The Snape Whisperer

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 163552

Pippin:
<SNIP>

> Milan also explains his use of a controversial technique
> called 'flooding'. This consists of desensitizing an animal
> to an undesirable emotion, such as a phobia, by allowing
> it to become overwhelmed. While this is regarded as too
> cruel by some, Milan feels that it is far more effective
> than trying to comfort the animal when it is frightened,
> which in his view often leads to reinforcing the very  
> behavior one is trying to discourage.
> 
> I have to wonder if Dumbledore had a similar rationale
> for leaving Harry to be overwhelmed by his feelings after
> Cedric's death. Harry has received so little comfort in his
> life that to have it given to him after Cedric's death might
> have set up an undesirable association. As it was, Harry
> went through a miserable six weeks at the Dursleys, but 
> he does seem to have become somewhat desensitized 
> to survivor guilt, enough so that he could deal with the
> loss of Sirius without plummeting into the severe
> depression  he experienced after losing Cedric. 

Alla:

Yes, this is of course possible and yes, I would consider it beyond 
cruel, but maybe Dumbledore did something else entirely. Something 
that he did to Harry during **all** his life, something that seems 
to me to be perfectly in character for Dumbledore to do.

>From the moment Dumbledore left Harry with Dursleys, he did not 
bother as far as I remember to check on Harry once, to provide him 
with one yota of comfort when he was a little kid and till now, me 
thinks.

Leaving Harry without comfort and moreover, prohibiting his friends 
from contacting Harry just seems to me another one in the very long 
line of mistakes Dumbledore committed while dealing with him.

Oh, and I wonder where you see much difference between Harry state 
after losing Cedric and losing Sirius. He was miserable at Dursleys 
after he lost Cedric ( nightmares, etc) and he was **just** as 
miserable at Dursleys when he lost Sirius ( not eating, etc)

He makes that speech to bravely go forward, but he seems to me to be 
just as depressed through the book, only signs are more subtle IMO.

JMO,

Alla, who thinks that Dumbledore should be called a bloody 
hyppocrite if he deliberately employed this techinique with Harry, 
because he was one of the major contributors to Harry not getting 
the comfort through his life.