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Harry Potter Vs. Real Life - 7/18/2005 12:06:38 PM

fourpeas

Posts: 243
Joined: 5/6/2005
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Am I the only one who is severely and seriously bothered by the fact that there are people dying of AIDS in Africa, dying of war and disease everywhere in the world, the London police are trying to find out more about the bombing suspects, a Category 4 hurricane is slamming into the Mexican coast and our White House is denying a leak of intelligence that endangered a CIA operative's life...

... And the biggest news story is about a fantasy book that is popular around the world!? Is anyone else bothered by this? Does this make anyone else angry?

Don't get me wrong -- I'm not a Harry Potter fan, I haven't read any of the books -- that said, I think it's awesome that a woman wrote a story that has been translated into a gazillion languages and that it is a global thing. I also think it's great that kids are reading large books, and I think it's awesome that it's forcing people to tell their kids that it's make-believe and bringing up questions about witchcraft or WHATEVER...

But to look on the home pages of so many news channels and see that Harry Potter was the top story made me really sick to my stomach. It made me wonder why we (AS A WORLD) are choosing to dive headfirst into a 700-page book, spending our money and our time escaping to a place that is, in no way, real, when there are so many things that could be more constructive uses of our time to make our world more of a fantasy land. To make our world more peaceful. More pleasant, less violent.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Don't get me wrong -- I'm all about escapism -- But I just want to know why this is... It really has been bothering me... I do think that we need to escape every now and then... But I want to see more artists and people being more responsible to our world....

Is JK Rowling giving any of her millions of dollars to help people? (I'm not being a smart-ass, but I seriously don't know) Is she a socially aware person who wants to help people and that's why she wrote the books? Do people at large think she is using her influence to make good changes in the world? I know nothing about this; I only know that I am bothered by it.

Post #: 1

RE: Harry Potter Vs. Real Life - 7/18/2005 12:15:58 PM

EmeraldSlave2

Posts: 3645
Joined: 1/1/2004
Status: offline

We need to celebrate the joys and newness and fantasy in the world just as much as we need to understand the pain and evils.

We can discuss the idiocy of news coverage these days until the cows come home, but I support hearing about the fun and fluff and happiness of kids reading.

(in reply to fourpeas)

Post #: 2

RE: Harry Potter Vs. Real Life - 7/18/2005 12:36:23 PM

MrThorns

Posts: 919
Joined: 6/4/2004
Status: offline

It's something I've gotten accustomed to.

Harry Potter is the least of the diversions that keep people from getting truly upset with the world around them. I for one am really happy for the Harry Potter books, as it pulls kids away from the PS2 and gets them reading again.

~Thorns

_____________________________

~"Do you know what the chain of command is? Its the chain I beat ya with when ya don't follow my command."

"My inner child is a mean little fucker"

(in reply to fourpeas)

Post #: 3

RE: Harry Potter Vs. Real Life - 7/18/2005 2:00:06 PM

Gauge

Posts: 5689
Joined: 6/17/2005
Status: offline

quote:

But to look on the home pages of so many news channels and see that Harry Potter was the top story made me really sick to my stomach. It made me wonder why we (AS A WORLD) are choosing to dive headfirst into a 700-page book, spending our money and our time escaping to a place that is, in no way, real, when there are so many things that could be more constructive uses of our time to make our world more of a fantasy land. To make our world more peaceful. More pleasant, less violent.

If there was no real need for escapism none of these things would exist. I am all for changing the world for the better and I support awareness of several things. I am also a big supporter of the idea that charity begins at home. There are issues in our country that are equally pressing and sad that aren't being addressed. Fix what is wrong here first, then we can all try to help elsewhere.

As far as artists, etc., being more responsible to the world issues, I believe that music, film, books and art has done just that. They use their medium to inform people.

I don't watch the news. Why? Well, it's depressing and things are presented for their intrinsic shock value rather than for good solid news reporting. I know this stuff happens all over the world but it doesn't mean that I am going to immerse myself in it. I need my escapes, everyone does... people make money from providing those escapes. Welcome to the world.

_____________________________

"For there is no folly of the beast of the earth which is not infinitely outdone by the madness of men." Herman Melville - Moby Dick

I'm wearing my chicken suit and humming La Marseillaise.

