ChapDisc: DH 18, The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 182537

---  "Mike" <mcrudele78 at ...> wrote:
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> CHAPTER DISCUSSION: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
> Chapter 18, The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore
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> QUESTIONS:
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> 6. With regards to "For the Greater Good", Hermione said 
> Dumbledore changed. Did he? Though Dumbledore rejected 
> Grindelwald's interpretation of that phrase, did Dumbledore
> reject his own interpretation?
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bboyminn:

I'm going to just address this one issue. The problem with
the quoted statement is that there are two more words to
it, though those two words may only be implied.

When Dumbledore and Grindelwald were first discussing 'the
greater good', they were feeling that the wizard world was
a little put upon and downtrodden. Wizards were forced into
hiding by the cruelty of muggles and they felt that was unfair.
So, when, at that time they say 'for the greater good', what 
they mean is for the greater good /of wizards/. They are 
willing to oppress and subjugate an entire race of millions of 
people for the greater good of a few thousand people, meaning
of course, the wizard world.

Later in life, Dumbledore still believes in the greater good,
but he now believed in the greater good /of all/. He is not
being such a selfish child blinded by glory and infatuation. 
Even Harry acknowledges that there are times when the greater
good of all take priority of the fate of a few. 

So, to put context to the statement 'for the greater good',
you must add what comes after. For the greater good of a
powerful elite is for the greater good of no one. For the
greater good of all, without stomping on the right of 
minorities, is to think and act selflessly as we see both 
Harry and Dumbledore do many times. 

Sadly, if I may get political for a moment, this reminds me
very much of modern politicians. They are in it for the 
greater good of an elite few, rather than the greater good
of the people who put them in office and for whom they are
sworn to act in the best interests of.

HARRY POTTER FOR PRESIDENT!!!

Steve/bboyminn