Goblin's view on property WAS : Re: The Fundamental Message.../ Heroes...

[Goddlefrood]

No: HPFGUIDX 176520

> > Hickengruendler:
 
> > After reading this thread, I tried seeing it from the Goblins' 
> > point of view, but I simply can't. 
<SNIP>
> > For me, it is as if some German had sold a car to an American 
> > some eighty years ago, and now I want to have the Oldtimer, 
> > because I'm a German as well. That's just odd.

> Alla:
<SNIP> 
> I think you nailed it though - Goblins wanting **both** money 
> and property just seems so very **unfair** to me.

> Um, dears, if that is how you view your products, first do what 
> Steve suggested, namely drew a written contract :), but also, 
> um kindly return the money to the family of the wizard, from 
> whom you want to take the object back.

Goddlefrood:

Is it odd for the Greeks to want the return of the Elgin 
marbles, albeit they were obtained in possibly less than 
legal circumstances?

It would be to many, but apparently not to many Greeks. 
These were manufactured, or carved if you prefer, centuries 
ago. They still belong to the Greek people, or so they say.
They are currently in the British Museum in London, unless 
I'm much mistaken.

There are many artifacts that change hands for money and later 
still get returned to their so called rightful owners. It happens 
in the Pacific quite regularly with Whale's teeth, something that 
a good number of you on this list might find odd, as I did before 
living out here for quite a few years. Basically what happens is 
that at one time or another, quite typically in a ceremony, a 
whale's tooth (or tabua in Fiji), is handed over or bought by 
a visitor in an untraditional manner. The traditional way of 
handing over tabuas is hardly worth getting into as it doesn't 
relate to anything in the HP series whatsoever. Neither does 
this post so far, but it will, oh yes.

Anyway, once a tabua is discovered in the not right hands, 
despite its often having been bought for cash or other exchange, 
the original owners get right on to getting it back. There is in 
the ownership of tabua no way for it to change *ever*, even when 
traditionally exchanged, even then the tabua would be considered 
to be only on loan until the donee died.

Often the tabua will be recovered by the original owners and 
there is certainly no question of any money that was ever paid 
being refunded.

Not so very different from the Goblin attitude, I believe you may 
agree.

Goddlefrood, who was rather surprised to get an opportunity to 
say something about tabuas.