Shipper Debates & all other On-Topic Discussions

[Cassandra Claire]

No: HPFGUIDX 8340

--- In HPforGrownups at egroups.com, "Susan McGee" <Schlobin at a...> wrote:
> 
> 
> Penny, I'm having some trouble here distinguishing when you
> are speaking as list owner and when you are speaking as an 
individual 
> on the list.
> 
> Since you are such a strong advocate for H/H/, I think it's 
important 
> that those roles be distinguished.
> 
> I, too, have found many of those who favor H/H very vocal and very 
> dogmatic. I am very vocal and dogmatic on certain issues, as well, 
> but I would be the first to concede that I could definitely be wrong
> about JKR's intentions about romance. What I find mildly hilarious 
> are those who say that even if Ron and Hermione become involved, 
> their relationship will be eventually doomed.....so even if they 
are  proven wrong (the H/Hers) they will be right.

---------------

I think it was pretty clear Penny was speaking as list owner when she 
made that post. (Also, you might want to read her later 
clarification/apology.) All she was saying was that she didn't think 
it was appropriate for people to express boredom with/try to suppress 
any kind of on-topic discussion.

I am afraid that I don't find that the H/H 'ers (so to speak) are any 
more vocal or dogmatic than the R/H ers or even the no-shippers. 
Penny went through the list earlier and numerically speaking, the 
difference in number between the R/H shippers posts and the H/H 
shippers posts is so small as to be meaningless. (4 messages or so.) 
So are we simply saying here that the H/H shippers' posts 
are...longer? I admit to some confusion on that point. 

I rarely post anything here, preferring to lurk, but lately I've 
jumped in with a few H/H posts, less because I'm a die-hard H/H 
shipper (*coughs* D/H!) but mostly because it seemed to me that the 
H/H camp was far, far outnumbered by the R/H camp and I thought I 
would toss my two knutes in. 

I would characterize the stances of both the H/H shippers *and* the 
R/H shippers onlist as fairly inflexible. And I don't, frankly, see 
either side as being more stubborn or intractable than the other. The 
H/H camp tends to dismiss textual items that the R/H camp sees as 
wildly significant (Hermione scowls at Fleur!) The R/H camp does 
exactly the same thing. (The infamous kiss on the cheek at the end of 
GoF!). This does not, in my opinion, mean that the discussions should 
be suppressed or abandoned. The goal of discussion, even between 
those who disagree, is not necessarily to *change* the other person's 
viewpoint. It's not about winning.

Finally, I don't really think any H/H ers have said that should Ron 
and Hermione get together in the canon, their relationship is de 
facto doomed. I think it has been said that should Ron and Hermione 
get together in the canon, they would *hope* it was doomed, so that 
Harry and Hermione could get together later. *grins* Which is their 
business. We all have our hopes for the characters. I hope Draco will 
reform himself. Simon hopes Harry will get together with Hedwig. 
Matter of personal preference, isn't it?

Cassandra