(in reply to fourpeas)

Post #: 4

RE: Harry Potter Vs. Real Life - 7/21/2005 1:07:44 AM

MadameDahlia

Posts: 2021
Joined: 8/11/2004
From: SoCal aka Hell
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Gauge

I don't watch the news. Why? Well, it's depressing and things are presented for their intrinsic shock value rather than for good solid news reporting. I know this stuff happens all over the world but it doesn't mean that I am going to immerse myself in it.

YES. One big huge YES.
Man bites dog. Child massacres entire classroom with semi-automatic. Building collapses after sever mold goes untreated.

Thousands of children and adults are reading - kids are challenging their minds, expanding their vocabulary and writing better in school.

Thank you but I'll take the fluff. I'm tired of hearing nothing but depressing things on the news. I'm tired of hearing about yet another car accident - another high speed chase that ends in death - another shoot out at a local bank. How about a glimmer of goodness and hope for a change? How about putting an emphasis on the positive?

I think that if we had positive news accounts people would feel safer - feel more pleasant (and perhaps be more pleasant to one another). Perhaps that means they hold the door open instead of letting it slam in someone's face. Perhaps it means that they hold the elevator for someone (who may very well be having a downright horrible day).

I know I'm more inclined to be a person rather than a jackass when I'm in a wonderful mood. Some people are just always going to be real pieces of work. But I think a bit of good could go a long, long way.

_____________________________

Insanity -- a perfectly rational adjustment to an insane world.
--R. D. Laing

"Oh, but if I went 'round sayin' I was Emperor, just because some moistened bint lobbed a scimitar at me, they'd put me away."

(in reply to Gauge)

Post #: 5

RE: Harry Potter Vs. Real Life - 7/21/2005 1:23:34 AM

imtempting

Posts: 1280
Joined: 2/11/2005
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Gauge
I know this stuff happens all over the world but it doesn't mean that I am going to immerse myself in it. I need my escapes, everyone does... people make money from providing those escapes. Welcome to the world.

(in reply to Gauge)

Post #: 6

RE: Harry Potter Vs. Real Life - 7/21/2005 2:27:04 AM

fp2012

Posts: 97
Joined: 6/23/2005
Status: offline

To answer a few of your questions about J.K. Rowling:
She divorced after a brief marriage and became a single mother, she suffered through a period of poverty and depression while she struggled to earn a living and take care of her daughter, Jessica. It was during that time that she wrote Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, and truly went from rags to riches.

She has a charitable trust and is the patron of several groups, including The National Council for One Parent Families, the Family Wellfare Association, the Child Poverty Action Group and the Multiple Sclerosis Society Scotland to name a few. She is also very involved in social fund reform, and her books help to make children aware of those less fortunate than themselves (seen in the character Ron and the entire Weasley family throughout all the books).

Her books really do have deep underlying meanings to them and address topics such as racism, poverty, war, and slavery (I just had to grin when I re-read book 4 with all the house elf slavery stuff... I'd like to be a house elf!).

All in all, I think that Harry Potter is wonderful in that it has gotten so many children (and adults) into reading. It certainly helps children develop creativity and imagination. And they can relate to it well; to the school issues that arise, the bullying, the homework, mean teachers, falling in love for the first time, etc. I think it helps kids in the end. I would hope that the books wouldn't stay as headline news very long, but I can understand them being headlined the day the books come out. Lines around stores of people dressed in wizard robes is definitely worth reporting. lol

_____________________________

"When I'm good I'm very very good, but when I'm bad I'm better" - Mae West

(in reply to imtempting)

Post #: 7

RE: Harry Potter Vs. Real Life - 7/21/2005 2:32:21 AM

darkinshadows

Posts: 4145
Joined: 6/2/2004
From: UK
Status: offline

As much as I abhore any injustice - we should recognise the good and beauty in people as well.

Although there is much sadness and badness in the world, it is also a beautiful place. And the whole point of living is to celebrate our acheivements, not wallow in another poison.

JK Rowling is to be commended - she brought books back and gave them to children. She gave hope and she is, via her books, showing that good can triumph. That the bad guy doesn't always win, and that a life can be filled with sorrow which you cn cope with, can get through. She, and authors like her, give children something very few people do these days.
She gives hope.

On a side note, she refuses to give interviews and when she rarely does, she doesn't do so with adults - but with children. She is a global activist, animal rights activist(I believe) and does alot of chariety work and as for her monies, well I personally think she deserves it. She kepts a good tight reign on the films and refuses over advertising.

