The use of the name Voldemort

[bboy_mn]

No: HPFGUIDX 41170

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Jai Marie" <magicy2jai at c...> wrote:
> BBOY_MN said:
> <<There is a similar precedent in speaking Satan or the Devil's
name; a fear that speaking it is inviting the devil to join you. >>
> 
> Reading that made me think of something else I read about in doing
some research for a project I'm working on.  This may seem a little
off-base, but in a way it makes sense (at least to me).
> 
> In researching homosexuality in nineteenth-century America, I have
found that when homosexuals were brought to trial and charged with
their acts, the trial documents (or any surrounding press) would not
name the acts themselves.  It always was "the crime against nature" or
"the crime that must not be named" or other such euphamisms.  The
thought was that if other people saw the actual name of the act,
they'd want to try it and be lured into the same sinful lifestyle
(since in the thinking of that era, all men were weak and prone to sin).
> 
> So, would the same mentality apply here?  Maybe they do not say
Voldemort's name because if his name is said freely, it would make
people (especially the weaker children) more curious about him and
want to explore and perhaps follow him?  Sort of Victorian in
principle, but it seems like the same mentality applies, because of
how horrified people act when his name is said.
> 
> Just some thoughts, which at least made sense to me.  At the time.
> 
> Jai

First, we should be VERY CAREFUL NOT to let this this drift into a
thread about homosexuality. THAT is an illustration and NOT the
subject at hand.

Although, I think it is an excellent example to illustrate your point. 

If you think about it, in the past the 'sexual subject that will not
be named' was never spoken of except in the most vile as disgusting
terms; like really dirty jokes. That instilled a social fear of this
subject; A fear of ridicule by your friends and family.

Today the 'sexual subject which can be freely named', is spoken about
very openly. There are gay clubs in high schools, gay bars that
advertise openly, gay teen clubs/centers/coffee houses, all of which
have helped normalized the subject, and without a doubt, this makes
kids who would have been deathly afraid of the social stigma, more
open to the possibilities. 

Another way of looking at it might be in a kids mind that says to
himself, 'Well, if this (Voldemort) is such a horrible thing, then why
do people talk about him as casually as they talk about ice cream?'.
That certainly would stimulate a childs curiousity, and may even
stimulate him to go off on his own and find out for himself.

- - - - - - - - -
Please, no matter what your moral views on 'the sexual subject that
can now be freely named', remember it was just an illustration of how
society relates to certain subjects and terms. 

BBOY_MN