(no subject)
Name: Krista
Age: 24
If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
I would have the world be a place where everyone could follow the things that they love and the things that excite them. I really think that if we could really follow our loves without fear of poverty or lack of success, the world would be better.
Who is your favorite Hogwarts teacher? I actually like Vector, but that's probably because there's not a ton of information, so I can create a picture of a teacher that I want to see. I think she's probably tough, but incredibly fair and that she's the kind of teacher that goes home and thinks about that one person that got excited about something. Plus, the idea of a discipline that is both SO magical and so connected to Muggle Sciences is fascinated to me.
Who is your favorite character in Harry Potter?
My favorite characters are all smaller characters - the most prominent is Hermione Granger, but that's definitely party because we have a lot of gaps in terms of her interests, her reasonings, and the things that drive her. It's not that Hermoine isn't a "main character," but more that I see her as being a foil for Ron and Harry - we have so little information on her that it seems like she's minor, even if she's in in the books a lot. Hermione is one of those characters that I could see going evil, saving the world, or running away - and it all depends on where she takes what she has. That's an interesting and compelling character to me, not the least of all because she is entrenched in a war of cultures.
Who is your least favorite character in Harry Potter? I deeply dislike Umbridge, not as much because she treats Harry badly as because she's a thoughtlessly cruel person. I actually think that Harry can be a whiny, annoying, irritating child who has no ability to recognize the times when you speak and the difference between those and the times when you shut UP because you can do more that way. Basically, I have no respect for Umbridge because she was not only cruel, she was cruel because of blind loyalty. I don't think she's evil - I think she's an unimaginative lapdog. That's scarier than evil.
What makes a person respectable? The ability to know why you're doing what you're doing and be able to have your actions mesh with your philosophy. It's easy to say things like "humanity," but those aren't very specific, are they? Really, if you can have a consistent belief system and you actually have your life and actions fit in that, then I would say you were a respectable person.
What is your take on religion? I believe that there is a higher SOMETHING, but that everyone's religious tracks (including atheism) are basically different paths to access the same higher power. As long
as it works and doesn't hurt anyone, then more power to you.
What do you think about house elves?
I think that the house-elves are unable to imagine a world where they aren't in servitude. Is it exploitive to have them in service? Absolutely. It would be cruel, however, to release them all, as they have no ability to do anything else.
What do you look for in a friend?
I look for someone who I can have a good conversation with, whose motives I understand, and whose flaws I'm comfortable with. I don't need people to be perfect, but I have to recognize that I'm not very well suited to deal with some character traits.
Would you rather have friends and family or money and success?
See, this is hard. Money isn't a big deal, but success is HUGE for me. I think that part of success is having a friends and family that I care about and who I can depend on, but I have to admit that there's a big part of me that needs to excel in my chosen fields and areas. So ... friends/family AND success and not money. That's my answer.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I would be more willing to allow myself to be imperfect. My biggest flaw is that I expect myself to be perfect, to suceed at all costs, to be the smartest and the most clever person in the room. For the most part, I either am right or I can "fake it 'till I make it", but occasionally ... it doesn't work. And that's the time when I'm both really disappointed in myself and I realize that it doesn't really matter as much as I think it does.
What do you feel is your best quality?
I am intelligent and willing to stand up for myself against an impressive array of people who disagree. I'm hard to intimidate in the arena of intellect or intelligence and I will fight for what I know to be right.
What are your hobbies?
I read a great deal, I write (poetry, short stories, essays, and scholarly pieces), I make music. Mostly, I try to make myself happy and I'm working on being able to be happy even when the product isn't as high quality as I want it to be.
Do you want to have children?
I wouldn't mind taking care of children - I'm excellent with kids, but I'm better with teenagers. I do a great job with my friends' kids and can generally take on the hardest of all children. Because of this (and because I have some hereditary mental illness issues), I think that I would rather foster children than have them. I could both care for children (which I'm good at) and also not have to pass on my questionable genetics. Plus, I'm much better with older children than with babies.
