Philosopher: Potter is a lefty (Magic a resistance vs. triumphant middle class)

News 24 (South Africa) ^ | October 26, 2007

[Stoat]

Philosopher: Potter is a lefty
26/10/2007 16:21  - (SA)  

 

Paris - Harry Potter is a left-winger and the seven books by JK Rowling are a diatribe against Thatcherite Britain, a French philosopher said on Friday on the day of the last novel's publication in French.

"It must be said from the start that Harry Potter is deeply political and that the books speak of today's England," Jean-Claude Milner told the left-wing newspaper Liberation.

"Reading it, one can see that JK Rowling - like many cultured English people - believes there was a real Thatcherite revolution, that it was a disaster, and that culture's only chance is to survive as an occult science."

According to Milner, Harry's world of magic - and especially the elite public school setting of the Hogwarts school of wizardry - offer a means of resistance against a triumphant middle-class represented by the non-magic Muggles.

"Harry's uncle and aunt - Muggles par excellence - live like heroes of Margaret Thatcher's world, in a neat little estate where all the houses are identical," he said.

"One can equally say that modern England is a world where the Muggles have indeed taken power, first with Margaret Thatcher and then with Tony Blair - a world where the omnipotence of the middle class is given free rein," he said.

According to Milner - a professor of linguistics at Paris university - the scene in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in which Harry's aunt is blown up like a balloon is a satire on Thatcher.

'Clear allusion to Thatcher'

"Here we can see a reference to (the film) The Great Dictator by Chaplin, featuring an all-powerful middle class figure gone mad. And one cannot help but note that the aunt is called Marge - a clear allusion to Thatcher."

For Milner, Hogwarts provides a refuge for the minority who wish to preserve civilisation from the dangers of globalisation.

And he says Rowling's use of Latin and Greek words in her magic vocabulary is a kind of antidote against the value-for-money society of modern Britain.

"In the world of Hogwarts there are certainly inequalities. But at the same time, since culture is open to all, Hermione - the child of Muggles - can outperform Malfoy, the child of wizards," he said.

"So what appears as elitist is in fact real equality, as opposed to the false equality of the Muggles. In this, Harry Potter is a war-machine against Thatchero-Blairism and the 'American way of life'.

"JK Rowling is a real libertarian motivated by a desire to conserve. It is as if she is saying ... the real magicians are not Tony Blair's spin-doctors but people who know Latin and Greek."

'Lacks nobility of soul'

As for the evil Voldemort, he is the "super-spin doctor". A wizard himself, he is proof that culture alone is not enough to save the world. Power-mad, he differs from good wizards because he lacks "nobility of soul".

"So we have on one side the Muggles, where oppression means power over things; and on the other hand Hogwarts, where knowledge enables one to resist the materialism of the Muggles - but also opens the way to power over people.

"This terrible power, which Voldemort seeks and which we call tyranny, is one of the themes of Harry Potter - and indeed one of the themes of English literature since Dickens and Orwell," he said.

Some British critics have in the past accused JK Rowling of conservatism for setting her books in a nostalgic era of boarding-schools and steam trains.

The finale of the series - Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows - went on sale in France and Germany on Friday, three months after it came out in the English-speaking world.

[Stoat]

Not having read the books or seen the movies it's difficult to comment meaningfully, but if the Leftish tendencies of the Potter empire are less than overt, one is reminded of Freud's famous rejoinder "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar".

[PBRSTREETGANG]

Well, Rowling did feel that need to out Dumbledore after the fact.

[BenLurkin]

“Reading it, one can see that JK Rowling - like many cultured English people - believes there was a real Thatcherite revolution, that it was a disaster, and that culture’s only chance is to survive as an occult science.”

I’m not saying this guy is a drug addict — I don’t know if he is or not. But that sure sounds like classic pot addled thinking.

[Cicero]

"Harry's uncle and aunt - Muggles par excellence - live like heroes of Margaret Thatcher's world, in a neat little estate where all the houses are identical," he said.

