, they fell to arguing. Some said ‘no’ and some said ‘yes’. Some said they could but go and see, and any thing was better than little supper less breakfast and wet clothes all night. Others said ‘These parts are none too well known, and too near the mountains. Not even a policeman on a bicycle is ever seen this way; they have rarely heard of the king even; and the less inquisitive you are as you go along the less trouble you are likely to find’”

“Like the Britain of Geoffrey of Monmouth and Aegidius of Ham, Bilbo’s world is full of anachronisms, from policemen on bicycles to mantle clocks; in this The Hobbit resembles works like Dunsany’s ‘The Bird of the Difficult Eye’ and ‘The Long Porter’s Tale’ (both in The Last Book of Wonder [1916]) more than, say, the neo-medieval romances of William Morris.”

“Incongruity has a charm of its own, and the cockney trolls are of a piece with the anachronisms embedded in the text (the policeman on a bicycle in the current chapter is an obvious example, and very Dunsanian). 6”

— The History of the Hobbit: Mr Baggins and Return to Bag-End by J. R. R. Tolkien, John D. Rateliff

[Radhruin_EU]

You aren't sorry. You love arguing that everybody has to have the exact same opinion as you do. You're wrong too, though, and I will explain why:

People interpret stories differently. I have my own evidence for my opinion, as you have yours.

Just because she's the only shield-maiden who goes to Minas Tirith doesn't mean she's the only one in Rohan. There could still be others, for example the daughters of thegns who'd been taught to ride and fight to defend themselves and their hearth and home if need be, but not with any intention of them ever going off to war. It was far from unheard of IRL for women in warrior cultures to be trained like that. (There was also the belief that a strong, fit, capable woman would bear strong sons). Hence what I said, you can't insist that she's absolutely the only one and what you've said isn't evidence for that.

[Baggins]

Shield Maidens job wasn’t to go out and fight in wars but defend and protect the home while men were gone.


Iirc while they existed in epic poems their existence is questioned in reality (or at least were very rare). But since Tolkien took inspiration from epic poetry it make sense they would be included.

Also for the term shield maiden to exist in lore it has to be a common title within the world within Rohan society. But they don’t usually go out and fight, bur defens the home and hearth. Eowyn was supposed to guard the people but she snuck off in disguise.

[Shiluh]

Since lotro did not post my previous comment, or took it down... I will reiterate what I said.

I don't like the update change, I think it will hurt the company greatly. They need to stick to their roots and not get political. Honestly, I don't like the bearded female dwarves either.

[Baggins]

Some interesting comments by Tolkien:




I wonder (if we survive this war) if there will be any niche, even of sufferance, left for reactionary back numbers like me (and you). The bigger things get the smaller and duller or flatter the globe gets. It is getting to be all one blasted little provincial suburb. When they have introduced American sanitation, morale-pep, feminism, and mass production throughout the Near East, Middle East, Far East, U.S.S.R., the Pampas, el Gran Chaco, the Danubian Basin, Equatorial Africa, Hither Further and Inner Mumbo-land, Gondhwanaland, Lhasa, and the villages of darkest Berkshire, how happy we shall be. At any rate it ought to cut down travel. There will be nowhere to go. So people will (I opine) go all the faster. Col. Knox4 says 1/ 8 of the world’s population speaks ‘English’, and that is the biggest language group. If true, damn shame–say I. May the curse of Babel strike all their tongues till they can only say ‘baa baa’. It would mean much the same. I think I shall have to refuse to speak anything but Old Mercian. But seriously: I do find this Americo-cosmopolitanism very terrifying. Qua mind and spirit, and neglecting the piddling fears of timid flesh which does not want to be shot or chopped by brutal and licentious soldiery (German or other), I am not really sure that its victory is going to be so much the better for the world as a whole and in the long run than the victory of——. 5 I don’t suppose letters in are censored. But if they are, or not, I need to you hardly add that them’s the sentiments of a good many folk–and no indication of lack of patriotism. For I love England (not Great Britain and certainly not the British Commonwealth (grr!)), and if I was of military age, I should, I fancy, be grousing away in a fighting service, and willing to go on to the bitter end–always hoping that things may turn out better for England than they look like doing. Somehow I cannot really imagine the fantastic luck (or blessing, one would call it, if one could dimly see why we should be blessed–implying God) that has attended England is running out yet. Chi vincerà? said the Italians (before they got involved poor devils), and answered Stalin. Not altogether right perhaps. Our Cherub above referred to can play a wily hand–one guesses, one hopes, one does not know. . . . . Your own father.”

— The Letters Of J.r.r. Tolkien by J.R.R. Tolkien

…(I should like to add) to veto anything from or influenced by the Disney studios (for all whose works I have a heartfelt loathing). I have seen American illustrations that suggest that excellent things might be produced–only too excellent for their companions. But perhaps you could tell me how long there is before I must produce samples that might hope to satisfy Transatlantic juvenile taste (or its expert connoisseurs)?. . . . Yours sincerely J. R. R. Tolkien 14 To Allen & Unwin”

— The Letters Of J.r.r. Tolkien by J.R.R. Tolkien

…and a very nice young American Officer, New-Englander. I stood the hot-air they let off as long as I could; but when I heard the Yank burbling about ‘Feudalism’ and its results on English class-distinctions and social behaviour, I opened a broadside. The poor #### had not, of course, the very faintest notions about ‘Feudalism’, or history at all–being a chemical engineer. But you can’t knock ‘Feudalism’ out of an American’s head, any more than the ‘Oxford Accent’. He was impressed I think when I said that an Englishman’s relations with porters, butlers, and tradesmen had as much connexion with ‘Feudalism’ as skyscrapers had with Red Indian wigwams, or taking off one’s hat to a lady has with the modern methods of collecting Income Tax; but I am certain he was not convinced. I did however get a dim notion into his head that the ‘Oxford Accent’ (by which he politely told me he meant mine) was not ‘forced’ and ‘put on’, but a natural one learned in the nursery–and was moreover not feudal or aristocratic but a very middle-class bourgeois invention. After I told him that his ‘accent’ sounded to me like English after being wiped over with a dirty sponge, and generally suggested (falsely) to an English observer that, together with American slouch, it indicated a slovenly and ill-disciplined people–well, we got quite friendly. We had some bad coffee in the refreshment room at Snow Hill, and parted.”

— The Letters Of J.r.r. Tolkien by J.R.R. Tolkien


“The Americans are not as a rule at all amenable to criticism or correction…”

— The Letters Of J.r.r. Tolkien by J.R.R. Tolkien

“Not a soil in which the fungus-growth of cults is likely to arise. The horrors of the American scene I will pass over, though they have given me great distress and labour. (They arise in an entirely different mental climate and soil, polluted and impoverished to a degree only paralleled by the lunatic destruction of the physical lands which Americans inhabit.). . . .”

— The Letters Of J.r.r. Tolkien by J.R.R. Tolkien

“But it is the aeroplane of war that is the real villain. And nothing can really amend my grief that you, my best beloved, have any connexion with it. My sentiments are more or less those that Frodo would have had if he discovered some Hobbits learning to ride Nazgûl-birds, ‘for the liberation of the Shire’. Though in this case, as I know nothing about British or American imperialism in the Far East that does not fill me with regret and disgust, I am afraid I am not even supported by a glimmer of patriotism in this remaining war. I would not subscribe a penny to it, let alone a son, were I a free man. It can only benefit America or Russia: prob. the latter. But at least the Americo-Russian War won’t break out for a year yet.”

— The Letters Of J.r.r. Tolkien by J.R.R. Tolkien