LV never loved anyone

[misty_december]

No: HPFGUIDX 110526

"pcaehill2" <pcaehill2 at s...> Pam wrote:

> 
> I still can't get away from Dumbledore's statement re: it is the 
> *choices* we make that define us, not destiny (or predestination, 
> for that matter). This is why I don't believe that bloodlines 
> (whether ancestor or descendant) will be a determining factor of 
> major heroism in this story; nor do I believe that (in this world or 
> JKR's world) anyone is predetermined genetically OR by their 
> experience during infancy to be ESE!

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Misty:
I was actually not talking about genetic bloodlines, but rather the 
lack of bonding that made Tom what he was.

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Pam again:
 
> Along these lines, it's a serious mistake to do "black/white" 
> thinking -- there are so many factors involved in childhood 
> development (temperament, physical hardiness, etc.) and the 
> interaction between choice/predilection/awareness/unconscious is a 
> lifelong struggle. 
> 
> AND it is also important to realize that, even with psych. 
> diagnoses, there is always a *spectrum* of frequency and severity of 
> symptoms. I have met folks with symptoms of antisocial personality 
> disorder at various stages/degrees of exhibiting such symptoms --
> this is why not everyone with antisocial symptoms is a gang member 
> or serial killer (for this reason, I always avoid saying "folks with 
> xyz disorder", I think it's best to say they show xyz symptoms).

> 
> Back to canon: Voldemort had a choice, somewhere along the line, to 
> progress in his evil ways rather than do battle with his lower 
> nature. We all do. 
 

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Misty:
Yes, I agree there is a spectrum, which is why I said in my original 
post that it is not a universal, across-the-board thing. There is no 
black and white in personality - but we are born with certain 
predispositions toward certain behaviors. Our experiences make us 
behave in certain ways. One can say, "well, Tom had a choice of 
whether to love someone or not", but in actuality, if he is not 
capable of it, if it had never been demonstrated to him, he will most 
likely not go that way. He has a skewed idea of right and wrong. 
What is wrong in a moral sense defined by society, he believes is 
right. What is "right" in society, he looks upon as weakness. These 
ideas were formed in his brain from very early on because of his 
inability to bond brought on by the lack of love he experienced.

I am sure we have all seen children who grow up to be criminals, but 
never really understand what they did wrong. They never admit 
wrongdoing because to them it is "right". These are people without 
consciences. If Tom were like Raskolnikov, for example, he would 
eventually become so guilt-ridden that he would desist, but he is 
not. He is simply a person with *no* idea of right or wrong.