Thoughts on Harry Potter

So I've discovered the joy of audiobooks while working on character sheets. I started with Harry Potter, and so far I've done the first two books.

I'll start by acknowledging that I'm rather above the target age for this sort of thing, and that's the root of most of my problems with it. They are formulaic, and a little patronising. The tone struck me as younger even than some of the subject matter, as if Christopher Robin slew a basilisk and got covered in blood. Odd. Also Harry has a little of what annoys me about Captain Kirk about him. Concessions are made and favouritism shown for... no real reason other than him being the main character. As far as I can see so far anyway. Perhaps there's a massive clever twist up ahead, but I'm not holding out hope.

Overall I thought they were alright, but really merely alright and nothing more. I enjoyed it but I've read far better childrens/young adults books.

What I really want to talk about is the way wizarding works in these stories.

There's a hell of a lot of division in their culture. From segregating themselves from the non-magical types, right down to encouraging and baiting school house rivalries. Blatant favouritism shown by all, including the Head, with no good role models for fairness and objectivity.

Sure, only a minority of wizards are openly discriminatory against those without magic, but the rest of the community all still conduct themselves as though priviledged. Why should there be castles and feasting for wizards? Should the pupils be taught that magic is for granting themselves indulgences and luxury, which the non-magical types can't have?

Frankly, I sympathised with Mrs Dursley. Imagine having a sister who got to go to a huge fancy private school in a castle, along with all the associated trappings, because of a fluke of genetics. I'd probably hate such a special sister too.

They seem to be in denial about it, but the wizards in Harry Potter are all pretty anti-"muggle".

On Ene, there's a magical college which exists precisely to counter this sort of thing. Education about magic is available to everyone, because peace comes and fear is dispelled through understanding. Students are encouraged to think of magic as a science that one can have a talent for grasping the same way some people are good at drawing, and to consider themselves no more special than such.

And wands are for losers. Yup.