I’m over 40.
I gave up Bill Cosby. I gave up Kevin Spacey. I gave up all of the 80s and 90s movies about toxic masculinity and misogyny. I gave up Aerosmith (maybe Steven Tyler hasn’t been canceled yet but COME ON have you heard the lyrics to any single one of his songs). I gave up Michael Richards (and Seinfeld too). I gave up Michael Jackson.
You can give up Harry Potter. It’s the right thing to do, it’s worth it, and it’s the adult decision. Grow up and check your allegiances. They’ll define you.
I’m not giving up the books I bought decades ago and before she outed herself as an idiot.
I’m not stopping enjoying the stories that helped me to grow into the person I am today.
I’m not pretending that as a gay kid having a positive gay role model in Dumbledore wasn’t a wonderful thing.
I am not giving her anymore money.
I am not supporting her an anyway.
You can hate a person’s opinions and still love their art.
Its almost like everyone is human and capable of holding contradictory ideas.
While you’re keeping an open mind then You can also expand your options to include artists who don’t have to be an asshole.
Separate the artist from the art doesnt just have to happen if they are an asshole.
There’s like a plethora of magic school books and films and tv series especially circa 2012 onward to dig into by other artists trying to compete. Sounds like a perfect opportunity to give them a chance.
You gonna watch the new show?
No, obviously.
Pirate it so it doesn’t show up on their dashboards as a view.
A hate-watch is still a view
Piracy = popularity. The big studios take torrent popularity as a metric these days. Even if you’re not paying for the show, everyone seeding and downloading that torrent is being used as a sign by the industry that they should keep giving Rowling money which she, in turn, uses to harm people.
Pirating her content is still making her rich, while also granting her a deeper foothold in your own media environment, heart, and mind. You deserve better, and you can do better.
Torrents aren’t the only form of piracy.
It’s really not that hard to find something else to watch.
Great job moving the goalpost.
All piracy is popularity.
It literally isn’t.
I’ll probably watch the first couple episodes just out of curiousity. I’m already paying for the service. It’s going to get watching by my family regardless. I’m getting outrage fatigue if I am being honest. It’s just hard to care about anything these days.
Might want to rethink Michael Jackson. A lot of what he’s been accused of turned out to be an Epstein smear campaign when he interfered with their ops. McCauley Caulkin spoke out about this recently.
Got a source?
Mac culkin and Corey Feldman have both talked about MJ positively many times in the past few years.
I mean that’s great and all but a real source would be nice. Someone who was a kid speaking nicely about someone accused of harming kids, isn’t an exoneration. That’s like Kanye saying Nick Fuentes isn’t racist.
Note not taking either side on the topic. I don’t know or really care that much on MJ, an actual useful source would be say an epstein letter where epsteins announcing they want to make MJ look guilty. Fully plausible that MJ’s scandal was a combination of people saying he’s weird, with a few chasing a paycheck. But someone who fits the demographic saying “I was around him for years and I was never abused”, is IMO not evidence.
Corey Feldman is the reason I don’t believe the accusations against MJ. What that kid went through is horrific and predators can smell prey a mile away. If Michael was abusing kids there is no way he would have missed that one, Corey would have been an easy target after what they did to him. But Corey comes out and tries to shine a light on the things that are happening and specifically says that Michael never did anything inappropriate.
I always knew it was a set-up. I looked up to him as a kid, and people made fun of me for it, but I never believed the things they said about him.
He had a troubled past, he was eccentric and effeminate and that already made him a target for hate, but he genuinely seemed to care about kids and wanted to offer them a better childhood than the one he had.
It was a recipe for a PR shitstorm, especially when you throw “trying to disrupt an actual billionaire pedo ring funded by mossad” into the mix…
He didn’t destroy McCauley, though. The publicity did. Imagine how confusing it must be to a child, to be torn away from your mentor, possibly the only person who sees you as a human and values you as such, who understands what a personal hell being a child star can be. All because he was accused of doing things to you, and the rest of the adults don’t seem to care what you have to say about it…
And then having to finish growing up without your mentor, with all the meanness of the world amplified by fame and stigma, when no one will get near you or even mention your name except to make fun of you, and they all do it with this self-righteous smugness as if they’re convinced to their bones that they’re better than you, and they feel completely morally justified in their judgements, too…
Yeah, I never thought MJ was the bad guy. It’s a bit of a relief to hear his name has been cleared after all these years, even if it’s come too late. If he were alive today, I wonder if he would’ve ever come out as trans. I can only speculate now, as only he could ever make that determination for himself.
Anyway, I still remember listening on the radio when he was in the hospital, in cardiac arrest, and then being declared dead. It was a sad day for me. I think it was drug-related though, so I wonder if it still would’ve happened if he wasn’t so hated. Or if he hadn’t been so abused himself as a child. Again, just speculation, now…
You know, I have to wonder if that overdose was really accidental now. He pissed off some really powerful people who just don’t accept being told “no.”