Live8 had a serious message behind it - but it was about celebrating. It was about uniting and realising there is the ability in everyone and in the world, to progress with greatness and a smile on our faces and not be swallowed by anothers dictation.

Peace and Love

_____________________________

.dark.

...i surrender to gravity and the unknown...

(in reply to fourpeas)

Post #: 8

RE: Harry Potter Vs. Real Life - 7/21/2005 5:40:50 AM

tinkJH

Posts: 180
Joined: 5/22/2005
Status: offline

There is only so much the news can report on something for so long. After a while.. no one wants to hear it. It would get turned off, and the stations would loose ratings. (Which is, afterall a big issue to the companies, not the news itself)

Frankly, I understand there is war, death, disease in other parts of the country. As long as there are deaths, starving children, homless people, and disease in this country - I careless about the others. I am not going to start sending money to another country when someone else in my own country could use it even more. I will admit I had many mixed feelings when the President (not voiceing my views on him, that isnt what this is about) decided that the US was no longer going to support or give grant money to 'Family Services Groups" overseas that perform abortions. Now, I am completely pro choice and I understand that these groups provided more to the families in these other coutries as they also offered them birth control, parenting classes, and counseling, disease treatment. But, the money we do not send over to another country.. gets used here in our country (hopefully). Eventually.. we might actually get someone in office, that knows how to use a budget and how to put this countries money in places where it really is needed.

I can't stand to watch the news. I hate it. If they aren't relaying the same story 4 times a day, they are chattering on about what resturant got the lowest score, or they go on continually about the 80 bad things that happened today. I have enough issues with depression, I don't need to hear about the woman in ___ state that left her infant in the car, or the dog that killed its neighbor, or that a puppy mill has been found and 200 diseased ridden puppies were put to sleep. Why do I want to send myself to bed crying?

I like Harry Potter. I like all books. I even like the fact that the Chronicles of Narnia are comming back. Especially if they enchant the youth of today to read, use their imagination and expand their volcabulary compared to the other things the could be doing.

Is it the fault of the book or the author that they get more news coverage then a bombing that happen a week ago which there is no new information about? No. They don't control what order the news casts are run in.

(in reply to darkinshadows)

Post #: 9

RE: Harry Potter Vs. Real Life - 7/21/2005 6:39:06 AM

FangsNfeet

Posts: 3758
Joined: 12/3/2004
Status: offline

It's been getting hard for me to have simpathy for the ppl of africa. We give them money, food, and try to teach them about infection as well as how to grow there own food. Yet they don't listen. We even send troups over there to help out refugess and fight in schirmishes yet no one seems to really change. You can give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Or you can teach him how to fish and feed him for life. I'm tired of helping those who don't wish to learn.

Though we have so much horible news and tradgic events in life, we can't let them drown us. After all there is good in the world and it deserves to be on the news as well. Even when 9/11 hit I didn't cancel my eye exam. If a book makes it to high success then it's good that get's recognized. It's important that the media does it's job in reporting. That's what a journalist is suppose to do. Tell everything day by day the good, the bad, and the ugly instead of tell what he thinks is important and give there own oppinions about it and trying to have us agree with him.

As for all the ppl buying the Harry Potter books, they have the right to be happy. Though I haven't bought any of these books, I have bought other things and still do the activivities that I like to do. To balance things in my life, happyness needs to be in the equation. It's not to escape all the bad things in the world, but to show and know that some good is still out there and it's worth fighting for. If all we see is gloom and doom, we'll give up and Africa will then die completly and bombs will blow us all up.

_____________________________

I'm Godzilla and you're Japan

(in reply to fourpeas)

Post #: 10

RE: Harry Potter Vs. Real Life - 7/21/2005 9:01:31 AM

darkinshadows

Posts: 4145
Joined: 6/2/2004
From: UK
Status: offline

quote:

It's been getting hard for me to have simpathy for the ppl of africa. We give them money, food, and try to teach them about infection as well as how to grow there own food. Yet they don't listen.

Now see, this type of thought is so far off target.

