This Is Why You Should Find A Man Who Loves “The Lord Of The Rings”

Breaking news! Not only are you considered far-right if you go to the gym, but now, if you’re a fan of The Lord of the Rings (or any of J.R.R. Tolkien’s extended mythos beyond the very popular movie trilogy by director Peter Jackson), you’re just some far-right extremist. Yes, apparently, liking Tolkien’s work is so conservative-coded that MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow gave a warning about it on television while covering the Republican National Convention earlier this year.

Maddow said it like it’s a bad thing. Her reasoning and the reasoning of many disgruntled leftists alike? Well, many influential people who just so happen to lean right-of-center are huge fans of Tolkien – from Republican Vice Presidential candidate J.D. Vance to his mentor Peter Thiel and many other prominent players in American culture. Vance named his venture capital firm after an elven ring, Narya. Thiel named one of his after the god-like characters the Valar. I could write an entire listicle detailing just how many Tolkien-derived words Thiel and his colleagues have used to name their companies and firms.

But why? Is it all some massive coincidence that conservative-leaning men just so happen to love LOTR? It’s not. LOTR, and Tolkien’s compendium of written words in general, entice intelligent men whose hearts beat for traditional values, nationalism, patriotism, and Christian morality.

Tolkien’s Worldview Left Lasting Marks

Let’s get one thing out of the way. Tolkien didn’t craft Middle Earth with politics in mind. Tolkien wrote, “As for any inner meaning or ‘message,’ it has in the intention of the author none.” Taking 1965 language to 2024, this means he didn’t intentionally inject his personal politics or any contemporary events into his mythos. 

He went on to explain that his prime motive “was the desire of a tale-teller to try his hand at a really long story that would hold the attention of readers, amuse them, delight them, and at times, maybe excite them or deeply move them.”

But fiction doesn’t exist in isolation. All writers and world-builders understand that their unique values inevitably shape their work. While Tolkien didn’t set out to write a series of fantasy novels that would charm Christians for decades to come, he certainly succeeded in doing so. Tolkien was a Christian, and in a letter to Father Robert Murray, Tolkien says, "The Lord of the Rings is of course a fundamentally religious and Catholic work; unconsciously so at first, but consciously in the revision." His faith informed the underlying themes in his books of moral clarity, sacrifice, redemption, and hope in even the darkest times. 

Tolkien was also critical of industrialization and its detrimental impacts on the natural world’s beauty. For instance, Sauron’s destruction of Isengard to usher in a new age starkly contrasts the cozy, wholesome, and perhaps antique environment found in the Shire. Conservative-leaning folk who feel skeptical of modernity’s ugly ills may find solace in Tolkien’s messaging to preserve cultural heritage, values, and natural beauty across generations.

So, does a man you’re sussing out have a hyperfixation on themes found in Tolkien’s work? Unless he’s intellectually dishonest, he’s likely more conservative than liberal by today’s standards. And as we know, conservative men tend to be better marriage material.

The Top Tier Traits of a Tolkien Fan

A man who loves LOTR could be more intelligent than a hater. First of all, Tolkien doesn’t do surface level. You can get a good idea of the LOTR story by watching Peter Jackson’s film trilogy, but the source material is rich. Richer than thick, creamy goat cheese. If a man has dedicated time to reading Tolkien’s original material and understanding the legendarium, he’s probably got a good head on his shoulders.

Think of Tolkien’s mythos like you’d think of Greek or Norse mythology. Most people don’t even have a good grasp of Earth’s history, but Tolkien fans take it upon themselves to learn about his world’s creation and its many ages, races, languages, and events. 

A man who is deeply interested in this world-building style may like other high fantasy, or he has academic levels of interest in mythology or theology. All this to say, if he’s into detail-oriented media rather than much of our modern brain rot, you’ve got a smart cookie.

A man who loves LOTR will want to defend his homeland and loved ones. Fighting for your country and the people who inhabit it is a central theme to Tolkien’s narratives. The men of Rohan, though slightly less advanced than those in Gondor, are proud of their culture and tend to keep to themselves – until Gondor calls for aid, of course. 

And Gondor is arguably one of the most nationalistic regions in Middle Earth, which is why its steward, Denethor, struggles to join in the fight against Sauron. Ultimately, both regions band together to fight for a common goal – as neither “country” could thrive and pass on its culture if Sauron took over – but even while working together, they remain deeply patriotic to their own.

Patriotic men – those who believe in national sovereignty – are better boyfriends and husbands because they’ll prioritize their people (a.k.a. you!) above all else. This is not to say that a patriotic man isn’t charitable or interested in maintaining international peace. Instead, he prioritizes boundaries, national exceptionalism, and cultural identity.

In Tolkien’s legendarium, the One Ring’s corrupting power can easily be seen as a critique of globalist totalitarianism. Gondor, Rohan, the Elves, the Dwarves, the Ents, and many more races in Middle Earth see Sauron as a threat to their homeland and unique identities. It’s pretty hard to read Tolkien’s work and miss that message. So, a man who genuinely loves LOTR will probably lean more nationalistic than those who don’t. 

A man who loves LOTR will also likely have a strong sense of traditional values and morals. As mentioned before, Tolkien’s Christian worldview certainly shines through his fictive work. Several characters often draw Jesus Christ comparisons, from Aragorn to Gandalf to Frodo and more.

Frodo is tasked with bearing the Ring’s burden and embarking on a quest to destroy it. His willingness to suffer for the greater good reflects the Christian virtue of self-sacrifice. Sam places all his faith in Frodo and serves his friend with unwavering loyalty, no matter how dark the road ahead seems. His belief in the ultimate good in the world reflects the Christian theme of perseverance and hope.

“Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens” is a quote actually spoken by Gimli, but it’s a sentiment shared by the Fellowship. Even in moments of significant adversity, Tolkien urges that men should not lose faith and abandon commitments. Sam is one of the best examples of this, as he easily has the least amount of strength in the bunch but manages to battle a giant spider monster and carry Frodo up Mount Doom.

And if a man admires Aragorn, a.k.a. the perfect picture of positive masculinity? He’s probably a keeper. 

“All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost,” is a commonly misquoted piece of poetry, but the quote actually alludes to Aragorn’s development from the rugged Strider to the true King of Gondor. Similar to Christ wandering in the desert for 40 days, readers are introduced to Aragorn as a Ranger, rough around the edges.

Tolkien’s Christian virtues embedded within narratives and character development make them all the more powerful to the reader, and guys who read Tolkien soak up moral and spiritual content within an approachable fantasy framework.

Closing Thoughts

I could muse on and on about all of the powerful messages in Tolkien’s work, like the importance of valuing all life or preserving natural beauty, but I think you get the picture. Perhaps it’s considered far-right for a man to love Tolkien, but in today’s hyper-liberal culture, that’s not such a bad insult to have slung your way. 

Conservative men may embrace more traditional gender roles, which is appealing to many women who aren’t into girlbossery. Conservative men may be a beacon for security in a woman’s life, as he doesn’t deal with career volatility and financial insecurity. Conservative men are appealing to women who want marriage and a family. And, of course, conservative men tend to be more stereotypically masculine in their hobbies and demeanor, demonstrating strength, assertiveness, and ambition, which we know is a total green flag.

So, in our Western culture that demonizes masculinity, you’d do yourself a favor by snagging a man who loves The Lord of the Rings. If we want to preserve our values for future generations, we must do our part to encourage men along a good path. And they’ll reciprocate the love.