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8/3/2025, 8:02:36 AM
>>213315529
It's a deconstruction of fantasy. An anti-Tolkien narrative. I would argue there isn't a message; it's more like a manifesto of "See, you stupid milquetoast nerd!? This is how people really are!" Martin based a lot of his work on historical examples but made sure to introduce fantasy character archetypes so he could flip the script and show what would happen to such people in the "real" world.
Sean Bean playing Ned feels like meta-commentary. He's literally Boromir transported into a realistic world, except instead of being tempted by a magical ring, he just got involved in politics. And his mistake was being honest like Boromir.
Martin however, missed the point of fantasy entirely, even if he just wanted to entertain. Fantasy is about constructing moral virtues like Aesop's Fables, not deconstructing them. It's not just escapism but paragons to hold our own selves to, so that we have models to be better. For all of his shit-talking Tolkien, The Fellowship represents the peak of what it means to be healthy-minded and able men who would be a benefit to society. Even clownish Merry still puts in positive work, despite his mistakes and screw-ups.
Meanwhile, all of Martin's men are not only fucked up but when they do grow, they get killed or punished as their reward.
Martin's work boils down to, "You can have morality if you like but be ruthless, because everyone else is." A glaring contradiction that sparks the appeal. Everyone believes they're doing "the right thing" when they're all just being assholes and making things objectively worse for everyone else. No one really "wins" or "loses", it's just pain, loss, suffering, anger, and torment broken up with fleeting victories, ego stroking, and power-climbing.
A nihilist's story of the world. Sad shit when you really look at it. Well written but sad shit.
It's a deconstruction of fantasy. An anti-Tolkien narrative. I would argue there isn't a message; it's more like a manifesto of "See, you stupid milquetoast nerd!? This is how people really are!" Martin based a lot of his work on historical examples but made sure to introduce fantasy character archetypes so he could flip the script and show what would happen to such people in the "real" world.
Sean Bean playing Ned feels like meta-commentary. He's literally Boromir transported into a realistic world, except instead of being tempted by a magical ring, he just got involved in politics. And his mistake was being honest like Boromir.
Martin however, missed the point of fantasy entirely, even if he just wanted to entertain. Fantasy is about constructing moral virtues like Aesop's Fables, not deconstructing them. It's not just escapism but paragons to hold our own selves to, so that we have models to be better. For all of his shit-talking Tolkien, The Fellowship represents the peak of what it means to be healthy-minded and able men who would be a benefit to society. Even clownish Merry still puts in positive work, despite his mistakes and screw-ups.
Meanwhile, all of Martin's men are not only fucked up but when they do grow, they get killed or punished as their reward.
Martin's work boils down to, "You can have morality if you like but be ruthless, because everyone else is." A glaring contradiction that sparks the appeal. Everyone believes they're doing "the right thing" when they're all just being assholes and making things objectively worse for everyone else. No one really "wins" or "loses", it's just pain, loss, suffering, anger, and torment broken up with fleeting victories, ego stroking, and power-climbing.
A nihilist's story of the world. Sad shit when you really look at it. Well written but sad shit.
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