That entire paragraph breaks my brain.
Why, cause you’ve spent your life hating someone who was not only innocent, but it now comes out that he was actually trying to disrupt a powerful cabal committing the actual crimes, and got accused as a result and a deflection?
Or because you’re unwilling to admit that to yourself and reexamine the beliefs you’re so accustomed to holding in that regard?
Thanks for the psych eval but no, it was more the guy from home alone revealing that MJ was a secret hero disrupting a crime ring, it’s all very cinematic
Unfortunately, Rowling probably won’t lose her millions (billions?) if we stop reading/watching her slop. But we CAN prevent her getting even more millions.
You can give up Harry Potter. It’s the right thing to do, it’s worth it, and it’s the adult decision.
It’s a children’s story. I don’t think you’re asking for people to leap over mountains by giving up childhood things as an adult.
At the same time, people seem to fixate on the consumerist aesthetics and ignore the material realities. If you’ve got transgender friends and family that you support with your time and care and money, and you want to flip through an old dog-eared copy of Philosopher’s Stone (or rewatch The Usual Suspects or throw on an episode of Fat Albert) because of nostalgia, I don’t think you’re committing any kind of grievous sin.
JK Rowling isn’t going to stop being a billionaire because you played a HP themed video game or watched an episode of her rebooted book show on HBO.
Meanwhile, abstaining from all things problematic, without doing anything materially positive for any of the LGBTQ folks in your life isn’t doing anyone any favors. Being a Consumerist Harpy who only knows how to scream at people for their mass media of choice, in the name of LGBTQ, is turning civil advocacy into some kind of branding exercise.
Meanwhile, abstaining from all things problematic, without doing anything materially positive for any of the LGBTQ folks in your life isn’t doing anyone any favors. Being a Consumerist Harpy who only knows how to scream at people for their mass media of choice, in the name of LGBTQ, is turning civil advocacy into some kind of branding exercise.
See also: Tesla
I don’t know if you’re trying to call me out or not, but I can assure you I am quite active in advocacy and direct action for queer folks in my life and ib my community. I’m not interested in writing up a resumė about it, but I’m not the tree to bark up with that one.
I can assure you I am quite active in advocacy and direct action for queer folks in my life and ib my community
Which is great. A lot of folks are.
It’s also great to hear what they’re doing with their free time, as a positive rejoinder to “HP is toxic”.
More interested in new progressive media than a 10 year old argument about a book that came out 20 years ago.
Cool. I choose not to post that here. Have a good rest of your day.
Rowling spends almost every bit of income she gets on funding anti-transgender organisations and literal fascists (such as Posie Parker), whose lobbying efforts have turned every major British party against transgender healthcare, resulting in transgender healthcare becoming practically inaccessible through legal means with waiting lists lasting decades.
In terms of its material impact, buying HP merch is equivalent to buying a swastika flag from a neonazi store. You can be assured that every cent of profit will go to funding fascism. The only difference is the aesthetic of having HP merch versus having nazi merch.
Rowling spends almost every bit of income she gets on funding anti-transgender organisations and literal fascists
I think you’re underselling how much she spends on country club memberships and private planes.
I’ve had a theory for a long time that many of the “LGBT advocate/ally” voices that participate in the discourse aren’t actually doing so in our best interests. Many ways I’ve seen people who call themselves allies talk and act are more likely to push people away than educate.
Preferably I’d like if people could just let HP die and fade away, but beyond that just try not to give her royalty money, and if you can’t do that then at the least i don’t want to hear about it.
Preferably I’d like if people could just let HP die and fade away
With enough time and a vacuum of marketing dollars, it will. The reboot is already flopping.
just try not to give her royalty money, and if you can’t do that then at the least i don’t want to hear about it.
Hard to advocate for a boycott without hearing about the things you’re boycotting.
The principle of a boycott is to pressure the business to change it’s policies. The implication is that you’d come back if they reformed.
If you’re really looking to replace a franchise rather than reform it, helps to fill the vacuum.
“I’m a big fan of X over Y, because it’s got all the things I like without the crude” tends to bend more ears than “Stop doing Y without my permission!”
Michel Jackson allegation never been proven and most likely people thar said such allegation for money for it from tv producers.
I am really not convinced he abused children and it was never proven
Yeah, and let’s not forget that Harry Potter is a series of books written for literal children.
It’s time to grow up and read something written for actual adults. You might be surprised to find that HP is actually kind of shit.
Adults are allowed to read things written for children. Shaming people for that is ageist as fuck.
There are LOTS of good reasons to stop engaging with HP, but this ain’t one of them.
Adults are allowed to read things written for children
I don’t think I ever suggested they shouldn’t be?
Just don’t be surprised when people mock you for it.
