On Harry Potter and His World

[Locutus]

I for one do not consider anyone primitive ever. Technology can be primitive, people aren't.

[Kuciwalker]

You're special.

[Locutus]

So is Arthur Weasley

[Imran Siddiqui]

Other points have been addressed, but

Originally posted by aneeshm
Let us go one step further back, then. Let us assume that this "magic" gene was once scattered across human populations. If so, why did this concept of pure-blood exist? Because it happened that over time, all the people with the "magic" mutation were picked out by the magical community to become part of their own, and thus was selected out of the general population. Hermione could be a case of really, really long suppression of this gene.

This is the only model that actually makes sense in the given universe, IMO. Feel free to provide an alternate one which can be as consistent as this one if you can - I'd be genuinely interested.

The pure blood concept existed because some people believe that folks should stick to their own kind. One of the reasons for magic folk to think this way is because warlock and witches have been persecuted by Muggles for generations. Therefore some wizards may consider them to be untrustworthy. Of course this DOES NOT apply to all wizards, as some are very fond of muggles, as seen by the fact that there has been a Minister of Magic for quite some time.

And if Hermione could be a really, really long suppression of the gene, then ANY muggle may be carrying such genes. So to push them down is silly because the greatest witch or wizard of the age could come from two muggles. If there is a caste-like system in Harry Potter then what happens when in your described 'lowest caste' muggles produce an amazing wizard? Do they jump castes... isn't that not supposed to be allowed?

The fact is that Rowling has been adamant the the book is about the idiocy and silliness of discrimination as seen by the fact that Hermione is the most powerful student in Hogwarts in her class (and perhaps beyond). It's a sign to show how dumb it is that to those like the Malfoys she is considered a "mudblood" and beneath them when she will be far more powerful than Lucious if she lives to his age.

The caste analogy, furthermore, is ludicrious. No house is below any others. The fact that one is for the intelligent folk, one for the brave, one for the hard working and loyal, and one for the ambitious doesn't mean she was going for an Indian caste system. And, as pointed out, you completely stereotype, mistakenly, Slytherin house. It is ambitious, not necessarily evil. Slughorn is NOT evil. The hat wanted to put Harry in that house as well (and recall HARRY chose his house in the end, not the hat).

Recall Dumbledore's constant words that it is our ACTIONS not our ancestry that define who we are.

The "ultimately unjust world" would be the one if Voldemort took over. However, a vast majority of wizards do not agree with Voldemort, who wants to basically create your caste system.

In fact, Rowling makes it clear that the enemy wants a caste system, while the current structure is not one and folks like Dumbledore want to keep the structure as it is and not revert to a caste system.

It seems that you simply want to see India in places where it isn't. You are trying too hard.

[LordShiva]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
One of the reasons for magic folk to think this way is because warlock and witches have been persecuted by Muggles for generations.

How on earth can a non-magic-performing person persecute a magic-performing person?

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by LordShiva
How on earth can a non-magic-performing person persecute a magic-performing person?

See: Salem witch trials.

One can ask how in the X-Men stories non-mutants can persecute mutants, but it happens. Greater numbers and all that.

[LordShiva]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
See: Salem witch trials.

Those weren't real witches

[Solver]

How many mages are there? 1 in ten thousand? Or 1 in a hundred thousand? The overwhelming majority can easily make life a pain for that minority nonetheless.

[LordShiva]

So does "persecute" mean the odd lynching here and there? Those could happen. But when your group can go all "avada kadavra" and "crucio" and dragon-riding on muggle ass, it's probably a lot harder.

[Solver]

Well, witch-burning exists in the HP universe. And persecution isn't necessarily physical. Pure speculation - at one time the mages tried to live openly, not hiding their nature from the rest. In the end, they were excommunicated, people wouldn't want to talk to them and give them services and would otherwise avoid and shun the mages. I'd say that even that, without any physical persecution, would be enough to make the mages decide that they should not be open about being magical.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by LordShiva
Those weren't real witches

In the Harry Potter universe they were... but in the HP universe those witches condemned did not die (because of magic), and some actually enjoyed it.

[DaShi]

Oh great! Another, the villain is really right essay in some popular work of fiction. We are witnessing the final death throws of creativity.

[LordShiva]

Originally posted by DaShi
We are witnessing the final death throws of creativity.

But not of creativity of spelling, thankfully

[Lonestar]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui


See: Salem witch trials.

One can ask how in the X-Men stories non-mutants can persecute mutants, but it happens. Greater numbers and all that.

Yeah, and Giant ****ing Robots . Bit of a special case there.


Incidently, there is an inherent disdain for all things muggle, even within the "good guys" of the Wizard community. You can tell the respect they have for the community with "oh hai just show you know there's a buncha of d00dz who wanna kill or enslave you. just so you know. by the way we don't want you to be involved beyond just you knowing. kk? thx."

We're talking about a community that is so out of touch wiht the incredible vast majority of the HUman race that they need to be explained what a ****ing gun is. Which tells me that it doesn't occur to them to, say, ask Tony Blair to loan out an SAS sniper to pop Voldemort a mile out. After all, tose poor widdle muggles just can't do anything Wizards can do!

[LordShiva]

Originally posted by Lonestar
Which tells me that it doesn't occur to them to, say, ask Tony Blair to loan out an SAS sniper to pop Voldemort a mile out.