What do the High Elves really think of Men?

[CSteefel]

The thread on "Robbing the Cradle" has me wondering what the Elves (but also Tolkien) really think about the Elves as a race versus Men.

In Appendix A in the Tale of Aragorn and Arwen, Elrond says

But as for Arwen the Fair, Lady of Imladris and of Lorien, Evenstar of her people, she is of lineage greater than yours...She is too far above you...

which contradicts my own earlier comments about Elrond and Elros. One would have thought that Elrond and Elros initially started as equals and the choice of mortality by Elros was not any reflection of his inferiority. Now one could argue of course that the Numenorean race had dwindled considerably--certainly their life span was lessened, and they made some very big mistakes that brought the ruin of Numenor, so perhaps this is what Elrond in mind.

But even in earlier ages, as with Beren and Luthien, one gets the impression that Thingol does not think that Beren is her equal and therefore not worthy of her. But then we see that Beren proves himself by his great deeds, achieving things far beyond what any Elf had achieved (with the exception of Luthien herself) when they manage to wrest the Simaril from Morgoth. And in the final battles of the Third Age, one could argue that Aragorn achieved more than any other, with the possible exception of Gandalf and Frodo. Certainly more than any of the High Elves achieved. So I wonder if this isn't Tolkien supporting the lowly mortals here, perhaps showing that the High Elves were a bit prone to overestimating their own value??

With Elrond, one suspects that he foresaw what Aragorn was going to achieve and regretted primarily the loss of his daughter. Otherwise, one gets the impression that the high Elven women (Arwen, Galadriel, and earlier Luthien) have the clearest sight in this regard, seeing more clearly what these mortals can and will achieve...