The Bunker

Mordor Mystery – Why does the far-right love The Lord Of The Rings?

JD Vance says The Lord Of The Rings shaped his politics. Italy’s Georgia Meloni used to dress as a hobbit and go to right-wing Tolkien meet-ups. Far-right oligarch Peter Thiel named his company after a magic stone from Middle Earth. Why are right-wingers so fascinated by Tolkien? And is their fake, fascist-adjacent vision of a mystic rural paradise dangerous? New York Times columnist and self-declared Tolkien nerd David French explains all to Andrew Harrison.  
 
Read David French’s column The Lord Of The Rings Is Not The Far Right’s Playground. 
 
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Presented by Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Produced by Eliza Davis Beard. Audio production by Tom Taylor. Art by James Parrett. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production 
 
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Your daily need to know on news and politics. Every weekday morning The Bunker cuts through the noise to make sense of what’s really going on, with smart explainers, interviews, fresh perspectives and under-reported stories to rescue you from everyday Punch and Judy news coverage. It’s the only way to start the day. From the producers of Oh God, What Now?
Our regulars include: Gavin Esler • Ros Taylor.• Hannah Fearn • Andrew Harrison • Jacob Jarvis • Emma Kennedy • Rafael Behr • Seth Thévoz.
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The Bunker is a Podmasters production.