Does JKR sees ambition as a flaw?

[Wanda Sherratt]

No: HPFGUIDX 99643

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "dumbledore11214" 
<dumbledore11214 at y...> wrote:

 I read on the other list I belong to the speculation that 
> JKR considers the ambition to be a greatest flaw in person.
> 
> Could someone give me any ideas why. I alsor ead somewhere, maybe 
> even on this lists that for many Brits ambition is not considered 
to 
> be a virtue. Is it true?
> 
Based just on the HP books, I think it DOES look as if JKR 
disapprove of ambition, except in certain cases.  I know Harry is 
supposed to be ambitious, but I can't say I've seen much evidence of 
it.  An ambitious person tends to have long-term plans, and Harry 
has few, if any.  Oh yes, he now has this idea of being an auror, 
but that seems a bit half-hearted to me.  He isn't burning with 
passion for the idea - it was suggested to him by (fake) Moody in 
GoF, and he just latched onto it, almost for lack of anything else. 
The one place where ambition is approved of is in Quidditch - it's 
clearly admirable for Harry to want to win.  The one time he backs 
off from playing his best in order not to beat Cho, it's seen as a 
weakness, and it isn't repeated.  I can't speak for prevailing 
attitudes in Britain, but this does seem to ring true; if people 
resent those who try to succeed, at the same time, they're very 
serious about success in sports.

Wanda