Maturity of kids in Potterverse

[alhewison]

No: HPFGUIDX 39966

I wrote:

>Another point I think is that British kids are still less 
> sophisticated than their American counterparts. This is a 
> generalisation, and one which is changing rapidly. But, in every TV 
> programme I see with American High School kids, I always think that 
> the kids seem much older than British children of the same age. I 
> know the actors are often in their 20's, so they look older, but 
they seem older in their attitudes as well. So I think that JKR is 
> painting a slightly anachronistic picture of adolescent 
development,  which fits in with Harry as a late starter in the WW, 
but one which  would not be that unusual in British Muggle Society.<<
> 
> Olwyn was very upset and said:-

> As someone who was recently declared online to be uncultured and 
uneducated for not being American I had to reply to this. I'm sorry, 
but this is incredibly insulting to anyone outside of the US.  You're 
judging RL British Kids by American TV Programmes?!?  Those people 
are actors, like you said in their 20s, yes their attitidues will 
seem different because they carry a chunk of themselves into the 
roles and that chunk isn't a teenager any more, chances are what they 
were like when they were a teenager is radically different from hat 
they actually are now.  Not only that the programmes are written by 
Adults, it's not accurate, it's what they'd like it to be and what 
suits the situation they want to create.  Dont run down British Kids 
on the basis of a TV Programme, it's fake and scripted, RL isn't!! 
> </rant>
> 
> Olly
> 
Firstly, I am sorry that you felt upset. I was writing from my point 
of view. I was following on from this statement of Darrin's:-

 Harry Potter, on the other hand, is nearly 14 before we get a sense
> of him hitting puberty.
> To me, that's just one more of the rules JKR has introduced. She's
> taken us back to a time when the equivalent of American fifth- and
> sixth-graders were not exploring their sexuality.
 
My understanding of American culture can only be based on what I see 
on the TV, from Media and from lists such as HPfGU. I was agreeing 
with Darrin that IMO Harry Potter is looking back to a slightly 
bybone age - but with the proviso that *I* think British kids grow up 
slower than their American counterparts. This is not an  insult. In 
fact, when I looked up the word "sophisticated" in the dictionnary, 
Americans could have been insulted as the definition given is:-
"deprive (person,thing) of natural simplicity. Which again was not my 
intention.

If my perceptions of US kids are taken from the US media, that is 
because that is the image that they are trying to give to the outside 
world - and to their own audiences. My perception of 
British children is based on personal experience, and that is the 
perception I used when reading te Potterverse. Any greater 
understanding of US culture, or indeed any other culture must come 
from personal experience - and discussion. 

One of my particular reasons for enjoying HPfGU so much is that it 
does give people an opportunity to share cultures and experiences, as 
we tend to interpret the Potterverse based on our own understanding 
and culture. I believe that this forum should be open, and we should 
feel able to agree and disagree with one another - but not to insult. 
A different view point does not mean an insult is intended. Different 
culture does not mean uncultured nor uneducated. I have never seen or 
written anything on this list which portrays one culture as being 
somehow superior or better than any other. Indeed, I believe that is  
contrary to the purpose of this list. JKR's philosophy, which seems 
to encompass the desire to show differences should be understood and 
embraced  (as far as possible) is one that I personally respect and 
try to adhere to.

(A rather stung) Ali

Who loves learning about other cultures and linguistical differences, 
but is still happy with her own culture.