I am about to rant/the hardest part

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 174844

---  Maeg <chaomath at ...> wrote:
...
> 
> If you find "continual complaints" annoying because 
> you don't agree with them, am I allowed to find 
> continual praise of DH equally annoying if I don't 
> agree it? It sounds like you think I'm not allowed to
> be annoyed. In other words, I'm to tolerate what I 
> don't like, but you're free to ban everything you 
> don't like. I don't think that's in the best interest 
> of this list.
> 
> ...


bboyminn:

It is not a question of denying anyone their opinion.
I can easily appreciate and accept the opinions of
those who disagree with me. As I've said many times,
once we agree the conversation is over. It's 
disagreement that makes for a discussion and an
interesting ones at that.

I don't have a problem that you (the general 'you')
thought Harry shouldn't have used the 'Crucio'. I
don't have a problem that you didn't like the 
resolution of the Slytherin plot line. ...or that
you didn't like this, that, or the other thing.

But I do have a problem when people start painting
Harry as the most vile person to every walk the
face of the earth. Or paint Slytherins as sweet
innocent oppressed put-upon rosy cheek little 
cherubs. [OK, I'm exaggerating a bit...OK, a lot.]

That's when I try to 'dial it back a bit'. That's
when I start to make a plea for perspective and
balance. 

Now I concede that we all, myself included, exaggerate
aspects to make our point; to attempt to raise an aspect
up where we can see it more clearly.  And, as discussion
goes on, we likely exaggerate even more, to emphasize 
our point even more strongly. But there is a point where
the discussion becomes so extreme and so filled with 
vitriol, that, in my mind, it start to border on 
irrational.

And again, that's when I try, with all my Libra-esque
ability, to dial it back to the center or establish
a more balance perspective.

I will concede the same is true of those who take a
hopelessly, and equally irrational, Pollyanna attitude
toward the author and the story. Trying to paint the
good guys, and by extension the author, as absolute
saints who can do no wrong. Again, perspective. 

So, feel free to believe anything you want, feel free
to say anything you want. Be as annoyed as you want. 
I welcome that because from that comes great discussions.
But dial it back a notch or two. Try to keep it in 
perspective. 

When Harry becomes vile and Slytherins become saints, 
I think we've gone too far. [Admittedly, I'm 
exaggerating again.]

But then, that's just my extreme and possibly irrational
opinion.

Steve/bboyminn