Like ships that pass in the night...

[Neil Ward]

No: HPFGUIDX 8274

I'm a bit disappointed that, of late, the so-called 'shipper' debate has moved away from friendly, good-natured teasing and taken on a rather bristly tone.  Surely, there is no need for that in an enlightened literary discussion group?  

The relationships and potential relationships between the three main characters in the Harry Potter books are, IMO, valid topics for discussion, and although a lot of it ends up filed under "that old chestnut" on my computer I don't agree with the suggestion that it is now just gainsaying between the H/He and R/He camps.  With new people joining all the time we often end up repeating previous discussions and get valuable new input. I've had my mind changed several times by points made in this group. 

I think one of the the main reasons romantic pairings are such an enduring topic here is that there is a *huge* subculture of HP fanfiction dealing with relationships between the characters and, inevitably, some of that has encroached upon this group.  Anyone who has joined our Sunday chats recently will have noticed that shipping and fanfic now feature heavily there (and it goes way beyond H/He and R/He, I can assure you!).  A lot of the 'clique' talk goes over my head, because I've only read a smattering of fanfic, but I either ride it out (and maybe pick up some recommendations on the best fanfics to read), attempt to change the subject or log off.  What I don't do is say "shut up and talk about something else."

Now... let's all join hands and skip around in a circle of friendship: the most important 'ship' of all.

Neil
_____________________________________

Flying-Ford-Anglia

"Ron, full of turkey and cake and with nothing 
mysterious to bother him, fell asleep almost 
as soon as he'd drawn the curtains of his
four-poster."

[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone]



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