Choice and Essentialism/Understanding Snape)

[a_svirn]

No: HPFGUIDX 154005

> > a_svirn:
> > Now there we do it again. Existentialist or essentialist? 
Because 
> > essentialist position would have been something quite the 
opposite – 
> > that Macbeth would have turned out a murderer no matter what – 
> > because it is in his nature. Also I think that Voldemort *is* 
> > essentially evil. I mean, really, what about that phrase that he 
> > never loved anyone? Unlike Snape who did and therefore more 
> > culpable? It sort of suggests that Voldemort can't be even hold 
> > accountable for his actions. He's just inherently evil – the bad 
> > blood of the Gaunts, no doubt. He simply can't help it. This is 
a 
> > kind of contrary to the main message of the series, but 
apparently 
> > necessary for the plot purposes.
> >
> Gerry
> 
> But Voldemort could help it. He is unable to love, but he does know
> right from wrong. He hoodwinked almost the entire school when he 
was a
> boy. He could have gone on doing that and have had a brilliant 
career
> at the MoM. He would have been hugely popular, could have married a
> trophy wife and had a couple of children en nobody would have known
> that inside he was an egocentric cold fish, only caring about 
himself.
> He had these possibilities, yet he choose differently. 

a_svirn:
I didn't mean that Voldemort had no possibilities to turn out good. 
On the contrary – he had them all, but he couldn't help choosing the 
wrong path, because he couldn't help being "mad, bad and dangerous". 
What sort of person he is if he never ever loved anyone? Never even 
had the need for human society? Remember, after they had just 
watched the orphanage memory Dumbledore pointed this out for Harry? 

"I trust that you also noticed that Tom Riddle was already highly 
self-sufficient, secretive, and, apparently, friendless? He did not 
want help or companionship on his trip to Diagon Alley. He preferred 
to operate alone. The adult Voldemort is the same."

So we have someone who doesn't want or need any human contact even, 
let along love. It kind of suggests that he has been a moral cripple 
from the beginning. Not surprisingly his choice was ultimately to 
cease being human altogether.