[HPforGrownups] Seeking: Is it meant to be a good thing?

[Sherry Garfio]

No: HPFGUIDX 48215

Melody wrote:
<SNIP>
> So I wonder, why is it that it is all right for *Harry* to seek, but
> not anyone else?  Why is it that he is being taught it is perfectly
> fine to seek after a single goal so intensely, and yet it is not all
> right for Voldemort or Crouch Sr. to do such a thing?

For the same reason it was all right for Harry to seek the Philsopher's Stone,
but not for Quirrelmort: Motivation.  Voldemort sought power to destroy, and
used Dark means to get it.  Crouch sought power to destroy as well - he was
*far* more interested in destroying the Death Eaters than he was in Justice,
IMHO.  He authorized his Aurors to use the Unforgiveable curses against the
Death Eaters - in other words, to use Dark magic and break their own laws.

> After all what is so different from a snitch and power? 
<SNIP>
> So I ask, is this inconsistent?  Is the problem supposed to be the act
> of seeking on Voldemort's and Crouch Sr.'s behalf, or is it that they
> went *too* far in their seeking?  And if the answer is that 'they went
> too far', then please explain why it is ok for Harry?  Is there is a
> limit to how far one should go in seeking power?  One should not, say,
> break their arm for a silly thing like power?  <g>

I see Harry's position as Seeker as an educational device.  You can't blind
yourself to what's going on in the rest of the game (read: life) or bad things
can happen.  Harry broke his arm because he forgot about Dobby's Bludger - even
though he knew full well it was after him, once he caught sight of the Snitch,
the rogue Bludger flew out of his mind and got him.  This is a lesson for
Harry.  I see this and many other instances where Harry is still being formed,
whereas Voldemort and Crouch Sr (among others) are "done deals".  Harry is put
in the position of Seeker because it is a (relatively) safe way for him to
learn the dangers of single-mindedness.  You can be an okay Seeker by focusing
purely on the Snitch, but you can only be an *outstanding* Seeker by taking
everything else into account.

So to answer your original question, no, I don't think JKR is telling us that
it is the *seeking* that is wrong, rather that the motivations behind the
seeking must be pure, and not cause us to lose sight of the things around us.

My two Knuts....

- Sherry, who thinks Melody could really use some coffee (but thanks for making
me think - I'm not sure I would have been in the mood to do so today otherwise <g>)

=====
"The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we ALL believe that we are above-average drivers."

      -Dave Barry, "Things That It Took Me 50 Years to Learn"

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