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< The Common Room ~ American Wizardry - A question and a dare |
| deianaera |
 Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2005 8:31 am |
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Joined: 25 Mar 2005
Posts: 9
Location: Las Vegas, NV, USA
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<Deianaera sets down a small wooden crate labeled, “Soapbox,” and steps on top of it.>
I understand that all of the HP books are set in the UK. I also know that JKR has no interest and no desire to consider gracing America with anything substantial in canon. And that's OK.
I know that I will probably have fruit chucked at me for even daring to post this. And, you know, that's OK, too.
With that aside, let’s begin:
I've seen Americans and Americanisms take some pretty heavy-duty bashing in the HP fanfiction community. Two fairly common examples: the dreaded Mary Sue is almost always described as the “blonde, bubbly, American exchange student” and the introduction of modern technology into Hogwarts seems to be blamed on American writers. Am I saying the assignment of these bad fanfic red flags to American authors is undeserved? No. Absolutely not. However, it does lead me to wonder why all of this insertion occurs.
Maybe it’s because the portions of the Potterverse we have seen are so out of step with modern day that it's a little jarring. Quills and parchment? Torches and candles? Latin? These anachronisms have no place in the American consciousness, especially with our cultural emphasis on bigger, better, and more badass toys. Personally, I think these insertions occur because some American authors attempt to apply their cultural POV on the Potterverse, which fails miserably.
So, the question and the dare - what is American Wizarding culture like?
Describe it. Bring it a close to canon as possible. (It’s not that hard – there’s almost nothing to violate canon with. We have very few bits and pieces to work with. We know America has Wizards. Americans, like the rest of the Wizarding world, follow Quidditch. There is something called “The Salem Witches Institute.” That’s about it.) Government, education, history, philosophies, pureblood vs. muggle-born, etc. Sketch it out. Hell, do it for any non-European country. Let’s see where the dice fall.
I know that this is pure supposition that will never see the light of canon. But, maybe with a better understanding of what American Wizardry could be like, we can stop trying to remake Hogwarts into Anytown, USA.
Let the tomatoes fly.
<Deianaera, the unapologetic American and now eternal optimist, steps off of her soapbox. Picking it up, she disappears once more into the lurker’s jungle, keeping an eye out for flying produce.> |
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| Razzberry |
| Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2005 4:42 pm |
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Joined: 06 Jan 2005
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Interesting question, and one I've been thinking about off and on for a few months. As I was putting away Christmas decorations this year I let me mind wander in this direction, and here are some of the things I've come up with.
Culture/History
I don't think that the concept of 'Mudblood' exists in American wizarding world. Why is that? Because of some perceived 'our shit don't stink' attitude? Hardly. I need only look around and I see that this is a country populated HEAVILY by people who were trying to escape their pasts. Wave after wave of immigrants who left their ancestory behind them in favor of a new world. To me, the concept of Mudbloodism reeks of nobility more than racism, and that's something that doesn't exist in the US. Nobility, that is.
I imagine that the wizarding world in the US is more a question of raw power than of blood. A powerful wizard is more 'valued', where in Jo's world there's a real sense that even if Draco could barely perform a spell, he'd be more 'important' in the community than someone like Hermione who is very powerful but doesn't have the right bloodlines. In the US, I think Hermione would be more important, hands down.
I imagine an American wizarding society that is very much underground. When I think about world history and compare that to what we know of wizarding history, I think witches and wizards would have been in a very precarious position in early America. I'm trying to think of a way to put this so that I say what I mean without offending anyone, and at the risk of doing just that, and speaking entirely from the perspective of someone who has studied history but certainly didn't live in the 17th or 18th century... There was more of an acceptance of unusual phenomena in Europe than there was in the US. There would have been more of a deeply rooted cultural acceptance of the supernatural. Call it a throwback to thousands of years more history than the early Americans had, but in Europe, I really feel that there would have been more... acceptance. not necessarily acceptance of witches, but acceptance that witchcraft was possible and witches were to be feared where in early America you'd have more of a mob mentality.
I tend to imagine that early American witches and wizards (17th and 18th century) would have guarded that secret very carefully. If there are strict rules in the UK about it, they would have been twice as strict in the US. I don't think you'd find a very tolerant 'accidental magic reversal department'-- I think you'd find a 'find the idiot who did this and kill them department')
On the flip side, there would be plenty of room for witches and wizards to develop communities. I see more Hogsmeade types of places and fewer Black Mansions in the US-- you'd see townships and settlements of witches and wizards who are very wary of outsiders and tucked into wilderness types of places.
