Wizarding technology (was: post-schooling)

[Bernadette M. Crumb]

No: HPFGUIDX 38051


----- Original Message -----
From: "adatole" <adatole at yahoo.com>

SNIP
> For post schooling of wizards, I would presume that this
follows the
> other conventions we have seen. Wizards have "locked"
themselves into
> the vaguely medieval world. They don't have an equivalent of a
> television, radio, or even transport beyond something like a
cart.
> (discounting the Ford Anglia, of course).

Actually, they DO have an equivelent to radio:  The WW or
Wizarding Wireless (which is what the radio was called in Britain
back from the beginning, although I don't know if it's called
that anymore today) which was mentioned in GOF.  If they don't
have transport beyond a cart, how on earth did Arthur get the
gang to Kings Cross in "Ministry cars," also in GOF if I'm
recalling correctly? (My daughter has all four books with her at
school...) And the Knight Bus isn't anything like a carriage or
cart... Of course it's not a lot like a regular omnibus on the
inside either! LOL!

I personally see that, eventually, fashions in the WW will change
and they'll be taking more advantage of Muggle technology
(adapted to use magic) simply in order to blend in a bit better
for their own protection.  Driving about in a carriage is going
to get you noticed.  We've got a generation of kids who are
Muggleborn wizards and witches who have been exposed to Muggle
Technology.  There appear to be more Muggleborns coming up than
before, their segment of the population is increasing.  These
kids are going to want to keep the best of the Muggle world along
with the Wizarding World they've been brought into by their
attendence at Hogwarts.  By the time they are in the majority and
the older generations have passed on, I'm sure we'll be seeing
more Wizards driving magically adapted cars than carriages if
they can't use broomstick or apparation or floo. (And how can you
use the Floo Network when most modern (Post WWII) housing doesn't
have fireplaces?)  The transition to the newer technology will be
slower going into the WW because wizards apparently live longer,
and therefore the old styles will be harder to push aside than
they'd be if the older generation were dying off faster.  But
ultimately, I see that the transition will take effect.  Not
necessarily all over the WW, since they still have a LOT of
medieval holdovers built into their society, but there are a lot
of places it can sneak in and once established, it will bloom.

Just my two knuts!
Bernadette

"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art. It has no
survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value
to survival."
-- C.S. Lewis (1898-1963).