The Philospher's Stone (was: Harry's Protection (was Re: Questions))

[Tammy]

No: HPFGUIDX 119493


> Eloise (chiming in late):
*snipping Eloise's very interesting explanations of immortality, the
search for it, and very sad for having to snip it*

> But you ask an interesting question regarding why Voldemort is 
> censured for his search for immortality whilst Flamel isn't. As 
> suggested above, the search for immortality was a respectable 
> scientific (viz, alchemical) pursuit for generations, even down to 
> Isaac Newton. Flamel's apparent hogging of the secret is ethically 
> troubling, especially as one suspects that Voldemort would be equally 
> reluctant to share. Of course immortality for the human race as a 
> whole would be disastrous; even if just the WW were given access to 
> the secret and the Elixir, then overcrowding would no doubt ensue 
> before too long, however just think of how many lives it might have 
> saved. And if there are other reasons why immortality is deemed not 
> so good a thing by the WW, then why did Flamel and his wife embrace 
> it for so long? 
> 
> I suspect the answer is thematic. Flamel is presented to us as an 
> example of deliberately (eventually) eschewing immortality even 
> though he has it in his grasp, bolstering Dumbledore's view of death 
> as the next great adventure (or was that Peter Pan? Something like 
> that.) This contrasts with Voldemort and his desire for immortality 
> beyond all else. I guess we're not meant to ask the more difficult 
> questions.
> 

Tammy replies:

I think it coems down to purpose. Flamel, presumably, sought
immortality for either a noble purpose or just because he was afraid
of death. Voldemort on the other hand seeks immortality so that he can
use it to gain more power over others. Perhaps it's yet another lesson
that it's not what you do, but why you do it. 

But then again, isn't just another life lesson that the "good people"
can get away with whatever they like, while the "bad people" who try
to do the same things get yelled at for it? 

-Tammy, who really should have waited to reply to this until she's
p.c.(post coffee) and better able to think