So, a rough sketch of the history of wizardry in the US--
prior to 1800: very nervous, protective inhabitants. Not well-organized, witches and wizards banding together out of a need for mutual support and protection-- they're on the same playing field as early colonists. They have to work to survive. They're going to learn a lot of practical skills as a result of being in the same boat as everyone else-- they'll learn to grow and harvest their own food, to spin, weave and sew their own clothes, to raise livestock and slaughter their own meat, etc etc. At this point, witches and wizards in the UK are probably a thousand years advanced to the ones in the US, if for no other reason than because American wizards don't have Diagon Alley types of places to get supplies. They're going to learn to improvise. Magic is a solution that only goes so far.
1800-1900: isolated communities and townships developing across the country. Some of these are undoubtedly magical communities. There's less of a need for outright hiding of their presence because if you tuck a community into the Appalachian Mountains, it's not as risky as tucking a community into London. So these communities will grow and prosper without intervention, and they will be self sufficient and isolationist, very wary of strangers. On the surface, though, a wizarding community wouldn't look substantially different from a non-wizarding community.
Around the turn of the 20th century, there's an increased interest in America (as in other parts of the world) in the occult and in psychology. Early 20th century Americans are becoming more literate and more cognizant of the world around them, and they have a better understanding of what is and isn't 'natural'. The land is no longer a mystery, the communication lines are going up, roads being built, a railroad network connects the cities that have begun to reach for the sky. There are fewer places that are 'safe' now. The wizards and witches will face either retreating entirely from the US landscape and going completely underground or absorbing into the citizenship. I think they'd absorb, because it's becoming obvious that America is urbanizing and it's increasingly difficult to exist independently of these massively growing cities.
by the 1950s, there's a real interest in the supernatural, and you start getting the UFO phenomenon, which is a result of careless magic on the part of wizards. The Red Scare makes everyone even more cognizant of those who are different, and witches and wizards are in the same position as everyone else-- no one wants to stand out, because to do so is suicide. Also, beginning in the fifties, there's a real push for equality in America, and Americans are all wanting a piece of the pie. Why would witches and wizards be any different? It's a wealthy, prosperous nation, and if nothing else, I think the human trait of greed would prompt them to become part of the society rather than eschewing it in favor of their own culture (which doesn't exist-- mind, they've been in isolated townships and communities for 200 years)
By the end of the 20th century, there is no distinct line between magic and non-magic folks. Those who can do magic keep it a well-guarded secret, but they're living in 'Muggle' America and sending their kids to 'Muggle' schools. The reliance on magic is not present-- they rely on the technological advancements instead, and by 1995, the wizarding society in America is facing a crisis: it's being absorbed into the great melting pot and magic is a rapidly dying art. Which brings me to:
Magic
Let's begin with magic, and we'll borrow the Hogwarts subjects for this. And we'll just assume that witches and wizards in America have access to purchase wands or else the ability to make their own:
Charms-- largely the same. You'll find the same charms, to make objects levitate, shrink, grow, disappear, to make people happy or sad or whatnot. Charms is remarkably constant between Americans and their European counterparts (I originally had 'British' there, but I realized that really, there would be pockets of communities for different nations. A little wizarding Italy for example. So, however charms were treated in the originating country, they'd be largely the same in the US)
herbology-- same concept, though obviously different plants. You'll have witches and wizards trying to coax plants native to the UK to grow in Georgia, but I don't think they'll have much success. You'll also find plants native to this part of the world with different properties. But I think an herbologist from the UK and one from the US could have a very interesting and fruitful conversation and find they're both quite knowledgeable, but have *different* knowledge.
Care of Magical Creatures-- reread above, but substitute 'animals' for 'plants'
Potions-- nonexistant in the US. The ingredients aren't here. There is no apothecary in those early towns, no way to get powdered dragonscale and the like. Potions requires books and books are at a premium in the US-- very expensive, very difficult to come by. This is something that just slips out of common knowledge among magical people.
Transfiguration-- I think this would be almost a survival skill, and I see Americans as being very good at it.
