Breaking the Rules - Good and/or Bad

[Steve <bboy_mn@yahoo.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 50264

A while back in a discussion about Snape, SnapesSlytherin wrote:

SnapesSlytherin wrote:
> I agree with Snape there. I personally cannot stand people who break
> the rules and get ahead, while those of us who follow get nowhere. 
> No one is above the rules. Period. Now, I disagree with you on the 
> "can vs. must". Harry doesn't *have* to do anything, he chooses to. 
> Hence, can wins to me.
-end this part-

To which Meira B replied:
> Well, not always following the rules will do you much good. And 
> sometimes, not following them won't get you into trouble.
-end this part-

Much farther back in HPforGrownUps' time, someone posted on the Stages
of Moral Developement. One of the lower stages is blindly following
the rules. A much higher stage of moral development is to make a moral
choice independant of the rules. To choose to do what is right even if
it goes against the rules. 

Now, SnapesSlytherin's comment was specifically directed at people who
break the rules to get ahead, in a sense, they cheat and are shown
special favor because of who they are or someone's belief of who they are.

A good example, one we can all relate to, is the Lords of High School,
the jocks (although not all of them); the football/basketball hero,
loved and admired by all. Although, loved and admired mostly by
themselves. For whom, the coach will wield his considerable power in
order to get favorable concessions out of anyone and everyone.
Afteral; he has to play in 'the big game'. Teachers pressured into
grading leniently, rescheduling tests, or give players a second
chance; second chances that are not granted to the Hero of the Chess
Team. Of course, the Hero of the Chess Team doesn't need any
concession because he studies and does his homework. 

As a side note: I make a distinction between jocks and athletes; an
athlete is someone who is in love with the game, a jock is someone who
is in love with himself. It's no secret that in many high schools and
colleges athletes are priviledge people.

That's an example we can all relate too, and this sense of
'priviledge' carries over to professional athletes. But also includes
movie stars, celebrities, powerful businessmen, the exceptionally
rich, and polititians.

In this sense, I am 100% in agreement with SnapesSlytherin. The Lords
of High School (and others) should be held to the same standards that
us mere mortals are held to.

Now back to Harry Potter. Harry/Ron/Hermione get into mischief just
like all kids do. It's part of exploring the world around them. I have
no doubt that on occassion Dean and Seamus have wandered the halls
after hours. Wandering the halls after hours is not a capital offense,
although the staff must enforce it to maintain some degree of order in
the school. So, on that point, Harry is human, he gets into mischief
and is frequently caught and punished. It's not like 'The Boy Who
Lived' gets out of detentions.

Now let's move to bigger violations of the rules. In most of these
cases Harry does not want to do what he does. He doesn't want to risk
his life trying to stop Snape from stealing the stone. But who would
listen to him? He sees that he has no choice. The correct thing to do
is obey the rules and stay out of it. The morally right thing to do,
is to sacrifice everything to stop a far greater crime. If Harry had
followed the rules, it's possible Voldemort could have gotten the
Stone and become immortal. He isn't acting for personal gain, if fact
he is willing to lose his own life for the 'greater good' of all. 

There is one exception, although it falls in the mischief catagory,
sneaking out to Hogsmeade was a poor choice, and he is rightly ashamed
when Lupin points out to him the potential cost of that little
adventure; trading his parents sacrifice for a bag of tricks.

In these cases, the great adventures of Harry at Hogwarts, Harry is
never acting for personal gain or glory. Quite the opposite, he wishes
everyone would just forget about his sacrific and heroism, and leave
him alone. He risks everything, and endures unbelievable hardship,
pain, and misery, and he does it all for the good of others.

Many of the greatest achievement in history have been made by men (and
women) who broke the rules. The French Revolution, and the American
Revolution are good examples. At one time, it was a hard and fast rule
that the earth was the center of the universe, so declared by the
learned leaders of the church. Any other opinion was blasphamy
punishable by prison. Galileo proved the earth revolved around the
sun, and went to prison for it. He broke the rules because the rules
were wrong.

Again, the greatest moral choice is to do what is right independant of
the rules. 

When it really counts, Harry does what is right, and it's hard to
punish someone when you know they have done the right thing.

Just a few thoughts.

bboy_mn