Where do we stand on Harry Potter?

[Undrave]

Oh boy, if I had a nickel for every Avada Kedavara thrown my way...

Sorry to hear that

 

[niklinna]

As the dude in my avatar used to say "Little bit of politics there", and I apologise but also sorry not sorry.

Who is that dude by the way? He looks familiar.

 

[JAMUMU]

Who is that dude by the way? He looks familiar.

Ben Elton, left-wing firebrand comedian from the 80s (The Young Ones, Blackadder, Friday Night Live) and successful novelist.

 

[Undrave]

If we can talk about Cthulhu without calling each other racists, we can talk about the Potterverse with calling each other bigots. We don't have to even mention the authors or their reprehensible views. An entire generation grew up on Harry Potter. We don't get to tell them they are bad people for their formative media.

To me there's a difference between a nostalgic view of the franchise and what it was to you in the past, and actively supporting JK Rowling in the present. If you found good in a franchise, then that good came from you. You don’t have to be ashamed of that. But part of being an adult is recognizing what you do has an impact, and part of being responsible and kind is being willing to act to minimize the harm you cause. I don’t want people to throw away their childhood memories, just think long and hard before buying more merchandise if feeding that nostalgia is worth the harm you facilitate.

Heck, buy the Potter stuff used, pirate the media, buy fan made unauthorized items, I won’t mind. Just don’t give your money to Johanne.

 

[niklinna]

Ben Elton, left-wing firebrand comedian from the 80s (The Young Ones, Blackadder, Friday Night Live) and successful novelist.

I loved The Young Ones and Blackadder! Never saw Friday Night Live though.

 

[JAMUMU]

If we can talk about Cthulhu without calling each other racists, we can talk about the Potterverse with calling each other bigots. We don't have to even mention the authors or their reprehensible views. An entire generation grew up on Harry Potter. We don't get to tell them they are bad people for their formative media.

Aw man, please don't think I'm trying to pick a fight with you or anything, honest, but...

I grew up when Enid Blyton and Tin-Tin and Little Black S***o were cornerstones of children's fiction. Germans, all Germans, every single living German? Bad guys. Nazis. On long-ago barely-remembered nights out I danced to Morrissey's "National Front Disco" and "Bengali In Platforms".

Because these were formative media for me, they escape critique? Or are they old enough that it doesn't matter anymore? While JK Rowling is alive, her product is cool, no worries, formative for a generation, don't mention ze war? Man, I just don't know.

 

[MGibster]

Heck, buy the Potter stuff used, pirate the media, buy fan made unauthorized items, I won’t mind. Just don’t give your money to Johanne.

I don't know if this is particularly relevant to the questions posed in the opening post. There's no Potterverse RPG, so if we discuss it in the context of a TTRPG, Rowlings doens't profit.

 

[Reynard]

To me there's a difference between a nostalgic view of the franchise and what it was to you in the past, and actively supporting JK Rowling in the present. If you found good in a franchise, then that good came from you. You don’t have to be ashamed of that. But part of being an adult is recognizing what you do has an impact, and part of being responsible and kind is being willing to act to minimize the harm you cause. I don’t want people to throw away their childhood memories, just think long and hard before buying more merchandise if feeding that nostalgia is worth the harm you facilitate.

Heck, buy the Potter stuff used, pirate the media, buy fan made unauthorized items, I won’t mind. Just don’t give your money to Johanne.

I absolutely agree with not giving her one red cent.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Oh boy, if I had a nickel for every Avada Kedavara thrown my way...

Wait …. Isn’t that just abra cadabra?

I know most of the spells are just lazy Latin, but c’mon.

 

[Reynard]

Aw man, please don't think I'm trying to pick a fight with you or anything, honest, but...

I grew up when Enid Blyton and Tin-Tin and Little Black S***o were cornerstones of children's fiction. Germans, all Germans, every single living German? Bad guys. Nazis. On long-ago barely-remembered nights out I danced to Morrissey's "National Front Disco" and "Bengali In Platforms".

Because these were formative media for me, they escape critique? Or are they old enough that it doesn't matter anymore? While JK Rowling is alive, her product is cool, no worries, formative for a generation, don't mention ze war? Man, I just don't know.

I didn't say one word about not holding Rowling or even the books up to critique. I said don’t treat each other poorly for loving something they grew up with. I am talking about people.