[HPforGrownups] Re: Socio Economic data and HP + OT question about American College education.

[Elf and Orc]

No: HPFGUIDX 5144

Greetings;  I think class is an issue in the HP books.  Both in terms of
financial class (all the Draco vs Ron comments) and wizard vs
muggle-born and thus background.  In reading the books I keep wondering
why there isn't (or doesn't seem to be) wizard colleges.  Percy leaving
the equivelant of high school and going straight in to an executive
government position seems strange.  
	I have also heard repeatedly that the internet was another large issue
in the haves vs have nots in the US and it was making the gap wider. 
For me and my friends the internet has become the standard for
communication and information and it is easy to forget how many people
in the US have never even owned a computer.  I think there are two
factors going on though, the first being economic the second the
reluctance to try new things.  I also know several people who could
easily afford a computer and internet service and just haven't.   I
wonder if the later (not trying it) is a function of education.  It is
quite interesting how the internet has also opened up the world.  A few
years ago conversing with others in "far away lands" seemed weird and
now it just seems so normal.    
Tina (BTW I have 2 bachelors and a masters degree)

Susan McGee wrote:
> 
> I think it might be interesting to discuss class issues here
> and how they play out in the HP books, and how they are different
> in the U.S. and the U.K. and anywhere else members are at...
> 
> It WOULD be interesting to know ses status, education status of the
> members of this list. Could someone construct a poll? Add books
> read in a year (BEFORE Harry Potter, since I am not reading too many
> new books because I'm too busy REreading HP). Maybe add: newspapers
> read, magazines read....Someone else interested in this, or should I
> do it, or are we being elitist? Someone would have to construct the
> U.K. and other country equivalent to U.S. bachelor's,
> masters/law/medical, ph.d. etc.
> 
> Computers are still expensive in the U.S. More and more people have
> them. But they are still far more expensive than a VCR. A lot of
> people have email at work, but not a huge amount of time to devote
> to list serves and egroups. In addition, a separate phone line costs
> money, too.  (I'd be interested to hear what others think). Then,
> there is some cost associated with internet access. It adds up.
> Susan
>