[HPforGrownups] There is only power

[Alexander]

No: HPFGUIDX 48320

Greetings!

> bloubet wrote:

bic> (all IMHO, of course) Power is a tool. You can have
bic> good and evil, and also have power. If you use power as
bic> a tool for good, you're still good. If you use it as a
bic> tool for evil, you're still evil. Power is neutral.
bic> Seeking power is not evil. Power can be used for good,
bic> and can be obtained without hurting yourself or anyone
bic> else.

  Questionable, of course. Tolkien was quite adamant at it:
Power *is* Evil. Then there's "power corrupts" theory, which
I consider absolutely correct (btw do you know the political
life as it is? Not a nice sight, I assure you, even if you
are "on the side of Good").

  As for belief that power can be obtained without hurting
anyone else, I find that absolutely improbable. Power is
power, and there's not unlimited amount of it, and whichever
power exists, it already belongs to someone, so it's simply
impossible to gain power without crossing someone else's
interests (which interests might actually be very good and
noble indeed).

bic> Voldemort's problems are twofold. (1) He doesn't see a
bic> line between good and evil, or even a continuum, for
bic> that matter. There is no moral judgment to be passed on
bic> any action. It's not just unimportant -- it doesn't
bic> exist. Most people can see a morality continuum, and
bic> know that it affects their choices. While most of us
bic> would probably say that Voldemort is *wrong* in this
bic> belief, we can at least say that he is out of step with
bic> most of the rest of humanity.

  Well, we can't really say that Voldemort is wrong... not
until we give him a free reign and see what happens. His
beliefs are different, aye, but all people have different
beliefs, and nobody has yet proved that being ruled by
someone with same beliefs is better than being ruled by
someone with different ones. Among other things, rulers of
second type have greater chances to remain in history
books... ;) and not necessarily as villains... :)

  Which of course doesn't mean everyone should just succumb
to him.

  "Of course we can't say that our values are better than
values of fundamentalists. They are not better. They are OUR
values." (S. Pereglegin).

bic> (2) He believes that the search for power is the only
bic> true meaning to life. If you don't seek power, it's
bic> because you're too weak to try, you don't have the guts
bic> or the strength to reach out and grab all the power
bic> that can be yours.

  And this of course is his greatest weakness. Too simple
division of humanity into two parts never works. Of course,
one needs good brains to make good use of this weakness, but
then nobody did call Dumbledore stupid.

bic> What will he do once he's the most powerful? I don't
bic> think he's really thought that far ahead. And THAT is
bic> his second problem. His life has been built around the
bic> pursuit of a tool, with no goal in mind to use it for.
bic> How empty is that?

  Not empty at all until it's done. And if it's never done,
then his life is full of meaning. He has the goal in mind, a
great goal, maybe even impossible one, but many people don't
have a goal in life at all. Whose life is emptier then?

Sincerely yours,
Alexander Lomski,
Gryffindor/Slytherin crossbreed,
always happy to throw weird ideas into community.

-----
  "Nice toffees", said Dudley and swung his tongue over the
  shoulder.