Divination-- again, I see Americans as being very good at it. Old timers in the mountains and woods still know a surprising hell of a lot about signs and portents. I find that I can have a very intelligent discussion of astrology with my grandmother, and she learned it from her mother who learned it from hers... And we're not even magic folks 
Arithmancy, Runes, etc? Lost
This leaves DADA, which flows easily into the next point-- cultural blending. I think you'd find a lot of mishmash of cultures in American magic-- stuff borrowed from the American Indians, stuff imported from Africa by way of slave trade, things brought by immigrants from all over the world. There's a high degree of cultural sensitivity, especially in modern America, and I don't think that there would be such a thing as 'the Dark Arts'. Specific laws regarding what one can and cannot do to other people, but not 'Dark Arts' and 'Dark Creatures'.
I'd also anticipate some things would be more prevalent in America than they are in European nations. Remember I said Potions is non-existent here? That would be magical potions along the lines of Shrinking Potions and Veritasserum. More 'natural remedies' would be very well developed here, as the need for medical care would exceed the availability of mediwitches in early days. You'll see more magical people who know how to brew medical potions, I'd think, and that would be what we'd call 'Potions'.
I also see a natural magic taking root here, compliments of the American Indians. More of a connection to and awareness of the powers of the earth and of animals. I tend to think they'd be expert Animagi.
I see less temporal/spacial magic. Spacial magic simply wouldn't be needed-- there's plenty of room to expand without making things fit magically. Time magic is so strictly controlled in Europe that I doubt it would have made it to America intact, unless it came from somewhere much more lenient than the UK with time turners.
So, I'm heading into the final paragraphs of this speculation...
Schools
I don't know why, but I envision the American equivalent of Hogwarts to be a magnet school. Very modern, right out in the open, students taking yellow school busses.
I think the 'magic' part of their education would suffer tremendously at the hands of teachers who are held accountable for SAT/ACT/other standardized test scores that are developed with muggles in mind, not magical kids. I think wizarding kids in America get more biology, math, science, literature, civics, etc than do their counterparts in the UK.
Further, I think magic would be a huge liability in most schools (I imagine the American wizarding world to be just as litigation happy as the rest of the country is, and if a kid came home from school with leeks growing out of his nose, mom and dad would sue) So I think it would be relegated to reasonably harmless stuff. Most kids learn parlor tricks, and that's about it.
Magic is considered an interesting ability, but it takes a definite back seat to more practical skills, such as computer literacy and math/science. It's essentially an elective.
A place like the Salem Witche's Institute would be small and rare. Most American magical folks think Magic is too impractical to pursue.
Government
Area 51. You knew I had to go there. The Department of Magic and Mysteries is a subunit under the direct authority of the Executive Branch-- answers to the Defense Secretary. Not a particularly powerful department. It has less authority than state governments. It basically does what the President says to do.
Economy
Great, strong economy. These are Americans, after all, and they thrive off the American economy (which in the mid-90s, so HP contemporary, would have been booming) Lots of spending power, lots of ability to accumulate massive debts. American witches and wizards are in the workforce (how did you *think* those coworkers who seem to work miracles do it? Magic, of course.)
So, to wrap up-- I think magic would be dying in America, in danger of being absorbed without a trace into the cultural melting pot. A prosperous nation that has ridden waves of technology and been buffered by centuries of peace would produce a society less dependent on magic than in other places, and the isolation would tend to make some of the less practical, more theoretical branches of magic lost. The struggle between witches and wizards would be money and power, not bloodlines. The future of magic is shaky--plenty have the ability, few know how to use it.
Anyway, that was how I envisioned a magical America, and I keep thinking I'll use these as the premise of a fic in which the European Ministries of Magic make a last ditch effort to save the American witches and wizards from the fate they seem destined for, which is extinction.
But right now I have too much going on, so I just have the culture stewing in my mind.
~Jen |
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| azazello |
| Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2005 11:32 am |
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Joined: 29 Nov 2004
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Location: Northern UK
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Just the word of an outsider - something I think fic writers using US setting could make much of is your real magical traditions:
Shamanism from native Americans.
Voodoo and Obeah from the Creole and African traditions. |
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| sophierom |
| Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2005 8:52 pm |
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Joined: 08 Jan 2005
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Location: Cambridge, MA
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Fantastic discussion topic and replies!
