(no subject)
Turns out that the HBP CD's were a good investment - it took me 11 hours to get to Cleveland on Friday (nearly 3 just to get out of NY alone) and 9 to get home. I got through 14 1/2 of the 17 CD's. But it was worth it - we had a great weekend. :)
So, I come home to my flist riddled with links to posts by psychotic ex-fans trying to start a rebellion by encouraging people to send back the dust jackets (Because sending back the book would cost too much. *snort* WTF? Cheap rebels are so tacky!) and posting petitions claiming H/Hr shippers are the only true fans... I'm literally dumbstruck.
Then there are essays about how JKR is sending a message that child abuse is acceptable, people bashing JKR and saying how she wrote fanfiction, her characters were all OOC, and that she ruined the books, people bashing Fred, George, Arthur, Snape, and especially Dumbledore right and left, exonerating and praising Percy, bashing the wizarding world's view (and abuse) of Muggles...
I think I took a wrong turn in Pennsylvania and ended up in Bizarro Land.
As a R/S shipper, obviously I wasn't thrilled with the R/T, but I wasn't upset that she put them together - I was disappointed in HOW she did it. I think the red herring was how Harry (and Hermione) thought Tonks was upset over Sirius' death and overwhelmed by everything that happened that night in the ministry, the pressures of the war, etc., but we find out that her behavior was solely the result of 'unrequited love'. So yes, I thought that was a rather cheap plot device and that it weakened Tonks' character as she was introduced and portrayed in OotP. And I like Tonks, too. Did I think JKR wrote Tonks and Remus OOC? That's rather absurd, seeing as they're her characters to begin with. If it were up to me, would I have written it differently? Of course - wouldn't we all? But just because I wasn't happy with the way she wrote her characters doesn't mean I need to stage a revolt/boycott. That was the most pathetic thing I've seen in a while, and I see a lot of pathetic things all the time.
I'll ignore the personal opinions stated on the other characters I mentioned - they are, after all, their personal opinions of those characters and mine simply differ. I'm not a huge fan of Molly, but I don't go bashing those people who like her. And we're all entitled to our personal opinions.
But the whole hoopla over how the wizarding world treats Muggles really makes me roll my eyes. Dumbledore was a bad person for tricking that nice Mrs. Cole at the orphanage! *roll eyes* Wizards obliviating Muggles is cruel treatment of Muggles and we shouldn't stand for the condescending attitudes wizards show for Muggles! *bigger eye roll*
Yes, there are many parallels between the wizarding world and the Muggle world. But they are two separate and completely different communities/entities. The whole premise of the wizarding government is to keep wizarding society a secret from Muggles. Governing the people of the wizarding community is second. Stop comparing wizard society to Muggle society. Or, at the very least, stop trying to apply Muggle (Christian or other religious) morals to wizarding society. Haven't we been given enough examples to show that they are not the same?
First, there is no Pope or Mullah or Rabbi or Reverend or Deacon or Dalai Lama or other spiritual leader of the wizarding world. If they even follow a religion, which we still don't know from the information we have been given, it plays little role. Second, and especially for all of the Americans, there is no Bill of Rights in the wizarding world. And while I'm not really up on my world government doctrines, regulations and structures, the governments of other democratic nations have many similar laws and systems - enough for comparison's sake at any rate. So forgive me my Americanisms.
Wizards are not guaranteed a right to trial, they are not protected from incriminating themselves, they can be held by the authorities without evidence enough to convict them, the minister is not freely elected, there is no Supreme Court (or other judicial body) that seems to overrule and declare laws "unconstitutional" or unfair. Prisoners are abused and (were previously) punished by use of Dementors, Aurors are not investigated or sanctioned if they (accidentally or purposely) kill the person they're trying to apprehend. The newspaper is heavily influenced by the government and journalists aren't punished for slander. Rich people bribe the government (and individuals within) and get away with it. (Oh wait - strike those last two... *g*)
Seriously. It. Is. Not. The. Same. Repeat that a few times to yourself before you write up your next rant or essay about how 'obliviate' should be an unforgivable curse because it's cruel and inhumane, or how Arthur treats Muggles like pets or animals in a zoo. And then stop watching all of those wildly popular reality TV shows where they use cruelty, humiliation, and treat the contestants exactly as if they live in a zoo to garner ratings and cheap laughs. And then remember that this is a fictional world, full of flawed, fictional wizards who don't really exist, and the books are meant for entertainment and escapism, not as a Guide and Handbook on Morality and Life Lessons.
