Elon Musk has been criticised after comparing people in small English towns to Tolkien's hobbits and suggesting that immigrants were like orcs threatening their way of life. Speaking on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, the tech entrepreneur said towns in England, Scotland and Ireland resembled the Shire, with residents "protected by hard men on the frontier who keep the evil at bay".
He went on to claim that "if you suddenly drop a million people into a village of 500, it's not gonna stay the Shire for long", and alleged that videos show 200 migrants arriving in small villages in a single day. He also spoke of "horrific stories" of girls being stabbed or raped, saying such things had never happened before "because the Shire has been breached".
The remarks have been condemned by commentators. UK journalist David Yelland said Musk was "clearly talking utter insanity, and this is dangerous". Wired magazine also challenged his references to Middle-earth, noting that Gondor's throne was empty and the kingdom had fallen into disrepair. It added that Tolkien's hobbits thrived "because of their humility and noble earnest virtues", not because of warriors defending them.
The controversy comes as the US Department of Homeland Security posted a Tolkien-themed message on social media urging people to join ICE, quoting Merry Brandybuck. It is worth noting that although some rural areas of England have seen increased migration, no village has experienced an influx of millions of immigrants.
