The danger of turning inward

[jferer]

No: HPFGUIDX 43228

As one of the board Geists, I think we should take a step back from 
the direction of one or two of the threads here. We're drifting off-
topic and into the dangerous territory of debating about debate, and 
it's on the edge of getting personal. I've seen it be the death of 
boards elsewhere.

We're here to discuss the canon of the Harry Potter universe - the 
characters, the plots, our predictions of the future, our 
interpretations of the past. We are *not* here to argue about what 
kind of argument is legitimate, what things are worth discussing, and 
how we should go about making our points.  These sorts of posts 
become more and more abstract until the original debate is completely 
lost, and so is the fun of being here as the members choose between 
the Hatfields and the McCoys (or the Montagues and the Capulets for 
the classicist contingent).

This is Harry Potter for **Grownups**, and that means something. It 
means that

-- we know everyone has the right to their opinion, but not all 
opinions are created equal. If you have something to say, say it, but 
be prepared to defend it. We aspire to having the most sophisticated, 
well-reasoned, thoughtful Harry Potter discussion on the Internet.

--We're all supposed to be friends here. After we pick ourselves off 
the ground, we dust ourselves off and go back into the saloon and 
hoist a few together.

--We know there is room here for everybody. We don't have to read, 
respond to, or be interested in everything here. We just have to make 
room for everyone who's got something to say about Harry Potter canon.

So let's keep our heads firmly in the wizard universe, shall we?

"They who have ears to hear,
Let them hear"