Loyalty and goodness

[delwynmarch]

No: HPFGUIDX 121141


Nora wrote: 
"Think about it this way, though: what is DUMBLEDORE following?  I 
surmise, from JKR's comments, that he is doing his imperfect and human
best to follow the Good.

Dumbledore is probably the oldest and most powerful figure on the side
of the Good in the story.  To follow him and follow him *truly* is to
follow him because he follows the Good.  He is not perfect and he
makes mistakes, or he finds the path obscure and becomes somewhat
lost; OotP proves that, IMO.

Harry and the rest of the Order are right to follow Dumbledore because
Dumbledore owes his allegiance not to himself (...) but to the higher
principles.  With some bobbles in the road, for sure, to follow one is
to follow the other."

Del replies:
I would love things to be this way. My main problem with this idea is
that DD never *refers* to his higher principles. He doesn't mention
them, he doesn't teach them, he doesn't encourage others to follow
them on their own. He's like a prophet who would never mention God, a
prophet who would appear to be the source of wisdom and truth instead
of pointing to God. So even if he is indeed following some higher
principles, he doesn't *look* like he is. He looks like he's doing his
best on his own. Now I agree that most wizards would do well to follow
such a wise wizard, but I can understand that some might not see any
reason to follow just another human being, and that many might think
their own wisdom is just as good as DD's. Especially if they are not
Gryffindors and their priorities and goals were never quite like DD's.

Del