Razzbery wrote: By the end of the 20th century, there is no distinct line between magic and non-magic folks. Those who can do magic keep it a well-guarded secret, but they're living in 'Muggle' America and sending their kids to 'Muggle' schools. The reliance on magic is not present-- they rely on the technological advancements instead, and by 1995, the wizarding society in America is facing a crisis: it's being absorbed into the great melting pot and magic is a rapidly dying art.
Azazello wrote: Just the word of an outsider - something I think fic writers using US setting could make much of is your real magical traditions:
Shamanism from native Americans. Voodoo and Obeah from the Creole and African traditions.
I could see both of these trends (assimilation of Muggle life and plurality of magical traditions) coexisting in a Wizarding U.S. Perhaps the Wizarding U.S. has its own "red state/blue state" divide ... wherein the red states emphasize practicality and assimilation and the blue states emphasize aesthetic/theoretical benefits of magic and diversity of magical traditions. (Hmm, I'm biased toward the blue states, so a red state corrective would be greatly appreciated!) Growing up in moderately-sized towns in South Carolina and North Carolina, I saw the people around me celebrating success gained through practical occupations (business, engineering) and emphasizing common values. But living in Cambridge, MA, there are a great many more people who celebrate aesthetic/cultural pursuits and diversity. Might not a witch or wizard living in SC also be exposed do a very different set of values than a witch or wizard living in MA?
In our ordinary Muggle culture, assimilation and pluralism have coexisted (not always peacefully, mind you). The history of immigration in the U.S. might be a useful way to think of this. The children of German immigrants living on the plains might have found themselves assimilated by the rural schoolhouse setting, whereas children of Italian immigrants in New York City might have been more likely to grow up in an Italian neighborhood and retain (whether they wanted to or not) an association with their immigrant heritage. (Obviously these are generalizations; while there are patterns of immigration, every experience would have been different.) Perhaps witches and wizards might have had a similar experience. They may very well have felt like "immigrants" within the nation, and depending on the type and size of the community in which they lived, they might have reacted differently.
Another important consideration would be race, which, IMHO, has played an important role in U.S. history. Azazello brought up two magical traditions that are both from minority groups. Would white witches and wizards have embraced these traditions? Or would they have shared some of the racist notions of their Muggle counterparts about the inferiority of non-white cultures within the U.S.? Jen points out that blood might be less important than power in the U.S., and if blood has to do with class heritage, I might agree. But if blood has to do with racial or ethnic heritage, I'd argue that blood would remain an important category for status within a magical American community.
Best,
Sophie |
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| Razzberry |
| Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2005 10:29 pm |
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Joined: 06 Jan 2005
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I definitely think that there would be something with racism, and that might be the 'Mudbloodism' of American wizardry, particularly in the past. In modern wizardry, I'd liken it to modern racism, which we attempt to claim does not exist despite obvious indications that it does. In the ideal, it does not.
*casts around for a way to say this*
Americans tend to be very multi-cultural when it's convenient. I could see WASP wizards and witches claiming to embrace a multi-cultural vision of the world and claiming the progresses of other traditions as part of the 'American' tradition, but perpetuating an 'us and them' attitude when things go poorly. Rather like when a minority succeeds in America, it's a stellar example of the American dream and ideal, but if a minority ends up in jail, it's because they're not embracing traditional American values. I see a real potential for the same sort of double standards in wizarding society. Did that make sense at all? |
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| sophierom |
| Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2005 11:19 pm |
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Joined: 08 Jan 2005
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Location: Cambridge, MA
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Good point, and one that definitely made sense.  |
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| snarkypants |
| Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 3:17 am |
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Joined: 08 Jan 2005
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Location: Texas, USA
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This is a really wonderful and thought-provoking discussion.
Larilee is a writer who has done a lot with American Wizardry; her take on the Yankee establishment is quite interesting.
I think that there would be at least one Old Guard Yankee-style (Ivy League) school in the East. Most likely a university, since we tend to appreciate college traditions rather more than high school ones. They'd be very prickly and cautious about their non-Magical contact...remembering Salem, after all.
There should also be a thriving Magical community in New Orleans. I did a (mercifully deleted) Snape/OFC that took place in NO, with a side trip to the Marie Laveau's that the turistas don't see.
I think there could be a large community in the desert Southwest, and yeah, explaining the UFO sightings...a bus league Quidditch team? There would, of necessity, be a military-Magical liaison team, as the military tests experimental aircraft in the area. The place is just crawling with Mormons, military, and Magicals.
