[HPforGrownups] The Sorting Hat (Was: The permanent problem with Slytherin House)

[manawydan]

No: HPFGUIDX 99512

Lady MacBeth wrote:
>Salazar Slytherin was not that far off that same mark - he wanted what was
>good for the WIZARDING people.  Muggles, especially in that time, were a
>THREAT.  Did he honestly have any reason to believe that muggle-born
>students wouldn't bring muggle influence to Hogwarts with them?  No.

Let me pose some scary questions about a scary scenario (it's not something
I suspect actually happened in the Potterverse, but I think it brings into
focus some of the thought processes of pureblood wizards)

Just suppose. From tomorrow, 99 out of every 100 children born in our world
(a higher proportion if you think there are fewer wizards in the
Potterverse) is suddenly born suffering from a genetic disorder. The
symptoms of it are

- a severe learning disability which prevents them from doing mentally many
of the things that we can
- dramatically shortened lifespans, perhaps a half to a third of our own
- much greater physical fragility: a trauma from which we would walk away
would kill them

These "new humans" are capable of self support in a basic way. They are also
capable of being conscious of their difference from the "old humans" which
will in turn make them bitter and resentful of those differences.

Someone with two "old human" parents will be born "old human". Someone with
two "new human" parents will almost certainly be born "new human".

Now then

1. How long before our existing "old human" cultures and societies are
irretrievably compromised and break down?

2. How long before "old humans" begin to seek one another out as prospective
mates?

3. How long before "new humans" begin to persecute "old humans" and the "old
humans" have to lead secret lives?

I would say "not very long" to all three of those questions.

>But, like the Nazi party, Slytherin house has gotten carried away.  It's
>spawned leaders like Voldemort who push to the extremes and walk the fine
>line between genius and insanity.  It's taken a good but flawed goal and
>twisted it into a dangerous mechanism against other people.  People today
>can claim to be Nationalists, or Socialists, but they are hesitant at best
>to even admit that they see any good in the Nazi party.  The same has

I'd have to say that I am certainly both a nationalist and a socialist and
consider that the Nazi party were neither, they were from the beginning a
bunch of evil scumbags who should have been stamped out with extreme
prejudice. But I know that we're not supposed to talk about politics here...

Cheers

Ffred

O Benryn wleth hyd Luch Reon
Cymru yn unfryd gerhyd Wrion
Gwret dy Cymry yghymeiri