Danger in designating an "Other" / Bad magic (wasRe: Deathly Hallows Reactio...)

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 173839

> 
> > >>Shagufta:
> > Hi 
> > Actually i was responding to the fact that you contrasted JK's 
> > (alleged) world view with Anne Frank's. I thought you were saying 
> > that unlike Anne Frank, who went through hell and still 
retained    
> > the optimistic view of 'people are basically good' JK had a 
very    
> > cynical view of the world and the people in it.
> 
> Betsy Hp:
> That's what I was saying, yes.  I'm obviously guessing as to JKR's 
> actual world view, but that's the message DH is giving, IMO.
> 
> > >>Shagufta:
> > And my point is that, if that is her philosophy, i think it is 
more 
> > realistic than saying 'everyone is good'
> 
> Betsy Hp:
> I disagree.  I'll admit to being a bit of an optimist, but I really 
> prefer to think that on the whole, most people are basically good.  
> That there's a fixable reason societies descend into madness, and 
> that a prime function of civilization is limiting or fixing those 
> reasons.  And that's something DH does not do.
 <SNIP>


Alla:

I don't know. I snipped out the most of your message, because the 
mention of Anne Frank just made me realise how much I respect JKR's 
world view. I mean, yeah, she remained optimistic and where did it 
get her?


Woudn't that be better if she was fully aware that just as there 
people in the world who will save jews, there are people who will 
betray them in the blink of an eye?

I mean, whether it would save her, probably not, but one would never 
know.


I am reminded of half of my grandmother's family who was killed by 
Natzis in Belorussia because they did not want to **run**, they were 
thinking that Natsi are really **good** people who would do them no 
harm.

Thank goodness that at least couple of her brothers and sisters and 
my grandmother were nervous enough to leave.


I deeply deeply respect JKR's world  view and message that not all 
people are redeemable, because well, maybe I am growing more and more 
cynical, but that is what I  observe and Dumbledore's " this is 
something that is beyond our help" about Voldemort's soul ( 
paraphrased) resonated very deeply with me.

I am not writing from **any** religious POV by the way, I was raised 
an atheist and now my only belief is that there is some sort of 
higher power up there, nothing more concrete.


I love stories about redemption as much as any other people, but no 
matter how much I love "crime and punishment" for example, from what 
I observe in RL ( from the newspapers and TV of course) people who 
kill once, often enough go back to kill again, again, again instead 
of showing remorse for what they did.

I am sure there are some people who do show remorse, but my point is 
that not **ALL** do.

I for once take my hat off to JKR for recognising that not everybody 
is redeemable ( IMO of course) and yes, putting it in children's book 
( is it a children's book now, I am not sure) - or this is how I 
think of it in any event.


Maybe the message is indeed that eradication of evil is possible only 
in baby steps?

I do not know,

Alla.