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I just totally went on a Ravenclaw rant in my head. Whoa. Not to post in comm since this is in reply to a post 2 years old now, and that seems to be frowned upon, but yeah.
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slinkhard: Bellatrix seems to be the sort of person to believe what she first hears.
Everyone in the WW is a Gryffindor under the skin. Even our beloved Slytherins. *weeps*
(Mind y'all this was written in 2005. Proven disappointingly true in DH.)
Look, I am not all about the Slytherin love. I don't really grok that value set. They are fun as characters, but I am not ambitious, cunning, ruthless, nor fixated on power (well, not for its own sake). I probably would not want to be friends with most of them because we don't see eye to eye about what's important and how it is or is not okay to act. But I am perfectly capable of thinking it is cool, or right, if that's what my brain tells me about the actions I see and the motivations I either deduce or find out through interrogation *snerk*.
(here's the shift.)
The fact that I say "my brain" rather than "my heart" should pinpoint me: I'm a Ravenclaw. But neither are we Gryffindors under the skin, any more than are Slytherins or Hufflepuffs! Heavens forfend! And the poor Hufflepuffs, in such a comment. More dedicated than the rest of us combined. They do the work while the rest of us theorize and get romantic and go off on stupid, dashing adventures. Every society needs an underclass, doesn't it? Badgers are surely "under" eagles, lions and even snakes, yes?
What, did you think bitter sarcasm was the province of Slytherins alone? Oh, my dear compatriot, how I must disappoint you. Surely you must know how well Muggles have mastered the noble art as well, never mind the other houses of this school. *eyebrow* But to return to the point: Gryffindors flit from brave deed to brave deed; Slytherins among the eschelons of power; Ravenclaws from bright idea to bright idea. But Hufflepuffs -- steadfast, necessary. Where would the rest of us be without them? Everything with its logical place.
Anyway -- Ravenclaws would never be that reckless, to give the hint of "Gryffindors under the skin." Don't bring up Luna; I assure you, she had her reasons. Reasons, yes. Not randiness for recognition. We think too much for that. We overthink, even; but then, they are over-reckless! There are times when you have to throw caution to the winds, but not before you've thought it through first.
(p.s. Yes, I am, mostly, smarter than a fifth-grader; or that is, have forgotten less than the average adult about the fifth grade, given that a large percentage of that doesn't get used in daily life and thus take priority for being remembered. Not that I provide myself many opportunities to test that. What's a "redneck", anyway? ;) *kidding*)
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slinkhard: Bellatrix seems to be the sort of person to believe what she first hears.Everyone in the WW is a Gryffindor under the skin. Even our beloved Slytherins. *weeps*
(Mind y'all this was written in 2005. Proven disappointingly true in DH.)
Look, I am not all about the Slytherin love. I don't really grok that value set. They are fun as characters, but I am not ambitious, cunning, ruthless, nor fixated on power (well, not for its own sake). I probably would not want to be friends with most of them because we don't see eye to eye about what's important and how it is or is not okay to act. But I am perfectly capable of thinking it is cool, or right, if that's what my brain tells me about the actions I see and the motivations I either deduce or find out through interrogation *snerk*.
(here's the shift.)
The fact that I say "my brain" rather than "my heart" should pinpoint me: I'm a Ravenclaw. But neither are we Gryffindors under the skin, any more than are Slytherins or Hufflepuffs! Heavens forfend! And the poor Hufflepuffs, in such a comment. More dedicated than the rest of us combined. They do the work while the rest of us theorize and get romantic and go off on stupid, dashing adventures. Every society needs an underclass, doesn't it? Badgers are surely "under" eagles, lions and even snakes, yes?
What, did you think bitter sarcasm was the province of Slytherins alone? Oh, my dear compatriot, how I must disappoint you. Surely you must know how well Muggles have mastered the noble art as well, never mind the other houses of this school. *eyebrow* But to return to the point: Gryffindors flit from brave deed to brave deed; Slytherins among the eschelons of power; Ravenclaws from bright idea to bright idea. But Hufflepuffs -- steadfast, necessary. Where would the rest of us be without them? Everything with its logical place.
Anyway -- Ravenclaws would never be that reckless, to give the hint of "Gryffindors under the skin." Don't bring up Luna; I assure you, she had her reasons. Reasons, yes. Not randiness for recognition. We think too much for that. We overthink, even; but then, they are over-reckless! There are times when you have to throw caution to the winds, but not before you've thought it through first.
(p.s. Yes, I am, mostly, smarter than a fifth-grader; or that is, have forgotten less than the average adult about the fifth grade, given that a large percentage of that doesn't get used in daily life and thus take priority for being remembered. Not that I provide myself many opportunities to test that. What's a "redneck", anyway? ;) *kidding*)
no subject
Date: November 21st, 2007 02:20 pm (UTC)From:Cunning? Another word for socially clever, witty, and charming. Having enough of an understanding of human motivations and interactions to predict and occasionally manage the people around you is not by default a bad thing. Especially when the people around you can be such ignorant, violent apes when they get all riled up and stoopid.
Ruthless? Meaning that we have the stones to be stubborn and determined when properly motivated, and we don't let ourselves or our goals be deterred by other people's farting around? Why yes, thank you. One could as easily call it 'determined', only then everyone would think one was referring to Gryffindors.
Fixated on power? My dear. Everyone is. All the houses define 'power' differently, and all of them obsess on it. The Gryffindors crave the power of reputation, and the adrenaline rush. You Ravenclaws live and breathe the creed that 'knowledge is power'. Hufflepuffs, Merlin love them, are a walking homage to the power of numbers, and hard work. And what's more, they're as proud of that as any of you. The thing that makes us Slytherins such a frightening thing is that we don't HAVE a common definition of 'Power'. We are a house of individuals, and each of us makes up his or her own mind about what our ambition is, and how much devotion it is worth.
You don't care to find yourself measured by Luna's standard, so why on earth do you imagine I want to be measured by Draco's? I rather loathe him, myself, the wobbly little ferret.
The thing is, Slytherins are some of the most ethical, moral people you'll ever meet -- yes, I said that. Because each Slytherin's code of honour is self-defined, and unique to each. Other houses are simply too lazy to learn us as the individuals we are, before condemning us for not measuring up exactly to THEIR morals and ethics.
Take Professor Snape, for instance; He held tighter and closer to his fierce ethics throughout the war than Dumbledore, Minerva, or any other member of the Order did. And yet was he ever praised for being true to himself? Not by Potter, he wasn't.
My entire point to this is that you probably ARE currently friends with some people who would be sorted into the House of the Serpent, only because you don't see us in our house uniforms, you don't realize it.
Just a bit of additional 'power' to add into your Ravenclaw arsenal -- a gift from me to you.
no subject
Date: November 21st, 2007 08:45 pm (UTC)From:My entire point to this is that you probably ARE currently friends with some people who would be sorted into the House of the Serpent
Oh, certainly. In fact, I am marrying one.
(I think I got off track, writing that thing. the beginning is kind of from student perspective and the ending more from a grown adult. It was all tongue-in-cheek anyway. The Slytherin fiance is for real, though -- that's
no subject
Date: November 21st, 2007 05:02 pm (UTC)From:The Malfoys exemplify Slytherin much better.
no subject
Date: November 21st, 2007 08:46 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: November 21st, 2007 11:24 pm (UTC)From: