Harry Agonistes (was Re: Ever so evil ? was Dumbledore's role in Sirius' death

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 99178

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "nkafkafi" <nkafkafi at y...> 
wrote:
> Carolyn wrote:
> As I don't agree with your POV, I have been following this thread
> with interest. Whilst I don't mind endless discussion culminating in
> all parties flopping exhausted on the ground totally unconvinced of
> the other party's argument, I do object when broad statements are
> made about what 'most readers think'.
> 
> Not only is this the weakest debating tactic in the book, but I 
would
> have thought it was *obvious* that nearly 110 000 post later, there
> is not a lot of agreement (on this list at least) about anything,
> ranging from the trivial to the sublime (and this is pretty much the
> same on most such discussion lists). Instead, in time-honoured
> fashion, you are simply projecting your own values, wishes and wants
> on to the books, no less, no more.
> 
> Fortunately, perhaps, the democratic nature of internet groups make
> it impossible for anyone to *win* such debates, and I commend to you
> a salutary, and very funny post from the archives on the nature of
> such discussions:
> 
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/77115
> 
> 
> 
> Neri:
> 
> Thanks for this link. It is very funny and enlightening. It also 
> suggests why it is impossible to reach any consensus (which was not 
> the objective anyway): The rules and dynamics of the forum 
> practically prevent it. If you go to the polls section of the 
group, 
> you'll notice that sometime there is quite a wide agreement on 
> subjects that in the forum itself can never be agreed upon (I won't 
> give specific examples in order not to start another three or four 
> landslides, but you probably know what I mean). But I'll try to 
avoid 
> this tactic next. 
> 
> I already gained a lot from this discussion, just because I was 
> forced to put in words something that I always knew but never 
thought 
> about. I didn't quite manage it yet, but another three or four 
rounds 
> might do it. Or some forum member will just drop a three-lines post 
> that says it better than I'll ever be able to. But if it is 
> not "obvious" to you, then I'd like very much to know, do you think 
> that Harry is the "good hero" of HP, and if so, what is the key 
> quality that makes him so?
> 
> Or, to put it in Kneasy's words, did Harry become a Gryphindor and 
> not a Slytherin only because, after less than a day of 
acquaintance, 
> he thought he likes Ron better than he likes Draco?
> 
> Neri


He! I found that other post to be incredibly funny too.


Part of the reason why I joined the list was indeed to improve my 
language and discussion skills.


Personally, I do try not to do sweep generalisations while I debate, 
but TO ME there are some things in HP universe, which are obvious 
indeed.

I will go even further and say that I do believe that there are some 
things, which we can state to 99% ceratinty will never happen in 
canon, even if consensus about that can not be reached on the list.


Here are some examples on which I am ready to bet anything.


1. Vodemort will be defeated in the end. We have no clue how it will 
happen, but he will be defeated.

2. Harry will not turn evil on a permanent basis, if ever. yes, as we 
saw possession is possible, but besides that?


Now, I am enjoying reading Kneasy's intellectual exercises on ESE! 
Harry. I am sure people can put forward very well argued theories 
about the possibility that Voldemort will win in the end and evil 
will prevail, but it does not make the likelihood of those two things 
happening in canon any greater, IMO.


So, to make a long story short, I don't see anything wrong in saying 
that some happenings in Potterverse are obvious.


Alla