Removed by mod
Ew, that’s not true either. Lemmy is NOT the place for gatekeeping assholes. Take that bullshit to X.
That’s not really gatekeeping. Maybe gatekeeping a fully emotionally developed adult? But that’s a bit of a stretch too. You can’t just throw around buzzwords and expect it to mean anything. And you definitely can’t be expected to be taken seriously.
Maybe if you put down the YA and read something age appropriate you’d get a better feel for adult interactions.
No. Gatekeeping was the polite way to say that you have no fucking right to stop someone from doing what they enjoy, as long as they aren’t harming someone else. I personally don’t read YA novels, but I will protect that right for everyone else.
The correct term, rather than gatekeeper, would be fascist. You can fuck right off if you’re going to try controlling what media a person consumes. If you truly think what you’re saying, you are a morally bankrupt human.
Is it gatekeeping to say that functioning adults who don’t need them anymore shouldn’t wear diapers?
With all that stretching and leaping you must be limber as fuck.
I would never stop anyone from doing anything that didn’t harm someone else. But I will judge the fuck out of them. Disney adults, children’s book readers, broneys, etc. are children’s minds in adults bodies. If it’s because of a disability, good for them, they should enjoy life in whichever way suits them. If not, it’s pathetic and they should seek help with their personal growth.
Its literally not. Stop being a fucking twat.
I enjoy hard scifi, politics, health, … and also enjoy some “for children” media. Just like I enjoy listening to metal, 80s, … and also listening to jazz.
I don’t read HP, and I wasn’t going to get involved in this discussion. But then I saw your post. I deal with actual special needs people on the daily, and you saying shit like this is vile. I think you are the one who needs to start acting like an adult, maybe do a bit of self reflection.
Fair
They downvoted him for he spoke the truth.
it’s the adult decision.
MY decision is the ADULT decision. Ok buddy… you’re a big man now.
Grow up and check your allegiances. They’ll define you.
Oh yes laughing at an episode of seinfeld has DEFINED me as some who needs to GROW UP.
hahahah what a load of shite.
Tell me more about how mature you are.
I WAS that Harry Potter fan. The overly obsessed nerd who was waaaaaay to into it. But now I’m over it because fuck Rowling.
I don’t even plan to pirate the hp tv show. Fuck Jk Rowling so fucking hard. Fuck the piece of shit. Ugh
The entire franchise is just so fucking mid, I don’t understand why people worship it so much. The invented language in particular is cringe as fuck and sounds like shit a child would come up with.
Yeah see this is my whole main problem.
The writing and story are just… ok?
I could identify the racist tropes and body shaming just interwoven into the whole series before I hit puberty.
Oh then of course slavery is good sometimes actually, here I invented a scenario where this is true.
I got bored of Harry Potter, and just reread Animorphs.
Which certainly has problematic characters and moments and events… but … they are bad things, that the characters have to actually deal with, its a much more complex and engaging story overall, imo, though of course the serial format means that some books are not so great in comparison to others.
Kinda the same thing with Redwall.
I’m in the exact same boat. I don’t want her to even get THOSE numbers. Like how HBO bragged about got piracy numbers
I mean yeah, so long as you’re not actually giving money to the evil woman that wrote those books in any way, nobody’s stopping you from enjoying your old Harry Potter books and DVDs.
Heck, if you’re missing one you can buy it on eBay second hand, just so long as you’re not supporting the evil woman with a shiny new purchase, ya know? That woman doesn’t deserve a penny.
There’s a separate conversation you might want to have with yourself on whether your can separate the author from the work while you’re reading it, of course, and whether you’re comfortable doing so or not is a personal decision you’ll have to make for yourself.
Even better, pirate it and instead donate the money to trans rights groups.
No no, haven’t you heard. Pirating stuff is actually supporting the creators!
I’m gonna need someone to explain this lol
Leftist virtue signaling where nothing you do is ever actually good enough, basically
I still don’t get it, honestly
In another comment someone said that popularity of shows etc. Is measured by torrent numbers
Not sure how that helps creators, honestly. No money from torrenters are going to the creators, by torrenting. Unless they decide to buy collectors’ merch in the end, of course.
While mostly yes, all of that affects others opinions of the books, which can increase her sales and fund her hate.
I’ll like HP again when she’s dead.
I’ll like HP again when she’s dead.
And if her estate doesn’t donate to the same kind of heinous organizations that she does
The really weird thing is how many LGBTQ folks latched onto HP in its early releases as what was recognized to be a kind-of pro-queer YA novel.
You had a young boy who was literally in the closet, disowned and disrespected by family, who is spirited away to a magical school where his differences are valued and cultivated. He’s got a bunch of friends who could easily sub in for queer icons. There are gender-bending magical spells, the bad guys are explicitly fascist, most books end with some kind of “The power of friendship and love will triumph!” rejoinder. FFS, Dumbledore is canonically gay.