And then there'd be a hippy-trippy New Age-y commune in California (Bay Area), that earns their living by growing and selling undetectable marijuana. And they also have a school nearby, but it's not accredited, and seems to be just a forum for the professors to preach Total Openness to their students. "We won't live with these Jim Crow laws any longer!"
Sport: Despite everyone's efforts, Quidditch just can't take off as a major sport. Sure, Quidditch Moms were a huge voter bloc during the last election, and every kid with a broom plays, but it's just never taken off professionally. A league is formed about every ten years or so, with high hopes, but nada. Even the near-rabid Quidditch fanbase in Mexico has not been enough to make an American league successful. Ludo Bagman was the last big name Quidditch player to throw his hat into the American League ring. He has not been seen since.
Government: There would be a Secretary of Magic, and a deep bureaucracy. This would be shrouded in secrecy. Many conspiracy theories stem from the need to keep the Department of Magic secret. The only members of Congress who are aware of the DoM are those on the Intelligence committee. And the Sec'y of Magic can magic up some really, really nasty pictures of the members if they tell. Like, involving sheep and Crisco.
Traditional wizarding fashion has only taken off in New Orleans and in protected enclaves.
American wizards drive cars. Period. Floo connections have always been unreliable in such a vast space, and most parts of the country were out of the Floo network until the 1960s.
Finally, I'll leave you with this, a paraphrase of my favorite quote about the difference between Americans and Brits:
"An English wizard thinks a hundred miles is a long way. An American wizard thinks a hundred years is a long time." |
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| Razzberry |
| Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 3:42 am |
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Joined: 06 Jan 2005
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I think American wizards also use airplanes. If Apparating across a continent is something the most powerful wizard would have a hard time doing, then there's simply no more expedient way to get from New York to California.
And in addition to their cell phones, email, pagers, home lines, palm pilots, faxes and snailmail, a 'magi-mail', which allows any wand to be transformed into a transmitting and receiving antenna for important messages.
And the number one profession for magical folks? Entertainment business. Las Vegas is where it's at-- they're right up there on stage, fooling you into thinking that it's brilliant sleight of hand when in reality, it's so much easier to just make the damn table disappear.
Currency? The Platinum Witch Card. Like anyone has time for coins. And there are laws in place saying that a broom can only be flown for two weeks before it has to be serviced (after all, the Broom Servicer's Lobby is very powerful in Washington, and they're determined to make as tidy a profit off broom owners as oil producers make off car owners)
edit: addition to Snarkypants' notes about Quidditch.
There is a very popular sport that Americans *call* Quidditch, but it bears no resemblence to the global version. American Quidditch involves attempting to knock other players off their brooms. |
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| skybyrd |
| Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 4:31 am |
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Reading this gave me an interesting inspiration.
What if there isn't one American wizarding society, but two, whole and separate, and barely civil to each other?
After all, we weren't the only folks here when we arrived on the shores of our land. And as the muggle population expanded, the Native wizards chose to withdraw, almost an Avalon type situation, but instead of an island off the coast, they moved west and found themselves boxed in. And with the closeness to their gods, they were told to wait it out, that we wouldn't be here forever. So they created magical borders and walled off part of the US (Washington (East of the Cascades), Oregon (East of the Cascades), Idaho, Utah, Montana, Colorado, and both Dakotas) to non-native Wizards. They chose that area because it was not friendly to muggles, and they knew it would never be as highly populated as the more familiar, but more fertile eastern and middle sections of the what is now the US. They also knew the western (coastal) parts of the NW would be in high demand, so they also chose to exclude that area. Since they are not reliant on conventional methods of raising food/water, they can afford to settle in an area that is less welcoming than others.
I can see a large and un-repairable rift between non-magical natives and magical natives. The non-magical natives were forced to live in this inhospitable place because of the decisions of the magical natives. The trail of tears and other atrocities could have been avoided had the magical natives intervened, but because it fit with their long term plans, they were allowed. Little Big Horn was actually a magical battle, and Custer had magical ability, though he wasn't trained.
I also see them as relying almost entirely on magic, and feeling a bit superior to their non-magical relatives on the reservations in their area, and treat them as wayward children, which contributes to the rift mentioned above. They have to use and rely on magic for food sources, building materials, and most of the other necessities of life. I see the dust bowl as a miscast spell screwing up the weather that almost caused a war between the US wizards and the native wizards. I also see the native wizards turning their back on technology and valuing tradition above technology. Only innovations not using technology are allowed. There's almost no magical exchange between the native wizards and the US wizards. The only type of exchange is when individual wizards forsake one society and go to the other. It is however, a one way trip, as the originating society will not allow the return of one who has left. And that goes in both directions.
