The "choosing evil" difference (was: Snape and Raistlin Majere)

[nrenka]

No: HPFGUIDX 126506


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "pippin_999" <foxmoth at q...> 
wrote:

>> Nora:
>> What if the choice was not a deliberate explicit choice "Hmm, 
>> I'm going to be evil" but the choice of "I'm going to do what I 
>> want in  order to gain power for myself, because myself is what 
>> matters".  Voldemort's Credo is "No good and evil, only power 
>> and those too weak to use it", which is a pretty concise 
>> statement of something like  Kantian radical evil.
> 
> Pippin:
> Hmm. That was the argument Voldemort used with Quirrell, 
> whom he characterized as young and naive. It may not reflect 
> Voldemort's own beliefs at all, and in any case Voldemort tailors 
> his message to suit his audience. 

I don't agree here at all, Pippin.  I think that argument 
encapsulates what makes Voldemort what he is.  What Voldemort wants, 
Voldemort gets; Voldemort is out for no one but Voldemort in his 
radically self-centered world.  Value judgements are irrelevant 
compared to the ability to exercise the will.  JKR tells us that he 
never loved anyone.  It seems like Possessed!Quirrell is truly 
speaking for the boss at that point in time.

It connects up so nicely with the appeal of the Dark Arts, and we do 
know that Snape has some unspecified level of interest (enough that 
DD wouldn't let him take the DADA job) in such.
 
> I think Snape as a young man wanted power because he wanted 
> respect. But someone who wants respect *does* care what other 
> people think, very much so. 

I think that Snape is very likely the type to confuse genuine respect 
and esteem with the respect generated from the fear of power. 

Snape the "sadistic teacher who abuses his power" seems to get a low-
grade kick out of exercising his power over others.  That may well 
come from some deep rooted fears of inadequacy.  I don't think it's 
as benign as you would like to present it, but we shall all have to 
see, no?

-Nora watches the snow fall and trudges out into it