It is far more a testament to the psychologically corrosive power of plutocracy that JK Rowling went off the rails. I don’t think it’s unfair for people to like the books and hate the author. Just remember not to pay for anything and you’re fine.
When i was in kindergarten, i made my teacher call me harry potter for like a month. I was obsessed with those books. As a 6 year old.
Anyways, im a girl now and jkr and people who support her can go die in a puddle of piss
It’s most probable that Rowling is actually trans, but refuses to accept it. Denying it along with degrading empathy due to her financial success just creates a void she feeds with hostility. This leads to guilt, more hostility due to “shame”, etc. Her books portray her actual feelings, but she fell off the wagon because she believes it is shameful to accept a different gender. She has even said that she wished she was a boy. Regardless, funding any kinda hate group is fucked. Believe what you want, but don’t try and stop people from having their own joy if it’s not harmful.
It’s most probable that Rowling is actually trans, but refuses to accept it.
I’ve heard this speculated extensively. It would certainly be ironic.
But I’m more prone to believe she’s one more British Fascist, poisoned by money and a growing circle of reactionary hysterics.
She has even said that she wished she was a boy
A lot of that stems from British entrenched misogyny. Wanting the privileges of masculinity, as much as the actual biology.
While the cultures are different, I don’t get it. Women in the US basically have a “just cause I lack a penis, doesn’t mean I am not equal” mentality. And women earned rights in the UK before the US. Just seems like the misogny would be less over there. Then again, racism was on the decline here, and now it’s like everyone has a golden ticket to be bigoted assholes, so…
And women earned rights in the UK before the US
Rights are very different than status.
Then again, racism was on the decline here
That’s debatable.
No she’s just trying to sell the idea that being trans is a tactical choice just like how she put JK instead of Joanne on her book cover so more boys would buy it.
Standard terf belief is that trans men just sometimes wanted to do boy stuff as a kid but didn’t because of sexism and are too cowardly and weak to stand up for themselves so they treacherously try to join the enemy. As part of trying to convince herself and other people that’s how it works she has to do her own Evangelical “I smoked crack every day before I found Jesus” thing.
Nah, that seems pretty unlikely.
That story she tells about wanting to be a boy is basically tailor-made to drum up sympathy for her while shooting down a carefully-constructed strawman that doesn’t actually resemble the real experiences of body dismorphia, but superficially appears as though it could.
I think she’s actually talked about how she’d have been trans if she had been born in a more trans-friendly age.
Like you also theorise, maybe that’s what making her so mad, other trans people getting to have lives outside the closet when she was too afraid to.
Oh wait you had that in there
She has even said that she wished she was a boy.
My bad read it too fast
Keep in mind, it’s also the series where one of the fascist teachers kills the retroactively gay character but had a good reason for doing so and is actually not a baddie at all.
The undercover agent kills a secretly terminally ill teacher to protect a young boy who is being jumped into a fascist gang.
It’s bad storytelling (because the stakes have been ratcheted so low) not bad politics.
I am going to admit I enjoyed the series a lot 20 years ago, can’t say I’ve read ger stuff since the series ended and haven’t done anything to support her since the whole TERF thing came out and she started showing what sort of person she was. I recently picked up my old books to see if they held up and by god is it filled with bigoted stereotypes, Cho Chang (two last names) for the Chinese girl, Goblins being the obvious stereotype/alehory of Jews from a European who was “open minded” about Jews pre ww2 but still wanted to make sure that they deserved some of the bad shit that happened to them because they’re vicious even if unfair wizard laws were passed, the black auror being called Shackelbolt, the wezeleys being very much catholics for being poor with too many kids, the french being snobbish bafoons but classy, the Centaurs being either polytheists or gypsies, the list just goes on and Harry being the hero just gets rid of the head Nazi while leaving the institutions and culture in place, doesn’t even think about the slavery aspect except for Dobby, and he and Ron make fun of Hermione for her pushing for their freedom. I guess the reason why people enjoy the series is because the world feels somewhat real and magical because she put her imagination and bigotry into the story and never thought of trying to have the protagonists actually solve a major issue and will let it fester.
I’ve lost a lot of favorite musicians that turned out to be either creepy abusers or rabid zionists; I think HP fans can read another fucking book.
I think HP fans can read another fucking book.
I dunno, they apparently haven’t done it once their entire adult lives, so…
My SIL is like this and it’s so goddamned exhausting.
While I agree it’s logical to boycott her, portraying HP fans as trans abusers is a bit much. If buying the HP books is equivalent to punching a chained down trans person in the face then absolutely none of us, including the artist here, haven’t done worse.
I’d bet anything they have bought products on Amazon, which makes them responsible for Bezos. Does that artist have an X account for advertisement? That gas they buy makes them responsible for violence the middle east. Are they one of the remarkable few who ethically source clothes without child labor? Bet not.