Wow. I think I'm a bit cranky tonight. *searches medicine cabinet for ibuprofin/naproxin*
So, I come home to my flist riddled with links to posts by psychotic ex-fans trying to start a rebellion by encouraging people to send back the dust jackets (Because sending back the book would cost too much. *snort* WTF? Cheap rebels are so tacky!) and posting petitions claiming H/Hr shippers are the only true fans... I'm literally dumbstruck.
Then there are essays about how JKR is sending a message that child abuse is acceptable, people bashing JKR and saying how she wrote fanfiction, her characters were all OOC, and that she ruined the books, people bashing Fred, George, Arthur, Snape, and especially Dumbledore right and left, exonerating and praising Percy, bashing the wizarding world's view (and abuse) of Muggles...
I think I took a wrong turn in Pennsylvania and ended up in Bizarro Land.
As a R/S shipper, obviously I wasn't thrilled with the R/T, but I wasn't upset that she put them together - I was disappointed in HOW she did it. I think the red herring was how Harry (and Hermione) thought Tonks was upset over Sirius' death and overwhelmed by everything that happened that night in the ministry, the pressures of the war, etc., but we find out that her behavior was solely the result of 'unrequited love'. So yes, I thought that was a rather cheap plot device and that it weakened Tonks' character as she was introduced and portrayed in OotP. And I like Tonks, too. Did I think JKR wrote Tonks and Remus OOC? That's rather absurd, seeing as they're her characters to begin with. If it were up to me, would I have written it differently? Of course - wouldn't we all? But just because I wasn't happy with the way she wrote her characters doesn't mean I need to stage a revolt/boycott. That was the most pathetic thing I've seen in a while, and I see a lot of pathetic things all the time.
I'll ignore the personal opinions stated on the other characters I mentioned - they are, after all, their personal opinions of those characters and mine simply differ. I'm not a huge fan of Molly, but I don't go bashing those people who like her. And we're all entitled to our personal opinions.
But the whole hoopla over how the wizarding world treats Muggles really makes me roll my eyes. Dumbledore was a bad person for tricking that nice Mrs. Cole at the orphanage! *roll eyes* Wizards obliviating Muggles is cruel treatment of Muggles and we shouldn't stand for the condescending attitudes wizards show for Muggles! *bigger eye roll*
Yes, there are many parallels between the wizarding world and the Muggle world. But they are two separate and completely different communities/entities. The whole premise of the wizarding government is to keep wizarding society a secret from Muggles. Governing the people of the wizarding community is second. Stop comparing wizard society to Muggle society. Or, at the very least, stop trying to apply Muggle (Christian or other religious) morals to wizarding society. Haven't we been given enough examples to show that they are not the same?
First, there is no Pope or Mullah or Rabbi or Reverend or Deacon or Dalai Lama or other spiritual leader of the wizarding world. If they even follow a religion, which we still don't know from the information we have been given, it plays little role. Second, and especially for all of the Americans, there is no Bill of Rights in the wizarding world. And while I'm not really up on my world government doctrines, regulations and structures, the governments of other democratic nations have many similar laws and systems - enough for comparison's sake at any rate. So forgive me my Americanisms.
Wizards are not guaranteed a right to trial, they are not protected from incriminating themselves, they can be held by the authorities without evidence enough to convict them, the minister is not freely elected, there is no Supreme Court (or other judicial body) that seems to overrule and declare laws "unconstitutional" or unfair. Prisoners are abused and (were previously) punished by use of Dementors, Aurors are not investigated or sanctioned if they (accidentally or purposely) kill the person they're trying to apprehend. The newspaper is heavily influenced by the government and journalists aren't punished for slander. Rich people bribe the government (and individuals within) and get away with it. (Oh wait - strike those last two... *g*)
Seriously. It. Is. Not. The. Same. Repeat that a few times to yourself before you write up your next rant or essay about how 'obliviate' should be an unforgivable curse because it's cruel and inhumane, or how Arthur treats Muggles like pets or animals in a zoo. And then stop watching all of those wildly popular reality TV shows where they use cruelty, humiliation, and treat the contestants exactly as if they live in a zoo to garner ratings and cheap laughs. And then remember that this is a fictional world, full of flawed, fictional wizards who don't really exist, and the books are meant for entertainment and escapism, not as a Guide and Handbook on Morality and Life Lessons.
Wow. I think I'm a bit cranky tonight. *searches medicine cabinet for ibuprofin/naproxin*