Marietta and Hermione (was JKR's Messages ) (was Re: Hermione In Trouble?)

[delwynmarch]

No: HPFGUIDX 120919



Eggplant wrote:
" it does mean nobody is 100% good, or to put it another way, some
people are more evil than others. "

Del replies:
If nobody is 100% good then everybody is evil, even if some are more
evil than others. It seems I did understand you correctly, even if you
deny it.
Note : I'm not saying there's anything wrong with believing that
everybody is evil. After all, that's also what I believe on a
religious plan. But I admit it : I do believe that everyone is more or
less evil, which is why I am ready to cut everyone quite a bit of slack.

Eggplant wrote:
"I confess to being a bit confused, you don't seem shy about making
moral judgments, like what a horrible terrible person Hermione is for
not allowing Umbridge to torture Harry to death, but when I also make
a moral judgment you object, and in capital letters too. "

Del replies:
Show me where I ever said that about Hermione.
Hint : I never said such a thing.
Second hint : the moral judgement I most often make is that nobody is
perfect and that as a consequence we shouldn't hold anyone to a
perfect standard.
Third hint : I *am* shy about making moral judgements, in fact I might
be one of the shiest people on this board when it comes to making
moral judgements, so much so that I often grate on the nerves of other
posters.
Fourth hint : if I remember well, we started this discussion with you
describing Marrietta as a deeply evil person and me arguing that she
might have had very good and important excuses, circumstances and most
importantly of all motives. Who was making the moral judgement there?

Del, then Eggplant:
"Basically what you're saying is "what I like is right and good and
what I don't like is evil and wrong""

"I plead guilty, I like stuff that is right and dislike stuff that is
 wrong. From your response I take it that you have very different ideas."

Del replies:
If you can't see the distinction between "I like what's right and
dislike what's wrong", and "What I like is right and what I dislike is
wrong", that's scary.

Del, then Eggplant:
"Are you a god? "

"It is my experience that rhetorical questions usually tend to be 
rather vapid and foolish, don't you agree?"

Del replies:
It was in no way a rhetorical question. From the way you talk, you
imply that your personal preferences are universal standards. If you
are a god, then you are right to say so and I would be wrong to argue
with you. So if you're a god I'd rather know, so I can repent.

Eggplant wrote:
"Dumbledore said Harry was telling the truth, Fudge said Harry was a 
lying brat, if you knew nothing about either of them and were meeting
Dumbledore and Fudge for the first time how long would it take you to
figure out who was smarter, and more honest, and who just had more
gravitas? On a very bad day it would take me about 45 seconds to
figure it out, if it takes you significantly longer then you have a
serious problem. "

Del replies:
Let's see.
On one hand, we have a wizard who dresses in weird robes even by
wizarding standards, has very long hair and beard, is addicted to
sweets, starts telling jokes in the middle of his talks, never answers
a question straight, appoints highly dangerous or incompetent people
as teachers to kids, and usually looks very mild and slightly silly.
On the other hand, we have a wizard who dresses sensibly even if
old-fashionedly, looks normal, talks like a normal human being, and
seems genuinely concerned about the safety and well-being of the WW in
general.
Well, I guess you're a better instant judge of people than I am.

Eggplant wrote:
"Are you really sure you want to pursue this line of argument, do you
 really want to try to make the case that the war in Iraq is not
really a war because the silly politicians in Washington have not
declare it so,"

Del replies:
President Bush has said he was sending the armies on a war. The
American soldiers are all identified. There are images and reports
about the war in Iraq. There are pictures of the enemy soldiers. So
no, I wouldn't argue that there's no war in Iraq.

But I do ask you : does the wizarding community know who are the
fighters on either side? And where are the reports about the war?

Del