Pureblood attitudes and the word "racism" (Was: James the Berk?)

[charme]

No: HPFGUIDX 106848

> Del replies :
> You might think so, but not everyone has to agree. Not that I like
> Bella and really care about why she does what she does, but I disagree
> with a general statement that we don't need to know.

Charme:

I don't think I stated anywhere that anyone had to agree with me;  I merely
stated I agreed with Alla.

> I also disagree with a general statement that everyone liked Sirius. I
> loved him in PoA, I liked him OK in GoF, and I strongly disliked him
> in OoP. I for one am *not* sorry he's gone. <snip>

Charme:

I'm not sorry or otherwise; there seem to be a great deal of folks,
including JKR herself, who are sorry he did have to die.


> Del replies :
> But DD's choices contradict his words. He says we can make the right
> choice no matter what, and *at the exact same time* he makes the wrong
> decision *because* of his feelings for Harry. In the very same
> discussion at the end of PS/SS, he emphasizes the importance of
> choosing AND he makes the wrong decision of not telling Harry the
> whole truth because he loves the boy.
>
> I say : actions speak louder than words. JKR is showing us that
> *nobody* can escape their emotions. Even someone as old and wise and
> experienced as DD *repeatedly* (year after year for 4 years) made the
> very same wrong decision because of his emotions. It tells a lot indeed.

Charme:

While I sort of agree with you there, I also believe that DD understands and
admits his mistake.  Admitting you made a mistake for what you preceived as
the right reason (the "I cared more for your happiness" line)  and learning
from it is apparently, in my view, something other characters in the book
are sometimes unable to do. The phrase that comes to mind is "the road to
hell is paved with good intentions," doesn't it?

> Del replies :
> Just because you think we shouldn't think of the Potterverse as a
> mirror of real life doesn't mean others can't do just that. I have
> several ways of looking at the HP books, and the most serious one does
> indeed include making hypotheses based on a combination of canon,
> logic and fact.
> You on the other hand are totally entitled to counter my logic with a
> statement that you see the Potterverse as exclusively fantastic. We
> would both be right.

Charme:

I don't believe I said anyone shouldn't think of Potterverse in the manner
in which they chose - I was expressing my opinion same as you? Let's make
sure my comments are taken in the proper context by some explanation, shall
we? Anyone who wants to relates this to real life in some fashion can; all
art and creative prose is rooted in someone's or society's experience or
perception. The entire Harry Potter series is subject to JKR's views,
beliefs, and experiences, not to mention the influence by other authors,
myths, legends and history. I've done the canon/logic/fact in other posts (I
have a problem with the word "fact" since what we're reading is an imaginary
world, but I'll go with it for now), however I do manage to throw some humor
in there:  it shows I both am interested (seriousness) and I'm not obsessed
with my own view so much that I can't leave the door open (humor) to change
my mind after reading info from someone else.


> Del replies :
> Not all emotions are fun ! In fact, if it were just for the fun, I
> don't think there would be hardly *any* passionate discussions on this
> list ! Lots of joke and silliness, but hardly any serious debate.
<snip>


For me it is a hobby - and for me to have fun at my hobby no matter how
serious the subject, a little humor is definitely my style :) You can blend
both and be quite effective at developing a debate, although I daresay that
when emotions run high a few I've seen here, email or a newsgroup is a hard
way to do it. :)

Cheers!
Charme