There are sub-tribes of the wizard society and each has its own ranks and laws, and the whole culture is ruled by the chiefs of each tribe, majority vote. There are few laws that pervade all of the native wizarding society, as tribes have a large amount of autonomy. The laws that affect all native wizarding society mainly deal with inter-tribe relations, immigration, and contact with the outside world. Ranks, laws governing behavior, marriage laws, etc are all set on a tribe by tribe basis.
One of the few society wide laws is in regards to Immigration. As the relations between the native wizards and us based wizards is very poor, there is a rigid and difficult process to joining. One of the hardest for US based wizards to accept is the requirement for having children with different native witches, either the old fashioned way or through magical insemination, to help keep gentic diversity. The reverse is also required of witches. Another difficult requirement is the magical repudiation of their previous life, so even should they somehow meet someone they knew before, they would not be recognized. Each tribe has their own requirements for immigrating wizards and witches on top of these society wide requirements.
On the whole, native wizards are very insular and have a rigid system of ranking according to demonstrated power. Everyone is tested at birth and if there is no magical ability you are cast out, placing squib babies in muggle families. Once a child has passed puberty, they are magically tested for power and assigned a rank, which deteremines their place in the society. This rank can be changed, either upwards or downwards, but there is risk, because one is completely re-tested and a new rank is assigned, without regard to previous rank. The ranks themselves, and the different power requirements for each rank vary from tribe to tribe.
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Okaaaaay... I was just gonna do a paragraph or so, but it kinda snowballed. Feel free to disagree.  |
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| LariLee |
| Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 12:27 pm |
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Joined: 16 Dec 2004
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Location: Kentucky, USA
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I have a very different view of wizarding society.
It is separate with large enclaves in the usual places -- New York City, an island off the coast of Virginia, LA, Phoenix, Salem and probably a few more in other places that aren't quite as large.
Even though Ms. Rowling says there are no Wizarding universities, she hasn't been to America lately. besides Roanoke University of Magic, there's the University of Phoenix, UCLA and UCSF (United Covens), and of course, the cream of the crop, Magical Institute Of Theory (MIT). The universities are small compared to Muggle universities, but they get the job done.
American witches and wizards are more than tolerant of technology, often buying the latest gizmo from Japan as soon as it passes approval from the Quorum. Spell-phones and laptops are the rage now among the technically conscious.
The Quorum is the Magical equivalent to the Senate. Every state has one representative. A majority vote must rule. They set the governing laws for the Wizarding community. It is interesting to know that that there are five actions that are considered<i> Illegals</i> (rather than Unforgivables). The three that we are familiar with from the books plus castration curses and curses that injure an unborn child.
Some of the businesses that you will find witches and wizards in would-be pharmaceuticals (herbal cures), the entertainment industry (there are three network stations that are broadcast nationally, but they do rely on Muggle shows also), and there are more crossovers. For example, the popular novelist may be selling books on both sides. The band you like? Their biggest hit was "Polish My Wand" off the "Ride My Broomstick" album.
So-called "mixed marriages" are still rare, though they do happen, but most couples in that situation choose to live on the border between the worlds.
Because long-distance Apparation can be a problem, there are Portkey Authorities, serving both the International and the local communities. Native American culture is semi-separate. Robes are definitely formal occasion only, with most people picking an era they like and dressing that way. In fact, it has been said you can tell how long a witch has been married by the clothes she wears. Once she has a husband, she still wears the same style that attracted him in the first place.
This is just the basics of some of the things I've incorporated in certain stories or have planned for other stories. I think Quidditch is still big, however, an American game called Boogleball is gaining popularity. The players are allowed to hex the opposing team as they try to get a ball through a goal to score points. Vicious game with a lot of rapid, diehard fans.
Fascinating discussion! And thank you snarkypants for your comment! |
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| Sparrow |
| Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 1:31 pm |
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Joined: 05 Feb 2005
Posts: 13
Location: The Wheat Fields of Kansas
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Ok, I'm a few days behind, but I would like to throw in my two cents worth.
