[HPforGrownups] Shadenfreud

[Magpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 145486


> "Bruce:
>> And besides, considering how mean he's been to Harry all
>> these years, it is high time that something nasty should
>> happen to him.
>
>
> Magpie:
>> Well, sure.  But there are a lot of people who have been
>> mean in the world and that does not give me the right to do
>> something mean to them.  I could do that, but I would just
>> be being mean.
>
>
> Yes, but if you heard that someone ELSE had done something nasty
> to your tormentor, and done it in such a way that one of that
> tormentor's strongest character flaws triggered it, could anyone
> blame you for feeling some of what I believe our German friends
> call 'schadenfreud' (someone please correct my spelling)?


Magpie:

Sure.  But it seems like throughout this thread I keep getting pushed into 
what people consider the opposite position of their own rather than what I'm 
actually saying, which I don't think is that extreme.  I've got no problem 
with people finding this scene funny because Dudley has always been mean to 
Harry and eats a lot while Harry is starved.  I am speaking only against the 
idea that because it's enjoyable it's something other than what it is, which 
is a scene where the twins are in control and Dudley is a Muggle being 
Pranked by wizards.

I'm disagreeing not with the idea of Dudley being overweight and canonically 
greedy, but the idea of the innocent twins having no malicious intent and no 
way of understanding the effects this kind of prank has, and the idea that 
all notable blame for the Magic that takes place lies with Dudley because he 
ate a piece of candy left someone dropped in his house. It seems like a way 
of wanting to have one's schadenfreude without giving up pity.

-m