Do spoilers really "ruin" things? Or make things more interesting?

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 168780

---  "leslie41" <leslie41 at ...> wrote:
>
> I've been thinking about the latest DH related story,
> in which Rowling is pleading with those that have 
> knowledge of the plot not to reveal it, lest that 
> revelation "diminish (the readers') pleasure in 
> the book".  
> 
> ... 
> 
> But I say:  so what?  ...
> 
> The next generation of Potter readers are probably 
> going to go into the first novel with knowledge of 
> how the series will end....
> 
> Will that diminish her pleasure?  I hope not. ...

bboyminn:

No, it won't diminish their pleasure, but it will change
their experience. We live in a epoch of history, in a 
moment in time that has never existed and will never
exist again. We get to be the first to discover the
mysteries of Harry Potter; late a night in the weary
darkness, secrets will be reveal to us. Secrets known
only to a very select and exclusive few.

I don't want to be cheated out of the revelation, I
don't want to be cheated out of that experience of
discovery.

Of course, the minute I'm done, I'm going to be 
desperate to talk about it with other readers. However,
knowing the books was just released, if you go to any
Harry Potter discussion group and enter into discussions
of the story, then you have to accept that spoilers ARE
going to be revealed. 

The next problem is the media (of various kinds) 
broadcasting the /secrets/ to the world. I think they
should show a bit of restraint before giving away any
critical secrets like Harry dying, or oddly Voldemort
/not/ dying, or some beloved character turning out
to be a spy. Further the HUGE question, though not the
hugest, is the true nature of Snape. It would be
unwise for the media to release his fate too early. 

The trouble is, the media (again of all kinds, air, 
print, internet) are going to want to be the first to 
report this information. Media is general is not known
for the exercise of restraint, nor common sense for that
matter.

As to future generation, post revelation of the secrets,
I suspect many of them will get into the books without
necessarily knowing the ending. Yes, the ending will
generally be know, but that doesn't mean every wide-eye
10 year old will know the resolutions of all the 
mysteries. They can still read it with new eyes, just as
we, the readers at this time and place in history, can 
read it with new eyes.

I think JKR is right to guard her secrets closely. In
the history of publishing, no books like the Harry
Potter series have ever existed. No books in which 
countless millions around the world are eager and
desperate to know the secrets. Normally when a very
popular book is published, if the general population
is interested at all, it is merely a passing interest.
These books can be published and it will probably be 
months before they make the rounds of the talk-show
circuits, and the secrets are revealed. And likely the
general media interest and likelihood of the media
revealing would be very low even for a very popular 
book. The time line of publishing to mass readership 
is much longer and far less critical with far fewer 
people who are interested in the books and the mysteries
contained there in. 

So, yes, it does matter a great deal whether unthinking
people ruin the ending for me. I have many many years
invested in this series, I think I deserve to discover
that 'got ya' moment for myself.

For what it's worth.

Steve/bboyminn