How many students [was Re: Random ideas]

[Steve <bboy_mn@yahoo.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 51728

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Scott <snorth at u...>"
<snorth at u...> wrote:
> 
> 
> Tom:
> > the question ... presupposes ... two things 
> > (that I can come up with now):
> > 
> > 1) Wizards ... born in perfect proportion ... each
> >  year, or
> > 2) The Sorting Hat has some predetermined quotas ...
> 
> Scott:
>
> ... to believe .. each house specifically matches 
> ... one of 4 Keirsey Temperments, then ... Gryffindor and 
> Ravenclaw being MUCH smaller than Hufflepuff and Slytherin.  
>
> Someone wrote a book re: Keirsey Temperments 
> Gryffindor consists of Idealists (NFs), 
> Slytherin the Artisans (SPs), 
> Hufflepuff the Guardians (SJs), and
> Ravenclaw the Rationals (NTs).  
>
> ... do ... math in my head, ...  about 700 students, 
> based solely on the number of Gryffindors of Harry's year.
> 
> ...edited...
> 
> So my personal belief is that the number of Gryffindors is low, with 
> maybe a few more Slytherins and Ravenclaws, and a whole mess of 
> Hufflepuffs (Sorry Hufflepuff fans, their traits just don't seem that 
> rare to me). 
> 
> Damn straight.
> 
> -Scott

bboy_MN:
Well, I'm not sure if I agree with the Idealist, Artisans, Guardians,
and Rationals. I understand that the person who created this was
working within a specific frame work, but how do Slytherins become
Artisans? I would think that would be Hufflepuff; the craftsmen. 

So let's turn this around, based on your own impression of the general
nature of the four houses, how do you see there relative sizes?

I think Hufflepuff would be the largest, these are the common working
man. They still excel at what they do, but they make up the bulk of
the population. Although, classes in the greenhouse would not seem to
confirm my theory.

Second largest would be Ravenclaw, the intellectuals. Hufflepuff are
the master craftsmen, and tradesmen. Ravenclaw, in a sense, are the
college graduates. They are smart, hardworking, and don't have time
for petty nonesense like schoolboy rivalries. Both Hufflepuff and
Ravenclaw have the potential to be very successful in life. Being a
craftsman doesn't mean your aren't smart, and being an intellectual
doesn't mean you don't understand the value of hard creative work.

Slytherin would be relatively small. These are uniquely ambitions
people. People who want far more than a sucessful career. The want to
control the world around them. They don't work for companies, they own
companies. They run for political office. They are cunning, crafty,
infinitely charming when it serves them, and know how to manipulate
people to their advantage. They know how to play peoples weaknesses.

Gryffindor would also be relatively small. If these people go into
politics, they are known as great leaders; a cut above the rest. Not
just weilding power, but supreme diplomats that are more interested in
resolving conflict than profiting from it. I think they got this one
right; Gryffindor's are idealistic. They also have a sense of right,
and the courage to go against the tide, when they know it is the right
think to do. These are rare individuals. 

In a sense, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw are every man. Where as Slytherin
and Gryffindor are rare individuals

My estimates come out the same, I just shifted the numbers to other
houses.

Just a few thoughts.

bboy_mn