Question about Harry Potter.
Jan. 8th, 2005 09:17 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
conuly
What are the wizards so afraid of?
They've got law after law to keep them from being discovered, but why? What are they scared will happen? They make a point of teaching that muggle attempts to kill witches fail because muggles can't recognize witches (and anyway, witches and wizards can't be killed by muggles), so they're in no danger. Hagrid's idea that "well, then everybody would want magical solutions to their problems" doesn't ring quite true. So what if everybody wants a magical solution to their problems? Shouldn't it be up to the individual witch or wizard to decide if they're going to sell it? And if you don't want to give magical solutions to your problems, okay. Don't. End of problem. In fact, a substantial number of muggles already know about the wizarding world, it doesn't seem to have caused any real problems.
I don't see how the muggle world is a threat to the wizarding world, but because of this fear we've got: you can be arrested for using magic where a muggle can see, or if you're underage (I think this almost *must* be related, and I have a separate rant about this as well). There's a non-insignificant market of charmed muggle objects, this would probably be smaller if muggles knew enough to be wary. And there's an entire department or two of the government devoted to keeping people hidden.
Remember McGonagall's words in PS/SS? About how "it'd be a fine thing if the muggles found us", something like that? Well, what if they did find out about wizards and witches? What would happen?
The first, most obvious thing is that a lot of people would lose their jobs. Not only had they failed miserably at hiding the wizarding world, but it's all a moot point now anyway.
Secondly, muggle science needs some dramatic rewrites.
Third, society changes drastically.
Okay. I can see how this would be a problem, but where's the inherant harm in any of this? A little upheaval, and then we're all back to normal, business as usual.
They've got law after law to keep them from being discovered, but why? What are they scared will happen? They make a point of teaching that muggle attempts to kill witches fail because muggles can't recognize witches (and anyway, witches and wizards can't be killed by muggles), so they're in no danger. Hagrid's idea that "well, then everybody would want magical solutions to their problems" doesn't ring quite true. So what if everybody wants a magical solution to their problems? Shouldn't it be up to the individual witch or wizard to decide if they're going to sell it? And if you don't want to give magical solutions to your problems, okay. Don't. End of problem. In fact, a substantial number of muggles already know about the wizarding world, it doesn't seem to have caused any real problems.
I don't see how the muggle world is a threat to the wizarding world, but because of this fear we've got: you can be arrested for using magic where a muggle can see, or if you're underage (I think this almost *must* be related, and I have a separate rant about this as well). There's a non-insignificant market of charmed muggle objects, this would probably be smaller if muggles knew enough to be wary. And there's an entire department or two of the government devoted to keeping people hidden.
Remember McGonagall's words in PS/SS? About how "it'd be a fine thing if the muggles found us", something like that? Well, what if they did find out about wizards and witches? What would happen?
The first, most obvious thing is that a lot of people would lose their jobs. Not only had they failed miserably at hiding the wizarding world, but it's all a moot point now anyway.
Secondly, muggle science needs some dramatic rewrites.
Third, society changes drastically.
Okay. I can see how this would be a problem, but where's the inherant harm in any of this? A little upheaval, and then we're all back to normal, business as usual.
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no subject
Date: 2005-01-08 06:43 am (UTC)OK, but to the point, here's a theory for you: The rules aren't there to protect the magic-users, but to protect the muggles. It's a benevolent way to keep an extremely powerful society with some pretty bad elements in check. That's why the special emphasis on controlling children, who often find immature ways to assert power--the adult wizards recognize this, and come down hard on young 'uns who can do real damage if they let loose. The same is true of adult wizards, of course, but the assumption there may be twofold: that they're better at self-control because they're older, and that they're more indoctrinated with their society's laws. Whether or not these assumptions are justified is as questionable in the wizard world as it is in the muggle world.
