Another Cracked article about HP. As ever it has some better parts and worse parts, and ultimately it's nothing new, but it still gave me some thoughts.

Going by their numbers:
6) The author definitely had one great idea in it - imagine Harry discovering hidden room in his son's magic trunk/house (depending on how old he is) and see an altar with Voldemort's painting here. Talking painting.

5) Standard Muggles vs. Wizards discussion aside, it's true that much of Wizards' advantage is non existing as long as they are not interested in what technology can really do and how prepare for it.

4) Now, with this one I don't completely agree. They don't learn math and how they can use it interacting with the world, because they learn magic and how they can use it interacting with the world. Magic rules they lives the same as physics rules ours.

3) This is weak point and not very well though. The only existing careers are the one that are needed in some ways. It's like complaining about the progress taking people's jobs.

2) Yes, the Marauder's Map can be used in more ways in gathering information about people than is usually used even in the fics. Think of all this possible blackmail material. Also, this Easter egg makes me laugh every time.

1) And this is true and usually downplayed by everybody. To quote from the article:

Now, I think Wizards are simply used to it from their births and it's their own minds that don't let them dwell on these implications for their own wellbeing. But Muggle-borns? I could see more than one of them having a mental breakdown once they learn more and more ways of making everything around them a one, big lie.

 

People have been discussing most of this crap since the third book and the general conclusion to any debates that arise is "because magic".

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm rather positive that a living wizard must sit for a painting to have his or her thoughts/personality conveyed to the portrait.

{Imagined scenario of Voldy sitting for a painting}

"Turn your head a little to the left, my Lord."

"Like this?"

"A little more... a little more... now tilt your chin up and give me a look that says, 'I'm a sassy little minx.'"

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

{End}

 

Yeah, I've seen every single one of these points done in one of the shitty do-over fanfics. None of these ideas are new or even particularly good.

 

I see no reason in canon for Wizarding Britain to not be a completely lawless society. For that, either everyone is competently protected at all times or law enforcement is very good at finding and prosecuting the culprits after the fact. I see no evidence of either.

 

I shall give you one reason;

Dementors.

 

It's the same as arguing, if you allow everyone to carry a gun all the time, people will permanently shoot each other.

No, they don't. The number of shootings might be higher in the US than in Germany, but there still are some US-Americans alive - even in Texas.

For one there is a working law enforcement - perhaps not overly efficient and quite corrupt, but it was able to arrest several top ranking Death Eaters. Whe know that the DMLE is capable of dealing with criminals and certainly is able to keep people from obliviating each other.

Then there are the points already mentioned: Wizards are equally armed, and they live in a functioning society with social standards. You just don't hex your neighbour if you don't want to get hexed either. If you behave like an asshole the other will treat you like one. It's a basic principle of humans living together.

 

But that only works when the other guy will remember you hexed him. Or to use the canon - look at Lockhart. One guy, without much talent and with just one memory spell managed to become a celebrity of the Wizarding World. And as long as he only erases memories that nobody else shares with the target there is no way (as far as we know) to discover it.

 

I'm pretty sure that I've said this before, but I can't remember which thread. My opinion (also ties into one of the points in Cracked's article) is that the Ministry is so large and ridiculously bureaucratic for such a small society, is to fundamentally tie a large percentage of the wizards into the power structure and thus legitimise it. Otherwise you're right, there's absolutely no way that wizards would have a society at all.

 

The biggest problem I had here was that they acted like the map wasn't unique. They talk as if the map can simply be used by anyone to cause others trouble. The point about Fred and George is a little off because those guys aren't really going to give two fucks about Gryffindor tower, so they would never notice Peter with Ron or Percy.

 

Dude, two points:

-Do you live in the constant fear that your identity or credit card number will be stolen? Are living like everybody and their mother could just take a knife or a gun and kill you? Answer: NO. It's no different for the magic side. Sure, everyone has the means to kill, but if you are not in an era of warfare, the threat doesn't seem real.

-Raël. Liars, Frauds and whatever exist in the real world too.

 

ROTFLMAO! Can I just say thank you for this? I'm in a lot of pain and needed that laugh.

 

Hmm. Honestly I'm underwhelmed, there's some "horrific" stuff in the HPverse, but the author decided to skip those, perhaps because they were obvious. As it stands, the final point is the only real interesting one,if only because of the mention of love potions, which have been a pet peeve of mine forever.

And yes, the author does at times look at things as a Muggle would, but the fact remains that if a wizard can get the drop on another wizard they can seriously fuck them up. Wiping memories is the least they can do. Which is why I suppose Azkaban is so horrific; so no one will want to take the chance of going to prison.

 

The author is one of a few dozen Cracked writers who got their article approved on the basis of being able to spell and will never slip anything through the vetting process again.

Bad article is bad and, honestly, so bad that it's depressing. They've already had a 'horrifying implications of the HP universe' article - this one is just "Hey, look, I read like 4 Indy!Harry Fics and now I'm qualified to write articles for the internet!"

 

Cracked.com: 6 Horrifying Implications of the Harry Potter Universe

Handy little link.

Apologies in advance to anyone who ends up losing a couple hours from browsing the rest of the site.

 

repost? or am I just losing my shit?

 

Grr; I did a search before posting it and everything. Aggravation.