Is this the secret to Tolkien's Success?

[Pamela Jo]

https://fb.watch/s1OKjzFycR/

This only exists on FB so yu may not be able to watch it. It's by the author Jason K Pargin. Basically he says one thing successful fantasy movies and books have in common are close male friendships. That at least in the US men who have any closeness are immediately labelled as gay. The emotional range of male characters is limited. They can be wrecked divorced alcoholics, but God forbid they should just want to be held while they cry.

 

[MattScho]

Or, really, in that case, Peter Jackson.
I mean, in the books on finding Frodo in Cirth Ungul, there is that naked hug and a kiss.
Also, this "not allowed to touch unless we're fighting" wasn't at all the case in my world. Hugging was crazy common.

 

[Vagabond Heart]

You ever seen footballers?

 

[Pamela Jo]

You ever seen footballers?

One interpretation is that football is for guys who don't watch fantasy. One thing that does ring true is that incels may be the way they are because they have gone crazy from lack of touch. Maybe if they played football....