Muggles v wizards redux

[montavilla47]

No: HPFGUIDX 183232

Alla asked:
> Do you just think that what wizards do is wrong and even if we do not 
> have positive characters from muggle world, it is still wrong no 
> matter what? But then again, I get if you condemn wizards for it, but 
> where is the sympathy for muggles comes from?

Montavilla47:
I think it's a bit of combination of everything you mention.  It's
obviously wrong for wizards to do bad things to wizards--and
muggles aren't very different from wizards.  The only real difference
is that muggles aren't magical.

Now, in the first book or two, you can sort of think of magic as
being a metaphor for imagination and creativity.  So, you can lump
muggles into a group of "normal," conservative, socially-conscious,
A-types like Vernon, and identify with the creative, imaginative
witches and wizards.  

Remember those stories about kids who were shattered when they
turned 11 and their letters didn't show?  I think that was partially
because the underlying message of the early books was that muggles
were boring and blind, and what kids would want to identify with that?
No, kids are imaginative, think they are special, and WANT magic to 
exist.  The kid in all of us still does.

But, as the series progressed, the magic became less, well, magical,
and more like what technology does.  And, as we saw magic have 
negative, even permanent negative effects on wizards, it was easier
to see that magical could have permanent negative effects on muggles.

Also, I think the Prime Minister was a rather sympathetic character.
We were invited to laugh at his troubles with magic, but we were 
also seeing the world from his eyes.  There was nothing brutish,
stupid, or mean about him.  No reason not to sympathize--not
even a political one, since we don't even know what party he
belongs to.

Alla:
> The thought of living in the world where those who know how can 
> mentally rape you and be privy to your deepest secrets (HA, not like 
> we have much privacy in real world these days either) gives me chills 
> as well.
> 
> But all the characters I like live in WW and that what makes me 
> rooting for it.

Montavilla47:
I'm glad you like the characters.  Most of the characters I really
liked are dead at the end of the book.  But there are a few still living.
But I'm not sure I'd want to give up what technology gives us in
order to live in the world JKR depicted.

I prefer my i-tunes to having to choose between one rock group and
one pop singer.   I prefer light bulbs to candles.  I prefer central 
heating to cold, stone hallways.  

But I suppose it would be nice to Apparate.