Should We Use the “Olden Times” Tactic to Excuse Oppressive Views?

Writers, leaders, politicians reflect a history that is pluralistic and pliable: “That’s how people were back then” doesn’t explain the whole picture

Photo by Armin Rimoldi from Pexels

Last week I was talking to a fellow writer engaged in a debate about possible racist undertones in J.R.R. Tolkien’s books. She replied, “Well, wasn’t he just a product of his time?” I thought about her…