In defense of DD WAS musings on Dumbledore - Even Longer

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 158660

> >>Magpie:
> <major snip>
> It's true that he doesn't think he doesn't believe in controlling 
> people and so lets them make their own choices even if they're     
> wrong (letting bullies act out in his school--and Snape and Draco 
> aren't the only people getting out of line), but the problems     
> usually stem not from that but from the fact that DD usually seems 
> to think he can handle all the consequences.  Life is 
> like a chess game where he seems to think he can see all his      
> opponents moves in advance.  He decides to do things but gets     
> surprised that people don't act the way he'd allowed for. 

Betsy Hp:
I think it's also important to recognize that he's a man of his 
world.  That while I think he's put some effort into moving beyond 
the prejudices of the WW (e.g. sees the worth of squibs, etc.) he 
was still raised with those prejudices.  So Dumbledore can see that 
muggles may be useful (provide an excellent protection for Harry) 
but he can't quite recognize the fear those same muggles might have 
being faced with magic.

So in some ways Dumbledore *is* a lot wiser than the folks around 
him.  But he's not superhuman and he does make mistakes and people 
do suffer because of them.  Dumbledore doesn't question Sirius's 
guilt; he doesn't recognize the problem of there not being a trial.  
But he does see Mrs. Figg as an intelligent and worthy woman to work 
with.  It's a dichotomy that I think is essential to the character 
of Dumbledore.

> >>Magpie:
> <snip>
> It's more, imo, that there's lots of things DD doesn't take into  
> account when deciding what people will do.  It doesn't always     
> sound like that's what he does because once the person does       
> something he's there with the analysis as if this was part of a   
> calculated risk he took, but I don't think that's really the      
> case.  He gets blindsided by people acting on impulses he didn't   
> forsee--and frankly, I think that's a good thing.  It actually    
> makes the world more hopeful by placing more power back into       
> these "little people" that DD thinks he's so far beyond that he 
> can make all the decisions, even if it has disasterous results in 
> the short run.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
Again, I think part of the problem is the world Dumbledore has been 
raised in.  It's easy to be incredibly wise, or even the "epitome of 
goodness" when your competition is, well, Fudge.  Or even Crouch, 
Sr.  And I think especially since Dumbledore is less quick to write 
the so-called "lesser beings" off (squibs, half-breeds, etc.) he can 
come across as incredibly compassionate.  But the entire reason he 
can appear so bright is that his world is so dark.

There's a reason the WW, even with Dumbledore around, still suffers 
from Dark Lords.  He's not bright enough, in the end.  He is still a 
product of his world.

I suppose the mistakes he does make (Sirius, Katie Bell & Ron) don't 
bother me a ton because they don't contradict his character for me. 
This is the same guy who gave Slytherin a giant raspberry in PS/SS, 
so I'm not expecting perfection.  It's also why I give him more of a 
pass with sticking Harry with the Dursleys.  I don't expect 
Dumbledore to be able to come up with a perfect solution.

At the same time, I don't look to Dumbledore as the great 
protector.  Unlike young Harry, I don't think everything is going to 
be okay because Dumbledore is here.  Dumbledore does have his 
moments, and some of them are pretty cool.  But they are just 
moments.  And some time he just plain screws up.

Betsy Hp