I boycott all kinds of stuff, but demonizing people for not joining you is nonsensical in this consumerist hellscape where complete harm avoidance isn’t possible.
Even with your example you’re missing a big point though. It’s pretty tough to get around without gas and just as difficult to find clothes that don’t involve child labour. But this is one single fantasy franchise in a huge sea of other options and people will still happily give their money to the single person that actively harms a specific minority.
Again, people should boycott her, convince people to do it all day. However, this demonization is out of line. I’m just saying if this is your threshold for what makes someone an irredeemable monster, then you should make sure your own house is in order before you start lighting the pyre.
You know what I am tired of? The focus being on whether consuming or not makes you a good person. I don’t care if in your heart of hearts you are a good person or not. So often it comes down to people trying to defend their own gods damned image of themselves as “in the right”
What I care about is that the absolute ghouls being propped up by this series stay in the limelight. Their money funds changes to society which have created an uptick in suicides. Did you know trans kids in the UK, the ones who were in gender affirming care that the government changed to be essentially just regular old therapy, has seen a marked increase in suicide? Since the law that JKR paid her blood money to get changed there’s been civil suits filed by workplaces driving trans people out. Trans people are marching in the UK and getting their asses handed to them by police for holding vigils for the dead outside of the government buildings of the health care service nominally charged with their care that sees a waiting list that in some parts of the country at current capacity sees an estimate of 200 years wait for a first consultation. Trans people there are increasingly DIYing their own hormonal transitions sometimes having to go through illegal paths like they are dealing in cocaine just for the willpower to stay alive.
And yet the conversation remains on whether it is right to make someone feel bad about their media consumption or at what point you get an ally sticker. So much of trans advocacy ends at “well boycott the witch”
For the love of God if people only cared a single fraction about trans people the way they did about their own warm fuzzies or the flaw in their neighbour’s soul.
You want to feel like you actually did a thing? Maybe find a charity funding trans rights activism in the UK and pop the money saved by pirating your damn wizard books in there ?
I don’t see the words “irredeemable monster” anywhere other than in this post.
What it does mean is that they can’t be bothered to let Rowling’s behavior influence their decision making. When a so-called trans ally can’s stop waving around their Harry Potter merch, I question their conviction. If they can’t even abstain from helping to maintain the relevance and popularity of a property directly benefiting one of the most prominent transphobes on the planet, at what point will they stand up? Should I believe someone who can’t stop yapping about this franchise in front of me is suddenly going to shift their priorities if someone harasses me on the street?
I don’t expect that they’ll join in and actively make it worse, but I’d be a fool to look to them for support. It signals that they care more about convenience than they do putting their foot down about trans people being mistreated.
oh look, an average liberal telling trans people the genocide they’re currently facing is not that serious.
Not even close.
Uh, no what they’re saying is that buying a particular book is actually no t exactly equivalent to genocide. Supporting somebody with shitty views sure, but these days there’s a lot of those
When that money goes directly towards funding that genocide- yes, it is equivalent.
O don’t mind anyone enjoying media from problematic figures if they enjoy it. I just don’t want those fans to monetarily support those figures.
Sail the high seas if you wanna partake in such content.
To that I would add that if you want to recommend such content to others it should preferably done with the addition of how others could access it through alternative means. Just to reduce the chance the recommendation leads to any extra income.
are we allowed to do that here
um
I can
But I think most people on Lemmy already know
Sorry I’m high
You’re doing great, friend. You mean like talk about torrenting? Mostly yes. Looks like your instance says you can talk about piracy, so long as you don’t link to any pirated content, or links to piracy sites. I guess you can still talk about streaming or file sharing platforms that show up on the first page when you google.
Even if you download it and J.K.R. doesn’t see a penny you’re still engaging with media that is anti-trans and that’s just as bad. There is no ethical consumption of her work, full stop.
Is there anything anti-trans in Harry Potter?
I genuinely don’t know. I’ve never read or watched it.
She actively funds anti-trans causes
There is nothing in the books itself that is anti trans (AFAIK and remember), it is that people equate her works with her political views which are anti trans. As a most likely trans person myself (still working out the details of it, stay tuned) I have a real struggle at my hands. On the one hand her books were a massive part of my childhood and early teens. I waited in line out side book stores to get the newest one. On the other hand she uses the money she gets from licenses and the IP to fund anti trans organisations. She also uses her fame / reach to spread TERF points of view. I enjoy and love the world she created back then but I cannot in good conscience consume anything that supports her now. Not any merch, series, film or game.
I on my ow may not make a difference but the sum is more than it parts. If enough ppl. start voicing their objection to her and her views, boycott the new stuff because of her, some change might be possible. If not, sacrificing something I loved growing up is an acceptable price to pay to keep me and others safe.
