[HPforGrownups] Re: Hermione's House Elf Hats: Question

[digger]

No: HPFGUIDX 80699


> 
> Yes, I think logic does indeed tip us off to the fact that elves need
> to be handed the piece of clothing, but unfortunately, Hermione seems
> to have abandoned logic in her SPEW crusade.
> 
> Hope that helps,
> 
> Grey Wolf

 From the dug-out, digger makes an occasional foray to write:

I see it thus: Hermione is a great example, or even an illustrative
archetype, of modern western muggle thinking. Her primary mode is
rational, logical intellectual, or left-brain dominant, divisive
thinking. She fails to understand that other folk have different moral
ideals from hers. Therefore she can imagine no greater good than being a
'free' individual, within the terms of her own moral upbringing. She has
no conception of the notion of selfless service to the greater good,
called Bhakti Yoga in the Hindu tradition, or that it can bring great
happiness and good not only to the self, but also to the world beyond
the personal, and that this is a Good Thing. I don't blame her for not
understanding this moral point of view, because this notion has all but
disapeared from western philosophy in the current 'me generation'.

I find it interesting that the wizarding world has not totally given up
the Bhakti concept yet, and that Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix
promotes this ideal of the greater good. One could see the current
battle between Voldemort/Pure Bloods and the Order of the Phoenix as
part of the fight to retain that selfless philosophical overview. This
world-view would naturally lead DD et al to ideas of non-exclusivity and
integration between magical and non-magical beings.

If this is starting to sound to you like a moral tale *de nous jours* 
then I agree ;-)

Meta-view: Hermione represents the intellectual self of the triad. Ron
represents the instinctive self. Harry, of course, represents the heart.

'digger'