Snape and moral courage WAS: Re: The Houses, Finally

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 184660

 
> Alla:
> 
> So basically you are saying the same thing as Leah, yes? You think 
> that unless person knows that this is the right thing to do, person 
> cannot be accused of lack of moral courage to do it?
> 
> Then you do not really accept my definition, I do not think. Um, I 
> guess I am still confused.
> Say we have our DE, any DE, who genuinely believes that killing and 
> torturing people is the right thing to do, so that means to you that
 if such person fails to stop these activities, such person is morally
courageous?
> 
> All that is needed is a genuine conviction that what one is doing is
 right? Are you arguing relative morality?

Pippin:

I can't recall a DE who believes that killing and torturing is right,
but we do have Barty Sr., who gets so carried away with his power to
punish that he forgets all about justice and mercy.

Obviously neither moral courage nor moral conviction is all that is
needed for a choice to be moral. Moral courage can be put to an evil
use, just like loyalty or intelligence or physical courage.  But my
point is  all those things  may be needed for good behavior,
especially under stress, when the choices are not easy.

In comparing the Trio to Draco, Crabbe and Goyle we should consider
that we are judging the best of the apples against the worst of the
oranges. 

AFAWK, the other Slytherin students are not torturing people, casting
unforgivable curses or plotting to murder anybody, and the other
Gryffindors have not been chosen by Albus Dumbledore to save the world.

The book does not actually say that all the of age Gryffindors stayed
to fight, though a careless reading could give that impression. That
McGonagall had to chivvy the underage on their way does not tell us
whether some of the eligible sixth years had already lined up to
leave. Harry, who never even learned the names of two Gryffindor girls
in his own year, certainly wouldn't know. :)


> 
> Pippin:
> <SNIP>
> It's that no Slytherins, IIRC, ever did what Pettigrew did. We never
> see them knowingly betray or desert their real friends, anyone they
> care about, to save their own skins or for personal gain. Phineas
> claims they will. But we never actually see anyone do it.
> 
> Alla:
> 
> Didn't Crabbe pretty much did betray Malfoy by refusing to listen to
 him? I guess it is not full blown betrayal, but I would think comes 
close enough to me. As soon as Draco is finished, Crabb dear forgot 
about being his friend awfully fast IMO.

Pippin:
We don't know whether Crabbe ever saw Draco and Goyle as  real
friends. Maybe he was always using them. At any rate, I see a
difference between Pettigrew, who lacked the courage to do what he
felt was right, and Crabbe, who was only interested in power.

Pippin