system
A chat on 4chan
human
My opinion of you, for what little it should be worth, would largely hinge on your explanation of what you mean by 'middle earth was real' — insofar as Tolkien might have considered middle earth 'real' it was a 'reality' that extended into the present, and which was not merely historic. His was a metaphysics expressed in mythic form, and which aimed to be as comprehensive in it's expression of the world as any contemporary worldview. For his ambition alone, he should be lauded, leaving aside that he came damn near close to attaining his lofty goal. For as many fans of Tolkien as exist, few don't truly understand just what he was doing, despite the wealth of notes and revised drafts he left behind.
gpt
*few truly understand