What's wrong with Hufflepuff?

[Milz]

No: HPFGUIDX 19185



According to the Sorting Hat, the Hufflepuffs are "just", "loyal", 
"true", and hard-workers. These are admirable qualities. So why is 
Hufflepuff regarded as 'de classe'? Hagrid mentioned to Harry that 
some people think they are "duffers". Draco Malfoy acted as though it 
would be the end of the world if he was sorted into Hufflepuff (but 
considering Draco's family background it probably would be 
un-Malfoy-like to be sorted into a House that values among other 
things loyality and justness.) Granted, we haven't read about many 
Hufflepuffs, but Cedric Diggory seemed to be a decent fellow. 

I get the impression that Hufflepuff is considered the "reject" House 
by many characters and many readers. That is, the Sorting Hat dumps 
students who cannot fit into the other three Houses into Hufflepuff.  
Let's assume that the Sorting Hat looks for a student's most 
outstanding quality, then the Hufflepuffs are the *most* just, loyal, 
true and hard-working students in Hogwarts. However, the general 
attitude is still that the Hufflepuffs are somehow 'de classe'. What 
does this say about the magical community (and our own society for 
that matter)? Are the qualities of justness, loyality, and hard-work 
valued less than other qualities or are they considered so commonplace 
that they are overlooked as admirable?

Milz