keeping secrets

[Grey Wolf]

No: HPFGUIDX 80826

jwcpgh wrote:
> I believe that there are times when adults need to withhold or edit 
> information from children, for the sake of the mental health of the 
> children.  But I don't think that's what's happening in these books.  
> The adults are keeping secrets to protect themselves or to avoid 
> difficult subjects.  Neither of those are good reasons, imo.

Ummm... see, in these books, most adults are keeping secrets for a very 
valid and very important reason that has nothing to do with the fact 
that those secrets are being kept from children (rather, they are being 
kept from everyone). Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix are in the 
middle of a war with Voldemort, a war that involves plenty of spying 
and careful manouvering around two other "sides" - Voldemort and the 
MoM. 

The phrase "need to know" is used by Molly Weasley, but with reference 
to instructions set by Dumbledore himself. This phrase is justifying 
many forms of lying, including (but not exclusively) those lies to 
children. While we could debate endlessly about the need to conceal 
information from the enemy during the war, and how much that requires 
you to keep information from your own people, it is Dumbledore's 
decission, and one he admits incorrect.

My point, however, is that you're being a little narrow-sighted (no 
offense meant - it is easy to concentrate so much on a discussion point 
you forget about the wider picture - I've done it plenty of times). 
Harry is not being kept in the dark because he is a child, but because 
he's a possible security hole.

Hope that helps,

Grey Wolf, talking from the Safe House