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Part of the appeal of the Lord of the Rings is largely unspoken, it is aesthetic, it is the feeling of being men striving towards great goals among the ruins of greater times. Why would that appeal to us? Perhaps because it is a romantic vision of where we are now.
Every young man who has spent time exploring whatever wilderness he has access to has run across old homesteads, various artifacts of a previous way of life. You walk by banks, bridges, and statues everyday that are not (and often cannot) be built today.
We've all read of men who where greater than anyone we've seen today. If you're healthy, this inspires. When the brokenness of our age overwhelms, you might take refuge in those old stories and histories that surround us. Frodo was fairly learned, I imagine often felt like that.
The sight of a city falling into ruins occupied by people that are alien to it- thats not exactly unfamiliar to many of us. Put aside the lowhanging political/rac1al fruit, I remember seeing graffiti on a marble fountain as a child and wishing it was as simple as kicking orcs out
People don't just enjoy fantasy in of itself, what's really appealing is a fantasy that's close to your actual life in some way, such that the sight of ruined stoneworks in the woods in real life take on a new flavor. That's what makes it resonate.
LOTR is a tale of men in the ruins of greater times, on a sacred quest to claim their future. The beauty of the ruins they live among are obviously greater than those we see day to day, but the symbolism's the same: men among the ruins in the Kali Yuga, striving towards a new age
In conclusion, post some ruins you've found, let's do a ruins thred.
Anon finds a burnt down stamp mill: https://twitter.com/MehrScheiss/status/1524779238557110273
Anon posts some nice ruined fortress art: https://twitter.com/AMonophthalmos/status/1524810709682593796
The appropriately titled "Trad Thoughts" posts some breathtaking abbey ruins in britland. https://twitter.com/trad_thoughts/status/1524821479828889602
My friend posts a sad mini thred on a ruined bunker in the desert, there are countless sites like this across the country, although not all of them have such a morbid history. https://twitter.com/RatUtopian/status/1524819519151251457
Anon links some beautiful Grecian ruins, if this doesn't make you want to take off at a run towards that water, to see what's between those pillars- idk about you. https://twitter.com/alton_griggs/status/1524824123628716033
A post about an abbey with a story as romantic as its ruins https://twitter.com/sheeppatch7891/status/1524827835537424385
A stranger (perhaps named Ceasar, maybe?) has a formidable asian ruin for us https://twitter.com/CaesarMaybe/status/1524836142176161807
Master Desfartes shares the type of modern ruins you're likely to see more of https://twitter.com/rene_desfartes/status/1524881886165848064
A temple with a lot of strange occupants... https://twitter.com/machiavellinist/status/1524880240631242755
The type of quiet ruins you can find in any small country village across the americas (you should visit old graveyards more, they are beautiful) https://twitter.com/P_M_Cu/status/1525093618213609473
Anon posts a formidable Mediterranean fortress, look at that scale... https://twitter.com/Sogard2/status/1524843815693078528
A great Irish steeple... https://twitter.com/AnScarunai/status/1524858880433324032
Senor Chang posts ruins of the Roman empire. https://twitter.com/ElTigreIngles/status/1524862223872663552
Babingley, THAT is a truly dark and wonderful forest...
https://twitter.com/DeathToHarriet/status/1524866100667858962
https://twitter.com/DeathToHarriet/status/1524866100667858962
Continually jealous of europeans easy access to ruined castles, and this is a beauty. https://twitter.com/_MrPlayer_/status/1524904590969393162
... Mr Player has another one for us, I love the brickwork here. https://twitter.com/_MrPlayer_/status/1524905279699275787
This is a sobering one, one we all may recognize. https://twitter.com/CaptainKetchup5/status/1525112774443028482
Abandoned mines count as ruins in my book https://twitter.com/AmorousTenBear/status/1525111689800306691
A temple in Iraq... https://twitter.com/biden4_prison/status/1525123526826422273
Pete shares a whimsical ruined marble factory, be sure to click his post and scroll down to see a bonus pic. https://twitter.com/harrigan_pete/status/1525122368435130368
We used to build proper bridges... https://twitter.com/farragutmrg/status/1525120580638453761
Urban wasteland, those rowhouses used to be beautiful. Hopefully they will be again in time. https://twitter.com/alton_griggs/status/1525126275257483264
Fort Sumter at high tide: https://twitter.com/Laughposting/status/1525129067351224320
Some evocative ruins in germany, I love the rounded natural stone-like form these have taken https://twitter.com/Petrus_Damiani/status/1526646953236471810
East Prussia, what is left of it https://twitter.com/percydanvers/status/1525201643624665088
Some exotic megalithic ruins https://twitter.com/Argo_Muria_/status/1525205205083901952
An abandoned old school skyscraper, always worth finding a way into these places https://twitter.com/6Shot38Special/status/1525247978964783104
I like these type of spaces, especially like here when you find them before the homeless ppl https://twitter.com/tecnomangudai/status/1527040084117266432
Harewood Castle https://twitter.com/leedsuberalles/status/1527603452939063298
Now THAT is a good camping spot (check out the old fireplace!) https://twitter.com/Brennus387/status/1527145768460734465
An american monument! https://twitter.com/MrJack_Torrence/status/1527383114846044161
I can save it https://twitter.com/FeanorSSS/status/1267051370408009731
Do you remember? https://twitter.com/Soylent_Lament/status/1528768754397499392