Do not beat yourself up for enjoying things just because the overarching capitalist system exploits your enjoyment to fuel bigotry and oppression. There is no ethical consumption under capitalism. So long as you yourself are not directly committing harm, don’t shame yourself for reading a book, watching a show, enjoying a soda, or whatever other little comfort that helps you stay sane in this capitalist dystopia.
Is it fair? No but the system wasn’t designed to be fair.
HOW are the Harry Potter books Anti-trans? Where in ANY of the books do they promote Anti Trans attitudes?
How is this difficult to understand? She wrote the books. The books are hers. The books themselves promote anti-trans attitudes, regardless of whether or not they have anti-trans themes. Anyone who still consumes any of her work is transphobic. It really is that simple.
You didn’t address the questions at all.
HOW are the Harry Potter books Anti-trans? Where in ANY of the books do they promote Anti Trans attitudes?
Someone doesn’t understand the concept of “separate the art from the artist”
Your overly simplistic take is just naive. It actually isn’t “that simple”. You are.
You realize your argument is like, “ALL muslims are terrorists!” right?
It might work better if you recommend them an alternative. “Don’t do this” is bad instruction. “You can do this instead” is better.
I’ve heard good things about Discworld, for one.
Recommendations may be nice, but I doubt it can replace the childhood nostalgia for a lot of people.
I have a lot of nostalgia for Final Fantasy 7. Amazingly, when I played Trails in the Sky many years later, I did kind of feel that nostalgia for a well-made JRPG. I guess I’m saying it’s possible.
Yes you can. You don’t speak for all of us. Many of us moved on and expanded our pallet just fine and are happier for it.
It’s actually really good for your brain to keep finding new things for developing it.
Novelty is love. Variety is the spice of life.
(Pallet =/= palate)
You can definitely experience nostalgia for things you’ve never experienced before.
If it replaces the childhood nostalgia of at least one person, it will have been worth it.
Discworld is great but something else entirely. Closer comparison would be Percy Jackson or a more ya magic school would be the scholomance books
If you’re looking for something to read and haven’t read it yet, try Douglas Addams The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. It’s (edit: not) public domain.
It’s not even close to Harry Potter, more of a sci fi comedy, but you won’t regret reading it. When I finally got around to reading it, I couldn’t put it down after I started, and this was well into the time where I was mostly playing video games instead of reading anything. Iirc, I read the first two in that first sitting, went to sleep, then read the rest the next day.
Having read all five books of the trilogy as well as Eoin Colfer’s And Another Thing, I 100% support this suggestion even though it’s not what I’m looking for here.
Much better and funnier than anything from that witch.
Just don’t pay for it and be done with it.
Enjoy Harry Potter, just don’t give money to scumbag author.
Read some genuinely good fiction? What do you like about them? I guarantee theres better books for that.
As someone who did grow up with the series but doesn’t interact with it anymore, I’m gonna tell you that not everyone needs things to be good.
It doesn’t have to be good for you to enjoy it. Fanfiction alone wouldn’t exist if it had to be good.
I don’t understand this the same way I don’t understand burning books you already own. It’s performative but it doesn’t show any actual thought.
Lack of thought is part of the problem.
I’m not even saying she’s not a terrible person (she’s a self righteous harpy who I do believe is doing actual harm). The books weren’t great but they were okay. But like. At the same time people read for a plethora of reasons and I don’t think it’s fair to be like “it’s not good so you shouldn’t enjoy it”. People are allowed to enjoy things. They don’t have to be good.
There are plenty of reasons to avoid her books without crapping on people’s personal tastes.
Its not the books that are problem. Its the weird self gratification unchallenge cuddle-treats uncritical or even anti-critical consumption of media thats the problem.
I can agree with that up to a point.
But that’s about the psychology of human nature, how it forms memories and attached feelings to them as much as anything else.
That’s pretty much why people feel like they are personally being attacked when you ask them to avoid something that is now seen as problematic. Lots of authors (even childrens book authors) dumb down themes and use tropes that are well known on media to make broad strokes for their audience who don’t at that time understand nuance.
That’s a lot of the “controversy” that comes up around books like the red wall series. Some people think the books are sexist, classist, and possibly racist and I can see their points. At the same time there’s an argument to be made for dumbing down certain themes, removing nuance from them so that they are more palatable to a younger audience.
Either way that’s not really what you mean. I am not trying to take away from what you said. There are plenty of fans who have been critical of Harry Potter as a media franchise for various reasons including sexism, classism, racism and the allegories associated with each as they come up in the story. Accusing HP fans of not being able to do that is a bit disingenuous because they have been taking these books and movies apart to the bedrock for quite some time now.
What I think you mean is that you want them to be critical of why they enjoy the series so that they can do some introspection in order to part with it, but I’m not sure you understand exactly what you’re asking for. There are people who owe their sanity (something they almost lost to the lowest points in their lives) to HP and books like it. The escapism is important for a lot of children who are in dark places.