May I be the first to say that this guy is so blinded by Marxist ideology that he can't see the nose in front of his face?

Could anyone with a lick of sense think that Maggie Thatcher's world is a world of comfortable suburban conformists?

[r9etb]

Harry Potter is a left-winger and the seven books by JK Rowling are a diatribe against Thatcherite Britain, a French philosopher said on Friday on the day of the last novel's publication in French.

LOL! Well, not really. If anything, they're a diatribe against Chamberlain's Britain, and a validation of Winston Churchill.

[SJSAMPLE]

That’s what I was thinking.

She espouses the concept of personal responsibility and self defense, while some the less amiable characters refuse to espouse any notion of these.

[js1138]

Of course the series isn’t named after Dumbledore, nor is his infatuation portrayed as anything other than tragic.

[ClearCase_guy]

French Philosophy hasn't been the same since Jerry Lewis started setting the tone.

Actually, their decline precedes the nutty professor, but I don't think he helped.

[PurpleMan]

Just spent the summer and early fall reading them all.

They are a great read. Seven years of character and plot development.

Besides, she creates this amazing world of wizardy that is Tolkien-esque.

WOrth the time.

[Jedi Jake]

Actually, Dumbledore released a statement through his spokesman yesterday denying that he is gay. He’s threatening to sue Rowling.

[Stoat]

Reading it, one can see that JK Rowling - like many cultured English people - believes there was a real Thatcherite revolution, that it was a disaster, and that culture’s only chance is to survive as an occult science.”

I’m not saying this guy is a drug addict — I don’t know if he is or not. But that sure sounds like classic pot addled thinking.

And also generic, unenlightened Leftist 'thinking' which is usually indistinguishable from pot-addled thinking.

From the article:

"Harry's uncle and aunt - Muggles par excellence - live like heroes of Margaret Thatcher's world, in a neat little estate where all the houses are identical," he said.

Only a committed Leftist who knows nothing of Conservatism would think that it's a Conservative ideal for all houses - and by extension, all people - to be the same.  In fact, it's Socialism that has always pushed rigid uniformity in all aspects of life and it's Conservatism and Capitalism that enthusiastically encourages innovation, imagination and risk-taking.

This guy has it all exactly backwards.

Reading it, one can see that JK Rowling - like many cultured English people - believes there was a real Thatcherite revolution, that it was a disaster, and that culture’s only chance is to survive as an occult science.”

I’m not saying this guy is a drug addict — I don’t know if he is or not. But that sure sounds like classic pot addled thinking.

[tired1]

tell that to Bill.

[AppyPappy]

Yeah but she also killed the gay guy. What does that say?

I found Potter to be more Libertarian. Order of the Phoenix is a tale of the battle against political correctness.

[agere_contra]

Well said Stoat.

[dragonblustar]

JK Rowling is a lefty. She once belonged to Amnesty International, she stuck out against Christians and President Bush after Katrina.

[Corin Stormhands]

She once belonged to Amnesty International, she stuck out against Christians and President Bush after Katrina.

I suppose you can document that?

[dragonblustar]

Go google it or look at her blog for bio.

Read the LA Times when she called Christians on the right biggots.

[EyeGuy]

“Order of the Phoenix is a tale of the battle against political correctness.”

Absolutely.

Also, a strong case for an armed citizenry, though as an elite, “enlightened” Brit, I doubt that Rowling would admit she is arguing strongly on the side of us rube American NRA members.

[dmz]

Actually, Dumbledore released a statement through his spokesman yesterday denying that he is gay. He’s threatening to sue Rowling.
______________

Breaking News!!!

Dumbledore arrested in Minneapolis airport soliciting sex from an undercover cop in the men’s room.

[Corin Stormhands]

I don’t really care about Amnesty International.

However, I do know that in many, many, many articles her comments about Christians, and supposedly about President Bush have been misquoted and misinterpreted.

I’m not saying you’re wrong. But I’m not doing your homework for you. If she said those things, you ought to be able to provide documentation.