Danger in designating an "Other" / Bad magic

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 173871

---  "horridporrid03" <horridporrid03 at ...> wrote:
>
> >>Betsy Hp:
> >> <snip> 
> >> JKR apparently looks at the world around her and
> >> thinks, "I know in my heart that a quarter of the
> >> people out there are evil, half of them are okay,
> >> and there's one quarter that's  just unquestionably
> >> good." It's an ugly view of the world in my opinion.
> >> And it  cumlminates in a rather ugly book with a 
> >> rather ugly message.  
>  
> > >>Shagufta:
> >> So you think the world is made up of good people
> >> and only good people? ...
> > >  <snip>
> 
> > >>Shagufta:
> > Hi 
> > Actually ... 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.
> 
> ...

bboyminn:

This is my appeal for perspective on the matter of 
Houses, especially with regard to Slytherin. JKR
said herself that all Slytherins are not bad; that 
we are seeing the worst of them. A view that I have
also held for a long time.

There is nothing wrong or inherently evil about any
of the Slytherin personality characteristics. But,
those characteristics are likely to contain a 
group of people who seek power, and who are corrupted
by it.

Can we say that all high-level Corporate Executives
are evil? Can we say that all Politicians are evil?
All Wall Street Power Brokers are evil? All Lawyers
are evil? Certainly we can, in fact. it is done all
the time; by comedians, by commentators, in the
news, over coffee, around the water cooler, etc.... 

But are they truly and uniformly evil with not a
single redeeming soul among them? Oddly some will
still say yes; though personally I say NO.

Next, are they necessary? Well, they seem to be 
everywhere in every society, so that would seem to
imply YES. Yes, someone needs to be at the top to
make the big and bold decisions. Someone has to
have the courage and cunning to do that. And I suspect
they are usually Slytherins.

Note, not all Gryffindors are as brave as Harry, nor
as ethical, nor as admirable. Where was everyone when
Harry/Ron/Hermione were out on their great adventures?
Tucked safely in their beds. Do we call them cowards or
evil for having done so? I don't think so.

In the characteristics of every House are pluses and 
minuses. Loyalty of Hufflepuffs is good until it 
become blind unquestioning loyalty. Courage amoung
Gryffindor is good until it becomes reckless or self-
serving. Brains and intelligence among Ravenclaw is
good until if fails to ask the hard questions of
why and to what end.

Slytherins are ambitions, cunning, wily entrepeneurs,
and leaders. They get things done; and always to their
advantage, but that is how corporations suceed. That 
is how financial empires are built. These characteristics
are not a fault until they are turned to grossly unethical
means.

Politicians are people who seek and revel in Power. I'm 
sure they all start out with benevolent ideas, and those
benevolent ideas generally hold true until they are 
corrupted by power, then it is time to elect someone
new.

So, my point is, that we are assuming that all Slytherins
are evil, and that JKR, by extension, assumes that
one fourth of all people are evil. But that is simply
not true. There is not reason to believe that the average
Slytherin is evil. There is no reason to believe that
they will not go out, start businesses, and work very
hard to see to it that that business succeeds.

But, in striving with such fervor to succeed, 
occasionally one or more Slytherins migh cross some 
legal or ethical lines. But I think that is true of
all houses. Become so obsessed with the objective that
you forget about the methods is an aspect of human
nature.

Naturally, since a majority of Slytherins are highly 
ambitious, their are going to be a higher percentage 
of those willing to skirt the law, but that is not
a brush all Slytherins should be painted with. 

JKR already said, not all Slytherins are bad.

Steve/bboyminn