Have or would you give time and money to a charity?
I give enormous amounts of time and the money that I have to charities that I believe in. However, I don't belive that all charities are created equal and I would need to know a great deal before I would be willing to commit any resources to a charity.
If your friend was attacked (by a person, animal, or (in the magic world) beast), what would you do?
Intellectually, I would say that I wouldn't attack back - I do believe that force and violence are inept and wrong tools to use. However, I think that's probably overly intellectual - I would probably do whatever I had to do to cease the harm to someone I love.
What is the one thing you would most like to accomplish?
I want to finish my PhD, write a book, and have the opportunity to influence future generations by being a university professor.
Who is your role model?
My role model is Audre Lorde. She was a strong, fierce, smart, fighting woman who was the child of immigrants AND an African-American lesbian at a time when lesbians were barely acknowledged. I am impressed by and inspired by her fierce determination to be herself and to have her definition of self have some sort of significance.
What trait most annoys you about other people?
I loathe unsupported egotism. There's nothing worse in the world than a person who is convinced that they understand that which they do not really comprehend.
What do you want to do for a living?
I would like to teach, write, and lecture. I would like to encourage people to think for themselves, to develop their own philosophies and lives.
Would you ever use an Unforgivable Curse for any reason?
It's certainly possible. I would like to think that I would say "no," but I think that there are obviously circumstances of which I have no understanding that would necessitate a decision on this - situations which would be weighing the lesser of all evils. To say "I would never do that" is disingenuous, but to say that "I would do that" is equal.
What house do you think DOESN'T fit you? (This question is optional for those who feel they just DO NOT fit in a house. Please explain WHY.)
Do what you may.
What do you think are your top five abilities or qualities?
1) Intellect
2) Passion
3) Ability to strategize
4) Comfort with unusual situations
5) Adaptability, within reason
Where did you find out about us?
cleolinda.
Age: 24
If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
I would have the world be a place where everyone could follow the things that they love and the things that excite them. I really think that if we could really follow our loves without fear of poverty or lack of success, the world would be better.
Who is your favorite Hogwarts teacher? I actually like Vector, but that's probably because there's not a ton of information, so I can create a picture of a teacher that I want to see. I think she's probably tough, but incredibly fair and that she's the kind of teacher that goes home and thinks about that one person that got excited about something. Plus, the idea of a discipline that is both SO magical and so connected to Muggle Sciences is fascinated to me.
Who is your favorite character in Harry Potter?
My favorite characters are all smaller characters - the most prominent is Hermione Granger, but that's definitely party because we have a lot of gaps in terms of her interests, her reasonings, and the things that drive her. It's not that Hermoine isn't a "main character," but more that I see her as being a foil for Ron and Harry - we have so little information on her that it seems like she's minor, even if she's in in the books a lot. Hermione is one of those characters that I could see going evil, saving the world, or running away - and it all depends on where she takes what she has. That's an interesting and compelling character to me, not the least of all because she is entrenched in a war of cultures.
Who is your least favorite character in Harry Potter? I deeply dislike Umbridge, not as much because she treats Harry badly as because she's a thoughtlessly cruel person. I actually think that Harry can be a whiny, annoying, irritating child who has no ability to recognize the times when you speak and the difference between those and the times when you shut UP because you can do more that way. Basically, I have no respect for Umbridge because she was not only cruel, she was cruel because of blind loyalty. I don't think she's evil - I think she's an unimaginative lapdog. That's scarier than evil.
What makes a person respectable? The ability to know why you're doing what you're doing and be able to have your actions mesh with your philosophy. It's easy to say things like "humanity," but those aren't very specific, are they? Really, if you can have a consistent belief system and you actually have your life and actions fit in that, then I would say you were a respectable person.