They do listen - very well - however they are 'blackmailed' into not accepting understanding with illness, contraception and medicines that assist them.
Troops are not sent into these countries. On the whole, african countries are ignored by world governments, who then complain about the people who are dictators within the countires. The troops are mainly sent in as 'go betweens' and are not allowed to interfere with in country conflicts. The troops are cheifly there to help distribute aid and to assist the red cross or are affiliated to the UN. You don'tseriously believe that the US and other countires actually 'get involved' - that would be a first!
And to be honest, it's a ridiculous notion to believe that money and food actually help. The only money issues are mainly the issues of dropping debt. What is wanted is education - no more, no less. Not misinformation, although with a comment like that, if the western world get it so wrong, it does come to wondering how much education via us will help. It would be helpful if people became more informed before they start making ill informed comments.

Peace and Love

_____________________________

.dark.

...i surrender to gravity and the unknown...

(in reply to FangsNfeet)

Post #: 11

RE: Harry Potter Vs. Real Life - 7/21/2005 5:06:26 PM

subcheryl

Posts: 280
Joined: 11/2/2004
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: EmeraldSlave2

We need to celebrate the joys and newness and fantasy in the world just as much as we need to understand the pain and evils.

We can discuss the idiocy of news coverage these days until the cows come home, but I support hearing about the fun and fluff and happiness of kids reading.

I agree. Iam so sick of hearing of this one shooting that one of this accident happening. I am sensitive enough that I actually feel the pain of families who loose a child to a drive by shooting, an innocent victim, (we had one in Ms just a couple of weeks ago), They have a new mayor here in jackson, ms and boy oh boy is he making a difference, and that is what I like hearing he is going to bat for the people in low income tenants with landlords who don't give a dam he is going after the gun toting idiots out there, no bail for a crime commited with a gun, he is going after the drug lords, he does alot of this after hrs he rides with the local police. I love hearing of people who make a difference. I like hearing of kids enthusiasm for reading for being involved in community service, for thinking of others. So give me a news broadcast on harry potter anyday

(in reply to EmeraldSlave2)

Post #: 12

RE: Harry Potter Vs. Real Life - 7/21/2005 6:02:55 PM

siamsa24

Posts: 2426
Joined: 2/2/2004
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: fp2012

To answer a few of your questions about J.K. Rowling:
She divorced after a brief marriage and became a single mother, she suffered through a period of poverty and depression while she struggled to earn a living and take care of her daughter, Jessica. It was during that time that she wrote Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, and truly went from rags to riches.

She has a charitable trust and is the patron of several groups, including The National Council for One Parent Families, the Family Wellfare Association, the Child Poverty Action Group and the Multiple Sclerosis Society Scotland to name a few. She is also very involved in social fund reform, and her books help to make children aware of those less fortunate than themselves (seen in the character Ron and the entire Weasley family throughout all the books).

Her books really do have deep underlying meanings to them and address topics such as racism, poverty, war, and slavery (I just had to grin when I re-read book 4 with all the house elf slavery stuff... I'd like to be a house elf!).

All in all, I think that Harry Potter is wonderful in that it has gotten so many children (and adults) into reading. It certainly helps children develop creativity and imagination. And they can relate to it well; to the school issues that arise, the bullying, the homework, mean teachers, falling in love for the first time, etc. I think it helps kids in the end. I would hope that the books wouldn't stay as headline news very long, but I can understand them being headlined the day the books come out. Lines around stores of people dressed in wizard robes is definitely worth reporting. lol

Parts taken from:

Review on Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

J. K. Rowling

TimesOnline

I have a feeling this was nipped from a review, these are some of the links I found that seem to be word-for-word in chunks

(in reply to fp2012)

Post #: 13

RE: Harry Potter Vs. Real Life - 7/22/2005 1:36:08 AM

fp2012

Posts: 97
Joined: 6/23/2005
Status: offline

Oh wow, you're right. I actually took this from an email my friend Katie (who is the biggest Harry Potter nut you'll ever meet) sent me. She must have cut and pasted that into her email. My mom made the same point about "What is J.K. doing with her money?" and I asked Katie the same question. The last two paragraphs are my own. But why does it matter where she or I got information from? We're not supposed to cite where we get stuff are we?

_____________________________

"When I'm good I'm very very good, but when I'm bad I'm better" - Mae West

(in reply to siamsa24)

Post #: 14

RE: Harry Potter Vs. Real Life - 7/22/2005 7:06:25 AM

siamsa24

Posts: 2426
Joined: 2/2/2004
Status: offline

Yes, you are supposed to cite things, otherwise it is plagerism

(in reply to fp2012)

Post #: 15

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