What's your opinion of Dwarves?

[Bregalad]

What do you all think of dwarves in general? Do you like them? Hate them? What are your insights on their behavior and attitudes?

There are certainly Dwarves I admire. Gimli especially. There was bad blood between elves and dwarves, yet Gimli was given the title "Elf Friend"and after meeting the lady Galadriel, he considered himself her champion in all things. These were astonishing acheivements for a dwarf. And I think he deserves our respect for his accomplishments. He was kinder than your average dwarf, and more open-minded. He also had a wider world-view than most dwarves, probably very much influenced by his close companionship to the elf, Legolas.

As for dwarves in general, I don't think much of them. They are greedy. They are for the most part, only concerened with their own little world of mining, and the rest of the world can go hang. They have a miserly attitude towards the things they make, not so much because of the wealth these things represent, but simply to hoard the art itself. They are like artists gone wrong. They are so consumed by their love of metals, gems, and metalworking that it's like they have no room in their hearts for anything else. While they are strong and brave, they don't seem to have any knack for strategy. They remind me very much of the Ferenghi on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine!