jblosser
07-25-2007, 09:49 AM
For those that aren't aware, there has been some recent academic discussion in libertarian circles about the rather overt hostility toward big government in the Harry Potter books. From Lew Rockwell's site:
Writes F, Moreno: "Check out the attack on compulsory schooling in the new Harry Potter book. The evil death-eaters, after they take over the ministry of magic, make attendance to Hogwarts compulsory, they even outlaw homeschooling.... Combined with all the other stuff on registration of 'mudbloods', the racist witch hunt and arbitrary laws, and the protagonist's dislike for and mistreatment at the hands of government and the author's negative portrayal of most bureaucrats and officials, it looks like a whole generation will have their first encounter with libertarian philosophy thanks to JK Rowling. Dumbledore's take on how power corrupts is too Acton-like to ignore. The mainstream establishment press and their cover-ups are also a big feature. The 'Trace' is an eery reminder of RFID and ID cards. There is even a discussion of property rights and non-aggression, and the justice of Means and Ends are a recurrent theme, with the phrase 'for the greater good' shown as the cloak of evil it is often used as. It really does look like the author has been visiting LRC. Ideas do matter, and it looks like the tide is slowly turning."
This means there are literally millions of people out there who have these ideas in their heads right now. Many of them are children, but many of them are not (and we know there's nothing wrong with reaching out to kids; they have parents after all).
I think most of us probably missed the incredible opportunity of last week to go hand out Ron Paul literature in the bookstore parking lots while people waiting for the new book release. :( But as people you know are reading the book this week, this might be a good place to engage them in conversation.
Writes F, Moreno: "Check out the attack on compulsory schooling in the new Harry Potter book. The evil death-eaters, after they take over the ministry of magic, make attendance to Hogwarts compulsory, they even outlaw homeschooling.... Combined with all the other stuff on registration of 'mudbloods', the racist witch hunt and arbitrary laws, and the protagonist's dislike for and mistreatment at the hands of government and the author's negative portrayal of most bureaucrats and officials, it looks like a whole generation will have their first encounter with libertarian philosophy thanks to JK Rowling. Dumbledore's take on how power corrupts is too Acton-like to ignore. The mainstream establishment press and their cover-ups are also a big feature. The 'Trace' is an eery reminder of RFID and ID cards. There is even a discussion of property rights and non-aggression, and the justice of Means and Ends are a recurrent theme, with the phrase 'for the greater good' shown as the cloak of evil it is often used as. It really does look like the author has been visiting LRC. Ideas do matter, and it looks like the tide is slowly turning."
This means there are literally millions of people out there who have these ideas in their heads right now. Many of them are children, but many of them are not (and we know there's nothing wrong with reaching out to kids; they have parents after all).
I think most of us probably missed the incredible opportunity of last week to go hand out Ron Paul literature in the bookstore parking lots while people waiting for the new book release. :( But as people you know are reading the book this week, this might be a good place to engage them in conversation.