How Tolkien's Elves and Men overcome entropy, and live eternally, in very different ways

Over at the Notion Club Papers blog; I discuss how Tolkien draws a contrast between his Elves and Men in terms of how each race interacts with the problem of 'entropy' (change, disease, decay - and death) in the mortal lands of Middle Earth. 

Elves start-out with nearly of the advantages; but redeemed Men (after the time of Jesus Christ - which is considerably subsequent to the events of The Lord of the Rings) end-up with the best situation.