If the person in that comic had used HP to get them through childhood rape or other abuse, wouldn’t that make a lot of sense as to why they react that way to other people who don’t know them or their trauma trying to take that away from them?
No this is not me saying that because they have trauma they are allowed to inflict trauma on others.
I look at it this way. The way we inform people and talk to people matters. Treating people like our adversaries makes them defensive and less likely to do what we are asking.
Im not saying they should necessarily part with it. Only interrogate their fucking relationship with it.
you just dont understand, some kids were abused and took refuge in literature
You had no way to know how funny it is to tell me this but i really hope none of my neighbors were asleep.
Its like how one cant criticize lenin in front of a tankie without them throwing a fit.
3D print your own merch
Or, maybe, look at those books with critical eyes for the first time in your life, and realise how shit it is, and how much it is littered with awful terrible takes. And read another book maybe.
how can people enjoy shit made by absolute hags?
like, if you have standards, and you should, that ought to make said products gross, because it really fucking does.
there’s so much more to this world than this one shitty, played out franchise, just move on in life people ffs
Richard Wagner was a bigtime nazi who wrote some of the best classical music ever.
And apparently Gene Roddenberry wasn’t an entirely perfect human being either.
Wagner died in 1883. like 50 years before the rise of the Nazis in Germany.
You’ve got it backwards. Nazis were a big fan of his music.
ride of the Valkyries is shite and if you think it’s great, that’s prob your inner der fuhrer trying to drive the bus.
I dont see a prpblem with it as long as you dont pay them. Some of gaiman’s stuff was genuinely good.
The problem is making it your identity. Consuming uncritically. Worshipping. Not reading any other kinds of shit.
enjoy your terfy garbage
No i dont read absolute trash. I think as a kid i stopped reading after they made a pro slavery charicature.
I think as a kid i stopped reading after they made a pro slavery charicature.
I’m confused by someone who knows it’s racist garbage, but still advocates consuming racist garbage. bone apple teat
The problem isnt that the author is a fascist monster livint in a castle full of nazis and absolutely no glorious robot body with machine gun hands that rumor is totally unsubstantiated.
Many talented authors were pieces of shit. Yukio mishima killed himself because the emperor of japan wasnt fascist enough fir him, but god damn could that deranged piece of shit write beautiful prose.
The problem is that the books are trash and people have fucking insane relationships to them.
well put
Disliking a chefs dish based on their political stance or personal opinion no matter how wrong isnt going to solve anything about it, just a giant waste of energy
Sure, but it’s reasonable to stop going to the restaurant because of the chef’s political stance or personal opinion.
I’ve never had a gumbo that engaged in apologetics for slavery or that was steeped in antisemitism. Must taste weird. What would you even do? Write on the rice?
lol, keep telling yourself whatever lies you need to stay happy.
but if you had a shred of decency in you, you’d know better already.
I would say it’s fine to pirate Harry Potter media.
So if you are really that into it, just pirate it.
I disagree.
Interacting with the new show, even through piracy, leads to more voices talking about it and making Rowling’s cash-cow culturally relevant. It also normalises the shit takes she pushes through her stories at children.
I don’t like Ben Shapiro, and wouldn’t pay a dime for his streaming service. But pirating Chip Chilla to show to my kids still gives him a say in how me and my family view the world.
Why does Rowling get a pass? Because I happened to read her racist, classist tripe when I was a kid?
Better off, pirate it and donate the price of the media to the Trevor Project or something (can someone recommend a British trans charity in the replies, for example?)
Mermaids UK? Though this is more of a mention than a recommendation, since im not too familiar with their work
Still helps to promote engagement. People can do what they want, but if you really want to make a stand on this, then completely ignoring it is the only way.
This and just act mature about it with a critical judgement.
Regardless what Rowling says the wizarding world, which is a mix of common mythology and has folklore huge queer potential. Its hard to find media that portrays something like it this well.
The series will have its flaws, the writer will make sure of that, but she will also be too shortsighted to recognise the extension and personal touched by everyone else involved that may not agree with her viewpoints.
I wouldn’t.
Attention is still cause for future contracts, which is how she makes money. Because at that point, publishers and companies just go “this was our money, these are missed sales because of piracy”. They’re well aware of any pirated media and see it as demand.
I was considering playing hogwarts legacy a while back, I decided if I bought it I would donate double what I paid for the game to mermaids.
Whatever fraction of a share of the cost goes to Rowling and whatever fraction of that she uses to push her hateful agenda probably does less harm than mermaids does good.
Conceptually I view it as similar to putting sin taxes on things which are harmful to society but difficult to prohibit (alcohol, tobacco, unhealthy food etc.)
I wound up not buying it because there are other games to play from better franchises and my HP nostalgia isn’t all that strong, but I think this is a reasonable approach.
