More People Need(ed) to Read Harry Potter

[annoni-no.livejournal.com]

I know, a provocative title in this community, but we have concrete evidence that reading Harry Potter leads to a small, but significant, increase in antipathy toward Donald Trump and his policies.

https://www.asc.upenn.edu/news-events/news/new-study-shows-reading-harry-potter-lowers-americans%E2%80%99-opinions-donald-trump ; (Link through to the actual study in article.)

A while back I posted about a study that found that identifying with Harry Potter led to decreased bias toward stigmatized minorities.  At the time, I wondered how reading the series led people to feel about how to deal with their enemies given the vindictiveness the series shows in a close reading.  As it turns out, the more Harry Potter books someone has read, even controlling for "party identification, gender, education level, age, evangelical self-identification, and social dominance orientation," the more opposed they were to violence and punitive policies (like torturing their enemies as advocated by Trump) and authoritarianism.  This is in addition to confirmation of the decreased bias against outgroups.

You don't have to like Harry Potter, and I completely agree that the books have a lot of problems.  But let's not loose sight of the fact that the world is entering a dangerous, if not outright fascistic period.  There's too much hatred and divisiveness driving our politics; hate crimes have risen by several hundred percent since Trump's election.  If reading Harry Potter does help lead people to greater tolerance and mercy, we shouldn't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

Comments

[vermouth1991.livejournal.com]

You know, the first time I read about the obliviating Muggles so that they don't learn about magic, I was reminded of the Men In Black premise that all alien activities and sightings must be wiped out from earthling witnesses' minds. But then I realized that this was different, in that the MIB both monitors the peaceful aliens who only seek a low key life as refugees on earth, and also foil the earth-threatening plots that come at least once a week, whereas the HP wizards mainly do it to cover up their own asses, especially when it comes to Dark Magic attacks.

Can't wait for someone to write about the Fantastic Beasts movie, though.

[merrymelody.livejournal.com]

This, I thought of MiB, but at least with them, everyone was wiped, it wasn't a subclass of people. And the agents themselves essentially sacrificed their entire lives in order to do that, by erasing themselves (obviously there was massive potential for abuse; but the films never really explored that. Whereas HP has memory charms being used for evil from book 2, but there's no 'Well, duh, of course people will hurt others if they can make them forget things at will', it's just 'once Harry and Hermione own the police and government, I'm sure it will only be allowed in the pursuit of politics and if someone they know casts hilarious or righteous spells on sassy Muggles.')

Oooh, I've got a fantastic beasts post in my drafts, I'll post it this week and we can make it a discussion place if you like.

[vermouth1991.livejournal.com]

I've since talked with my friend who's seen a lot of the Men In Black animated series. Turns out one of their biggest foes was an earthling, their organization's former leader in fact, by the code name of Alpha. Who indeed abused his power and tried to take over the world.

I wonder if you've found time for Fantastic Beasts?

[merrymelody.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's here :) https://deathtocapslock.livejournal.com/328873.html

[vermouth1991.livejournal.com]

Thank you. :)