• Chapter 1
Using Popular Culture as a Mirror:
Order, Justice and Middle Earth
Some orderings of society
are more just than others.
Mordor
The Shire
Rivendell
Justice is usually imperfect.
What the best society looks like depends
on your position and experiences within it.
Unjust domination
Certain segments of
society bear more of
the brunt of the cost
of maintaining the
status quo.
race
class
gender
religion
1. Class system relatively
benign
…still more
Just than
Mordor
2. Class system more
flexible than rigid
hierarchy of Mordor
3. Dependency on
Gondor and others
for protection not
coerced as with
slaves of Sauron
1. Although gendered,
less rigid than
hierarchy of Mordor
…still more
Just than
Mordor
2. Female elves still able
to take active role in
pursuit of own goals
3. Male interpretation of
female’s “best
interests” still better
than Sauron looking
after only his own
interests
The quest for a more Just Order:
• the decision to act
• the decision of
how to act
• the action
The decision to act
The first step in
pursuing a Just Order
is accepting personal
responsibility to take
Just action
The small and unlikely can make the
world a better and safer place
…or worse
The decision of how to act
What constitutes just or
ethical actions?
Different kinds of actions
seem just from different
perspectives
Decisions can be aided
through wise council
The action
What leads to action instead of apathy?
Deciding when to act can be an issue
Collaboration? Or decisive action?
A good leader needs to know when
to do what
…but what if the information is
imperfect?
War can bring about
social change.
The Shire
Rivendell
With either, some structural injustices are
likely to be resolved, but others will remain.