Newbie and some questions about Slytherins

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 92112

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, SnapesSlytherin at a... wrote:
> In a message dated 3/3/2004 8:44:33 PM Eastern Standard 
Time, "cubfanbudwoman" <susiequsie23 at s...> writes:
> >Unless any of the Slytherins are acting under the Imperious 
Curse, 
> >then I'd argue that ALL of them have free will.  It may not be an 
> >EASY road to take to defy parents or tradition, but everyone 
> >certainly has free will.  Isn't that just about the most major 
theme 
> >of the series to far, that it's more about our CHOICES than 
anything 
> >else?
> 
> I'd just like to point out that there's freewill, and there's 
*freewill*.  I mean, I have the freewill to go to any college I 
want, right?  But I don't have the *freewill*.  I'll go where my 
parents make me.  Family honor/tradition dictates life for alot of 
people.  Just because there's the option to do something doesn't 
mean that you can always take it -- even if it is the right thing.
> 
> Oryomai

Susan again:
I'd like to respectfully disagree still.  I think it *is* free 
will.  It's not EASY--in fact, many times it may be dastardly 
difficult--but it is free will.  In the example I gave, I went on to 
talk about high school students I'd had who came from racist homes, 
and the Hogwarts crew are boarding school students, which means 
they're even more free to act/think/learn free of their parental 
influence.  If someone like Sirius could buck the Black family 
traditions & expectations, others could, too.  

I understand what you're saying about parents holding some control, 
esp. when they're in charge of the pursestrings, but I still think 
most of this comes down to choices, very difficult choices.  Even 
with parental restrictions, there is a degree of choice available to 
young people.  I mean, even if parents forbid something, the young 
person can make it known that they don't agree with or approve their 
parents.  ACTION may be denied, but ATTITUDE isn't.  Unthinking 
acceptance of parental views & stereotypes is what I think good 
education fights against.

Just my $.02

Siriusly Snapey Susan