And let's posit that the rules were *sold* to the wizarding world as protection for them, not protection for muggles, because fear is a great motivator. Also, I suspect that the consequences of the two worlds colliding would be more severe than you've considered. We know that some humans are mad for power. How long would it take before a wizard baby was kidnapped for dissection/indoctrination/brainwashing? How long would it take before people's fear and suspicion of 'others' took over and the lynchings began?
no subject
Date: 2005-01-08 07:11 am (UTC)2. OK, but to the point, here's a theory for you: The rules aren't there to protect the magic-users, but to protect the muggles.
I've already thought of that. Wow, one post in and already I'm not alone!
3. How long would it take before people's fear and suspicion of 'others' took over and the lynchings began?
Remember Wendelin the Weird? Muggles can't burn witches and wizards. Witches and wizards don't die easily, even with magic problems. How're muggles gonna kill random wizards?
no subject
Date: 2005-01-08 07:36 am (UTC)Also, there is the possibility of the witch hunter dealie wherein you take the wizard baby kidnap scenario, wait a few years, and wizard baby is hunting down their own kind at the behest of scared muggles.
Also, if nothing else, the wizards and witches could be marginalized and discriminated against. Remember how in Nazi Germany, all the Jews had to be registered with the government and had to wear an identifying gold star? Something similar could happen. The governments of the world could register witches and wizards and invade their privacy and whatnot for "the greater good" or "for their own protection" or anything like that.
no subject
Date: 2005-01-08 08:24 am (UTC)How does that work, exactly?
Evil Governmental Figure: I'm going to prohibit you from getting a job!
Wizard or witch: Um, okay. Stupefy!
Evil Governmental Figure: *falls*
Wizard or witch: *takes all his money*
Nasty Random Person: Ick, you're one of those people! I spit on you!
Wizard or witch: *apparates*
Spit: *flies back in the face of the nasty person*
Evil Kidnapper Person: I'm going to steal this kid, and raise him to hate himself, and somehow teach him magic!
Other Wizards: OMG!
Evil Kidnapper Person: Mwahaha-
Other Wizards: Whatever. Avada Kedavra!
Evil Kidnapper Person: Hey! I didn't get to make a speech yet!
no subject
Date: 2005-01-08 08:36 am (UTC)This post is all
no subject
Date: 2005-01-08 09:04 am (UTC)And the last case - it's hardly legally supportable to execute an evil-doer on the spot; besides, if there are other wizards watching, why haven't they stopped the Evil Kidnapper Person earlier?
I suppose I'm just being over-serious - sorry...
no subject
Date: 2005-01-08 06:13 pm (UTC)Not like that... :P
On a more serious note though. You can't be constantly vigilent. And it actually wouldn't be that hard to get hold of a wizard child. Propagate how horrid wizards are and provide an 800 number for people to call if you're "concerned" about someone you know who's a wizard or whatnot and at some point you'll get some scared muggle parents who just happened to come out with a wizard or witch child. Goverment takes child and brainwashes and trains it. Or wizard or witch parents die in normal type tragedy and kid is left an orphan. Government ends up with kid, etc., etc., etc.
As to being marginalized, once you're exposed, places in the muggle world that you previously went might become off limits. Parks, restaurants, etc. Muggle family members could be threatened. They could lose homes, jobs, other children etc. on the grounds that they are "tainted" or something like that. Also, muggle science would promptly turn to finding ways/devices and whatnot to detect magic, so wizards and witches might lose all the above things as well.
[sigh] I'm probably taking this way too seriously, but the whole persecution of minorities thing is something I've thought a lot about. Even if that minority happens to have special abilities, it doesn't necessarily help. Magic doesn't solve everything. J.K. Rowling does make that idea a part of Harry Potter's world.
no subject
Date: 2005-01-08 10:04 am (UTC)If there's one thing us humans are good at, it's finding new ways to kill people.
*cough*
Yeah, you said what I was thinking.
no subject
Date: 2005-01-08 01:47 pm (UTC)Anyway, yeah.
no subject
Date: 2005-01-08 11:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-01-08 06:01 pm (UTC)