HP and the democratic equilibrium(Re: Umbridge, brooms and DEs)

[travellerrose]

No: HPFGUIDX 87092

Iris wrote:
> For example, refusing to speak Voldemort's name, ita est, 
> to call him what he really is, is as dangerous as working for him. 
> I'd better say: IT IS working for him. Using euphemisms such as "He 
> Who Must Not Be Named" or "You Know Who" can lead to believe that 
> he is not that terrible. It makes people forget how dangerous he is, 
> and it opens the door to his return. That's all the paradox of 
> tolerance, and all the delicate question of the democratic 
> equilibrium.
> Who said that HP was only a child book?


Actually, the reaction whenever Harry says Voldemort instead of "You 
Know Who' put me in mind of the old English saying, ``speak of the 
Devil and he shall appear''. There is an old belief that if you 
actually name the thing you fear it will manifest - so that, to me, 
explains why the WW is afraid to call LV by name. Rather than leading 
people to forget the danger, it reinforces the fear.
Or to put it another way, as my grandmother used to say if anyone 
made a dire prediction, ``don't tempt fate.''
Dumbledore calls LV by name because he is too intelligent to fall for 
such a silly superstition - he knows that LV will return whether you 
verbally cross your fingers or not, and Harry calls him by name 
because he hasn't grown up with this superstition drummed in to him.

Just my thoughts,
TravellerRose.