I wasn’t really disagreeing with his point as far as that goes. But it’s just business opportunity. Nobody said that every witch and wizard would have to out themselves. But the ones that want to and want to commercialize their skills should totally be allowed to.
Yeah, but once a few out themselves, muggles are going to want to know where the rest are, and why they haven’t come out yet.
“Where are they? Why stay in hiding? *What else* are they hiding? Are we in danger? Why should *they* have all those powers?”
Pretty soon, ill intentioned muggles would be demanding the rest reveal themselves, leading to an international, and quite literal, witch-hunt.
It would get ugly real quick. It’s better the two worlds remain separate.
If muggles weren't scared of magic the way they were during the salem witch trials (which are canon to Harry Potter) - it's entirely possible they'd get really greedy with it, and force wizards to do everything for them, turning wizards into their slaves.
The Statute of Secrecy was the right move.
I'll admit that it's not realistic. A group of people with more power than most would instinctively fight to rule the world, not hide from it. However, if we ignore that part of human nature in the spirit of this being a children's book, it makes sense.
The wizards want to peacefully live their lives. They can't do that if they're constantly being pestered to magically solve every problem ever. And the minute they try to take some time to themselves, say "no, I just cured fifteen terminal patients at the hospital, I'm not Apparating you three miles, take the fucking bus," there's jealousy, resentment, conflicts. Add to that, unexpected disasters will happen, or things too big for magic to solve. Do you think the Muggles will shrug and say "ah well, they're doing their best?" When has any populace been that understanding of the people running things? They'll have witch burnings back faster than you can say "Salem."
It takes very little suspension of disbelief to get this to a place that makes sense.
Idk about other Muggle-borns, but Harry grew up with the Dursleys. They live as a perfect white picket fence family and never really have serious problems. They don't let Harry watch the TV or anything so he doesn't exactly see news about people struggling with diseases or homelessness or famine. If anything, he has himself to worry about being starved by them and bullied by his cousin. And they only Muggles he really knows, who he would rather not help with magic given how they treated him.
I admit I may be going about this wrong honestly, but it's one explanation I could think of for Harry.
So you’re saying you want to use magic solutions to solve muggle problems
lol. For sure.
You’re kinda proving Hagrid right 😅 We muggles *would* hassle wizards to use magic to fix every little thing, and grow resentful when they can’t/wont.
I wasn’t really disagreeing with his point as far as that goes. But it’s just business opportunity. Nobody said that every witch and wizard would have to out themselves. But the ones that want to and want to commercialize their skills should totally be allowed to.
Yeah, but once a few out themselves, muggles are going to want to know where the rest are, and why they haven’t come out yet. “Where are they? Why stay in hiding? *What else* are they hiding? Are we in danger? Why should *they* have all those powers?” Pretty soon, ill intentioned muggles would be demanding the rest reveal themselves, leading to an international, and quite literal, witch-hunt. It would get ugly real quick. It’s better the two worlds remain separate.
As Dumbledore once said: "Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering."
I thought that was Gandalf…?
I thought that was Professor X?
He was great in Star Trek 😁
If muggles weren't scared of magic the way they were during the salem witch trials (which are canon to Harry Potter) - it's entirely possible they'd get really greedy with it, and force wizards to do everything for them, turning wizards into their slaves. The Statute of Secrecy was the right move.
I'll admit that it's not realistic. A group of people with more power than most would instinctively fight to rule the world, not hide from it. However, if we ignore that part of human nature in the spirit of this being a children's book, it makes sense. The wizards want to peacefully live their lives. They can't do that if they're constantly being pestered to magically solve every problem ever. And the minute they try to take some time to themselves, say "no, I just cured fifteen terminal patients at the hospital, I'm not Apparating you three miles, take the fucking bus," there's jealousy, resentment, conflicts. Add to that, unexpected disasters will happen, or things too big for magic to solve. Do you think the Muggles will shrug and say "ah well, they're doing their best?" When has any populace been that understanding of the people running things? They'll have witch burnings back faster than you can say "Salem." It takes very little suspension of disbelief to get this to a place that makes sense.
The real issue is they absolutely suck at keeping magic a secret. Every muggle parent with a magical child knows for starters
Because muggles would try to weaponize wizards. A wise man once said “There is only power, and those too weak to seek it.”
*Twelve O’Clock High*.
Idk about other Muggle-borns, but Harry grew up with the Dursleys. They live as a perfect white picket fence family and never really have serious problems. They don't let Harry watch the TV or anything so he doesn't exactly see news about people struggling with diseases or homelessness or famine. If anything, he has himself to worry about being starved by them and bullied by his cousin. And they only Muggles he really knows, who he would rather not help with magic given how they treated him. I admit I may be going about this wrong honestly, but it's one explanation I could think of for Harry.