The permanent problem with Slytherin House

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 99266

Neil:
> I used to not think that the blood issue was so major in the 
> Potterverse, but I'm more and more convinced that it *is* the 
> driving ideology of the current conflict--and what it will take is, 
> in part, Slytherins willing to repudiate the ideology of their 
> House. 
> 
> Slytherin House must cease to exist. :)

What if the problem isn't racism  but paranoia, and racism is just 
the expression of it? Old Slytherin's power-hungriness is typical 
paranoid behavior. If you're paranoid you can't feel safe in any 
situation where others have power over you.

Maybe, as  long as the four founders were working together as 
equals and Slytherin could run his house as he chose,  
Slytherin could compensate. But when "feeding on our faults and 
fears" strife grew among them,and each "sought to rule", 
Slytherin's paranoid tendencies got the better of him. He blamed 
it all on the influence of Muggleborns, but if there hadn't been 
Muggleborns he'd have blamed somebody else I'm sure. 

In all dysfunctional situations there's some enabling going on. 
I'm sure it's very convenient for the other houses to have the kids 
with paranoid tendencies gravitate to Slytherin. Racist and 
paranoid attitudes are formed very early in life. If Slytherin were 
abolished, the other Houses would have to take their share of 
the "problem children".

Pippin