What is your take on religion? I believe that there is a higher SOMETHING, but that everyone's religious tracks (including atheism) are basically different paths to access the same higher power. As long
as it works and doesn't hurt anyone, then more power to you.
What do you think about house elves?
I think that the house-elves are unable to imagine a world where they aren't in servitude. Is it exploitive to have them in service? Absolutely. It would be cruel, however, to release them all, as they have no ability to do anything else.
What do you look for in a friend?
I look for someone who I can have a good conversation with, whose motives I understand, and whose flaws I'm comfortable with. I don't need people to be perfect, but I have to recognize that I'm not very well suited to deal with some character traits.
Would you rather have friends and family or money and success?
See, this is hard. Money isn't a big deal, but success is HUGE for me. I think that part of success is having a friends and family that I care about and who I can depend on, but I have to admit that there's a big part of me that needs to excel in my chosen fields and areas. So ... friends/family AND success and not money. That's my answer.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I would be more willing to allow myself to be imperfect. My biggest flaw is that I expect myself to be perfect, to suceed at all costs, to be the smartest and the most clever person in the room. For the most part, I either am right or I can "fake it 'till I make it", but occasionally ... it doesn't work. And that's the time when I'm both really disappointed in myself and I realize that it doesn't really matter as much as I think it does.
What do you feel is your best quality?
I am intelligent and willing to stand up for myself against an impressive array of people who disagree. I'm hard to intimidate in the arena of intellect or intelligence and I will fight for what I know to be right.
What are your hobbies?
I read a great deal, I write (poetry, short stories, essays, and scholarly pieces), I make music. Mostly, I try to make myself happy and I'm working on being able to be happy even when the product isn't as high quality as I want it to be.
Do you want to have children?
I wouldn't mind taking care of children - I'm excellent with kids, but I'm better with teenagers. I do a great job with my friends' kids and can generally take on the hardest of all children. Because of this (and because I have some hereditary mental illness issues), I think that I would rather foster children than have them. I could both care for children (which I'm good at) and also not have to pass on my questionable genetics. Plus, I'm much better with older children than with babies.
Have or would you give time and money to a charity?
I give enormous amounts of time and the money that I have to charities that I believe in. However, I don't belive that all charities are created equal and I would need to know a great deal before I would be willing to commit any resources to a charity.
If your friend was attacked (by a person, animal, or (in the magic world) beast), what would you do?
Intellectually, I would say that I wouldn't attack back - I do believe that force and violence are inept and wrong tools to use. However, I think that's probably overly intellectual - I would probably do whatever I had to do to cease the harm to someone I love.
What is the one thing you would most like to accomplish?
I want to finish my PhD, write a book, and have the opportunity to influence future generations by being a university professor.
Who is your role model?
My role model is Audre Lorde. She was a strong, fierce, smart, fighting woman who was the child of immigrants AND an African-American lesbian at a time when lesbians were barely acknowledged. I am impressed by and inspired by her fierce determination to be herself and to have her definition of self have some sort of significance.
What trait most annoys you about other people?
I loathe unsupported egotism. There's nothing worse in the world than a person who is convinced that they understand that which they do not really comprehend.
What do you want to do for a living?
I would like to teach, write, and lecture. I would like to encourage people to think for themselves, to develop their own philosophies and lives.
Would you ever use an Unforgivable Curse for any reason?
It's certainly possible. I would like to think that I would say "no," but I think that there are obviously circumstances of which I have no understanding that would necessitate a decision on this - situations which would be weighing the lesser of all evils. To say "I would never do that" is disingenuous, but to say that "I would do that" is equal.
What house do you think DOESN'T fit you? (This question is optional for those who feel they just DO NOT fit in a house. Please explain WHY.)
Do what you may.
What do you think are your top five abilities or qualities?
1) Intellect
2) Passion
3) Ability to strategize
4) Comfort with unusual situations
5) Adaptability, within reason
Where did you find out about us?
cleolinda.