Random thoughts

[serafina20]

So, I hate the school I'm at right now and, since we mostly watched a movie today, my mind wandered. I started thinking about how whenever someone holds an unpopular opinion, or new theory that people don't take to, it seems like, nine times out of ten, they end up saying that people are shutting them down or not allowing them to talk or something to that effect (this is both in fandom and in life). I follow of lot of these conversations through various places whether I'm in the fandom or not (I like watching people debate) and, most of the time I don't understand where the persecuted people are being persecuted. I've seen people from the opposing sides offer really good counter-arguments that seem to stump the first person or people, but that's not shutting them down.

I know how difficult it is to argue a position and not get frustrated at the other side. And I understand feeling like we're speaking a different language. But I've rarely seen people honestly shut down, belittled, yelled at, or told to shut up unless this stuff is all happening off list or journal or whatever so I can't see it.

In other news, I really don't like JK Rowling. I like her books, but I really resent being told I'm not allowed to like a character because he's an evil or unpleasant person. I thought part of reading was getting to form your own opinions about stuff.

Comments

[pepperjackcandy.livejournal.com]

I really resent being told I'm not allowed to like a character because he's an evil or unpleasant person.

What did she say? About whom?

[serafina20.livejournal.com]

Well, it's second hand (other people saying that she's said it), but she's said things like you shouldn't like Snape because he's not a nice guy, and doesn't understand why people like Slytherines and stuff. I just resent the implication that I shouldn't like Snape when a. there's so much not explained about his character that I don't *know* he's as assy as he appears and b. am viewing him through an unreliable narrator. Several, if you count Sirius' interpretation of him. It just bothers me.

[digitalwave]

She seems to feel that way about Draco as well. It really seems to bother her that so many of us like him. Boggles my mind.

[pepperjackcandy.livejournal.com]

I thought it might be Snape, and I've read those quotes myself.

Snape's one of my favorite characters, because he's got more depth than the others. Maybe she's going to make it turn out that he only went back to Dumbledore because he knew that Voldie was going to lose, but didn't Dumbledore say at Snape's trial that Voldie lost *because* Snape was spying for Dumbledore?

I think that JKR's a very shallow person who happens to accidentally write very deep kids' books. Witness her insistence that Ron and Hermione are attracted to each other. On what planet is their behavior attraction in any people over the age of 11?

[zafra.livejournal.com]

Huh. I guess if she knew we were rooting for Lex she'd crap a brick. ;)

I hadn't heard those comments, but perhaps they were taken a bit out of context? We're adult fans, versus the children's audience she originally wrote for. When discussing the issues of personal choice and life decisions with people like us, there's much more grey that can be explored. When you are speaking to children, though, they can't always grasp subtlety the same way we can. Perhaps she was thus thinking that kids liked the bad characters and so she was upset because they are supposed to like Harry, the hero, and she found their turn toward the dark side disturbing? Just a thought.

[serafina20.livejournal.com]

No, thay's not it. She honestly can't understand how anyone can like Snape, Draco, and Lucius and has said that the only reason we like them is because we're attracted to Alan Rickman, Tom Felton, and Jason Isaccs. Now, I admit I find the last two characters more interesting in the movies because they aren't flat and incomprehenisble, but I"ve always loved Snape.