Where do we stand on Harry Potter?

[CleverNickName]

It can be a real time-saver. Ask someone "do you like J.K. Rowling?" and they will answer several questions about themselves, all at once.

 

[Cadence]

I think it's odd to say you enjoy Harry Potter but hate JKR. Maybe that's me. I thought it was relevant in light of some earlier comments.

I read some gross comments earlier about how it's okay to like Lovecraft because he's dead and therefore can no longer financially profit, and that it's a shame Rowling is still among the living, or some such rot. Surely, if it is an acceptable opinion round these parts to wish a human dead so that they can enjoy her fantasy world better, it's acceptable for people to have the opinion that it's okay to like her.

Lovecraft was seemingly a vile racist even for his time. Assuming so, why would anyone like Lovecraft the person? On the other hand, a number of people who think he was a horrible human being that no one should like are ok with his works and their derivatives.

One reason it might be easier to like the works of a dead author whose views one finds exceptionally problematic than it is the works of a similar live one is that the dollars spent on the former's works aren't being used by that person to spread those beliefs.

It feels like the mods would come down here on anyone wishing a person dead. Which post? If they didn't do so, I'll go report it.

 

[Gradine]

At least if they shut up about it they're not making those ideas seem valid in the public sphere nor propagating them further. I'd rather a silent Lovecraft than a chatty Rowling, and that guy was too racists for the other racists.

This is an important note. A famous person who is secretly a bigot but has carefully hidden that bigotry is, by definition, not actively campaigning to take away rights from marginalized groups, isn't spreading malicious lies about that group in order to turn public opinion against them, isn't lending their considerable social capital to support and amplify and validate other bigots, etc

That's what's different about JK Rowling; she is currently doing ALL of those things. And honestly? She's not doing a whole lot else with her time currently. So when you it should be okay to like her, you are implicitly saying it's okay for her to be doing what she's doing.

Which, news flash, it's not okay

 

[halfling rogue]

'cause Gradine is directly affected by the impact of the ideas JK Rowling is propagating.

So it's not okay to like JK Rowling because Gradine is directly affected by her ideas?

Sorry kids, no Harry Potter before bed. Gradine has been affected.

 

[Gradine]

I read some gross comments earlier about how it's okay to like Lovecraft because he's dead and therefore can no longer financially profit, and that it's a shame Rowling is still among the living, or some such rot. Surely, if it is an acceptable opinion round these parts to wish a human dead so that they can enjoy her fantasy world better, it's acceptable for people to have the opinion that it's okay to like her.

If you've got qualms about wishing other people were dead I've got some bad news about JKR for you

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I read some gross comments earlier about how it's okay to like Lovecraft because he's dead and therefore can no longer financially profit, and that it's a shame Rowling is still among the living, or some such rot.

Who said that?

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Surely, if it is an acceptable opinion round these parts to wish a human dead so that they can enjoy her fantasy world better, it's acceptable for people to have the opinion that it's okay to like her.

Again, this is a basic logic issue.

Just because an opinion one way is acceptable, does not mean that the opposite opinion is equally acceptable.

This is blindingly obvious, but I will illustrate it with an example-

Zeno: I think that killing innocent children is a bad thing.

Achilles: HA! Well, if that's an acceptable opinion, then my opinion .... that child murder is totally awesome ... is acceptable too!

 

[Imaculata]

How would you have done it?

I would have not inserted the trans character at all. The game's character creator already supports trans options. That's good enough, and better than most games.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

So it's not okay to like JK Rowling because Gradine is directly affected by her ideas?

Sorry kids, no Harry Potter before bed. Gradine has been affected.

Congratulations on not giving a crap about other people's feelings?

 

[Cadence]

So it's not okay to like JK Rowling because Gradine is directly affected by her ideas?

Sorry kids, no Harry Potter before bed. Gradine has been affected.

No Harry Potter books before bed, or no hearing praise of the person JK Rowling before bed?