Something wrong with this Fudge

[dcgmck]

No: HPFGUIDX 107395

> HunterGreen:
> > Evidence for an ESE!Fudge is ridiculously easy to put together. 

> Matt added:
> > I'm not so sure about Fudge as evil; I see him more as the
> > quintessential bureaucrat, who values process (or the appearance
> > thereof), preservation of the status quo, and above all retaining 
> > his position of authority, while discounting principles and 
> > anything that makes his job more difficult than it needs to be.

> SSSusan now:
> All those things you've said, Matt, do seem to perfectly describe 
> Fudge.  On the other hand, does anybody else think it's just 
> possible that JKR might be *deliberately* getting us to focus 
> on "misguided, bumbling, quintessential bureaucrat Fudge" so that 
> we don't seriously consider the possibility of his being ESE! 
> and "behind it all"??
<snip> 
> Maybe Fudge isn't ESE! for the reasons often put forth [power-hungry
> MoM in at least partial alignment w/ DE goals & values] but because
> he's truly orchestrated all these things all along, from behind the 
> scenes, to help Voldy return.


dcgmck:
Everyone is making persuasive arguments, but as an American living 
under GWB in these curious times and one who has worked with and 
under a variety of bureaucrats and administrators, I am inclined to 
think that JKR has had more than enough of her own experiences with 
bureaucracy to be sincere in her desire to demonstrate that evil is 
not always intentional, that willful ignorance and stupidity can just 
as dangerous if not even more damaging than the best-laid plans of 
villains.  Fudge may, indeed, prove to be Machiavellian, but I'm more 
inclined to think he's more like GW, our fearless U.S. president, and 
therefore more dangerous.  It's just not possible to be so prescient 
as to plan some of the things that can go wrong with unhealthy doses 
of pro-active paranoia and stupidity.  If one takes the canon at face 
value, my assertion is borne out.  Of course, reading between the 
lines yields the opposite understanding.  Huh...