Way ahead of you. I remember when The Half Blood Prince came out, there were leaked photographs of the whole book online a few days early. There was a massive collaborative transcription of the low quality photos into an ebook. Fun times.
You can, you know, read another book
For Harry Potter fans in particular, may I suggest The Guy We Don’t Mention in the Same Sentence. You know. Terry Pratchett.
her books were always about her “real beliefs” just hidden behind her writing. family guy joked about her writing-anti-trans years before she went full terf.
There’s a plethora of artists to choose from that aren’t assholes. These folks keep talking about opening mind to other points of view. If that’s their stance then they can open mind to new options.
No, you need to have an open mind to their opinion, they don’t need to give you the same benefit
My parents moved a few months ago, and that meant I had to come over and decide what to do with some of the stuff I owned that was still at their house. I sorted things into “keep” and “throw away” piles.
One of the things I had to decide on was my Harry Potter books. My parents were surprised I put them in the “throw away” pile. It was hard for a moment, not because of what they were, but because I remember the day my dad came home and surprised me with books 2 and 3. I had read the first book for school, but the first 4 books had already been published by the time I got into it, so my friends were well ahead of me. I was so happy when my dad spontaneously did that. I hadn’t asked for the books, but he knew I wanted them and went out of his way to get them just to surprise me. I felt so loved.
As I held those same books in my hands, 25 years since first receiving them, I took in that loved feeling, but it was twinged with disgust for JK Rowling. Although it pained me, I knew I wouldn’t be reading them again. In my internal monologue, I told myself, "These books served their purpose long ago. It’s okay to let them go and move on."
So into the “throw away” pile they went. The only things worth keeping anymore are the memories and experiences that those books originally opened up to me, and those can’t be tossed out even if I wanted to. Putting the books into that pile felt like visiting a wake - the series is dead to me now, and with this final viewing, I could have closure over it and finally say goodbye.
Hate to break it to you, but you can absolutely lose memories. Time is a bitch.
Oh, I know. I used to work in a nursing home. Dementia is horrifying. But in the meantime, the memories are still with me, and that’s good enough.
I think there’s something to be said for having to throw away things tied to precious memories because those things are tainted by a bitch who couldn’t just shut the fuck up and be happy with her success.
But this is exactly the type of thing I mean when I say that some people’s advocacy against JKR bleeds over into the lives of innocent people just trying to live.
I would never be able to throw away a gift my father had given me. Nobody should be pressuring anyone else to do the same just because they find something problematic (not for its actual contents, but because it’s author is a hate monger).
People forget that there are real and cherished memories attached to this franchise and whether they intend to or not, they do attack them when they make media like this, or post about how terrible a person must be for having engaged with said media.
Just because something is trivial for you to excise from your life doesn’t mean it’s as easy for the next person.
When people spread further hatred because they feel self righteous about something that has wronged them, they aren’t making things better.
I don’t even engage with the franchise anymore. Most of what I know about it from the last decade has been from media posts like this bashing it or telling people how evil Rowling is. I wouldn’t know there was a tv show, wouldn’t have known about the game l, wouldn’t have known about the universal park etc if it weren’t for posts like this.
Did you throw away all your Disney media? Would you still visit a Disney or universal park? Engage with the studio that made the game or the company producing the show?
There’s so much to how media gets made and how many companies are still actively supporting this bigot and instead of attacking those corporations we attack each other for no really good reason except that it makes some people feel superior.
Nobody ever shouts out the organizations that she donates to. Nobody ever mentions where they get their funding. Nobody ever talks about boycotting the companies making the media (not the media itself) until they stop supporting franchises like HP.
Does that make sense? It’s never made sense to me.
Why not give them to someone for free such that they do not need to spend money for them?
I mean, when you are going through piles of old sh*t to keep or trash, by, like, the second hour, you just want to throw it all away. Ain’t no one got time to find a person who wants each one of their things that they don’t want to keep anymore.
These days we have websites for exactly that purpose.
A lot of the major furniture in my apartment came from people getting rid of stuff that I found via free-and-for-sale pages.
Thank you for saying this, that’s the point in time we were at. My parents had rented a dumpster, and that final cleaning was the last day before they had to return it, and two days before the new homeowners were set to move in.
Meanwhile, at the same time, I had just moved into a tiny little studio apartment. I have almost no storage/furniture, and no money to buy any. Most of my things are still in boxes because I have nowhere else to keep them. Boxes still fill my car now (months later), to the point that my 4-seater can’t hold a single passenger. I can’t overstate just how little space I have.
Point is, I had to cut down to only the necessities. Holding onto the book set would’ve just been more clutter taking up space that I need for more important things. Which reminds me, I have to dig out the boxes that have my summer clothes and do the switcharoo with my winter clothes (which I currently store in a luggage bag. I don’t even have a dresser!)
Still promotes someone else supporting her nonsense.