Sophierom made the comment that large wizarding centers would be East coast/West coast or NO. Basically Blue States. I live in a red state. Town population 3000. (don't roll your eyes ) My town thrives on the Arts: folk, sculpture, paintings, weaving etc. There are bed and breakfasts, antique stores, a chess school and a small collage. in addition to several Wiccan Covens and traditional Christian Churches. Quite the hodge-podge for Nowhere Kansas.
I see American Wizards living in such small communities across the continant, but not in seclusion. They would welcome muggles and enjoy the money that tourism brings with it. Palm readings, tarot, folk remedies,
selling charmed objects, etc could be an economic boon. And in these communities they would teach their traditions. It wouldn't be far fetched. Those who think that Mid-westerners and a bunch of backwards hicks need to come visit. There is a sense of keep your business to yourself and I'll keep mine to myself. (This came from a gay friend who moved here from LA California. He said that for the first time he could be openly gay and 99% of the people didn't care) Enough of that. In such an enviorment wizards/witchs could have a thriving community.
As for the Muggle born vs the Pureblood, oh I see some divide. Think of the Kennedys or the other elitest super rich families. They are around, they have power and money, they think they are special and intitled, but they rarely acknowledge, or influence the average persons life. At least directly. For the sake of time I won't get into how 1% legislates to 99%.
But, on a day to day basis and in small communities their pompousness is almost ignored and not felt. This is how I see the wizarding society here. The purebloods sit in their ivroy towers, thinking how important they are, and the rest of the magic users ignore the elitests and get on with life.
Just my take on the whole situation. And I'm done defending my "small-town-life-in-a-red-state" ( I have had to do this a lot since the election) |
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| sophierom |
| Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 1:35 pm |
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Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Posts: 24
Location: Cambridge, MA
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Sparrow wrote: Sophierom made the comment that large wizarding centers would be East coast/West coast or NO. Basically Blue States. I live in a red state. Town population 3000. (don't roll your eyes ) My town thrives on the Arts: folk, sculpture, paintings, weaving etc. There are bed and breakfasts, antique stores, a chess school and a small collage. in addition to several Wiccan Covens and traditional Christian Churches. Quite the hodge-podge for Nowhere Kansas ....Just my take on the whole situation. And I'm done defending my "small-town-life-in-a-red-state" ( I have had to do this a lot since the election)
Thanks Sparrow! As I mentioned in my post, I definitely have a blue-state bias! Though I grew up in the South (and spent a few years in Iowa, as well), I'm defintiely Massachusetts-centric now! So, I appreciate your corrective.
Best,
Sophie |
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Feel free to check out my livejournal page, which, I'll be honest, is a bunch of silly rambling, but just in case you like silly rambling: Completely Lost |
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| liquidscissors |
| Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 1:36 pm |
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Moderator
Joined: 27 Dec 2004
Posts: 164
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Quote: ...see American Wizards living in such small communities across the continant, but not in seclusion. They would welcome muggles and enjoy the money that tourism brings with it. Palm readings, tarot, folk remedies,
selling charmed objects, etc could be an economic boon.
International Code of Wizarding Secrecy/International Confederation of Wizards' Statute of Secrecy. |
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| snarkypants |
| Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 1:59 pm |
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Joined: 08 Jan 2005
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Location: Texas, USA
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liquidscissors wrote:
Quote: International Code of Wizarding Secrecy/International Confederation of Wizards' Statute of Secrecy
The real-world parallel to this might be the UN...and we know how well we fall in lockstep with that organization!
Ducking, running. |
Last edited by snarkypants on Thu Apr 14, 2005 4:11 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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| sophierom |
| Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 2:09 pm |
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Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Posts: 24
Location: Cambridge, MA
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liquidscissors wrote: International Code of Wizarding Secrecy/International Confederation of Wizards' Statute of Secrecy
snarkypants wrote: The real-world parallel to this might be the UN...and we know how well we fall in lockstep with that organization!
Indeed! Perhaps the Americans even helped to create the International code of Wizarding Secrecy after the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 ("The year that would live in infamy!") and then, when we decided that the Code no longer suited us, we decided to engage in a pre-emptive invasion of Muggle culture! *really ducking and running, running fast*
Best,
Sophie |
_________________
Feel free to check out my livejournal page, which, I'll be honest, is a bunch of silly rambling, but just in case you like silly rambling: Completely Lost |
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