Current Events > In Harry Potter, would you consider it cruel to free house elves?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Cuz I would. If some dude created or altered the race to be slaves, then he's evil. But freeing them in their current state is a huge dick move. If you have one like Dobby who wants freedom, then by all means do so. But all the others should live the way they want to.

Not that I'm condoning the sort of abuse that Dobby received. More like Hogwarts-level treatment.
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this guy here, condoning the sort of abuse that dobby received. smh.
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pegusus123456 posted...

I'm condoning the sort of abuse that Dobby received.

You monster
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The Malfoys threatened Dobby's life multiple times a day & had him perform cruel punishments on himself for the fun of it. Explain how you could possibly condone something like that, TC.
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Gafemage posted...

The Malfoys threatened Dobby's life multiple times a day & had him perform cruel punishments on himself for the fun of it. Explain how you could possibly condone something like that, TC.

A later book (Order of Phoenix, IIRC) showed that Dobby is the exception precisely because of that abuse. Most House Elves love to be servants, and are offended and disgusted when Hermione starts freeing them.
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DK9292 posted...

Gafemage posted...

The Malfoys threatened Dobby's life multiple times a day & had him perform cruel punishments on himself for the fun of it. Explain how you could possibly condone something like that, TC.

A later book (Order of Phoenix, IIRC) showed that Dobby is the exception precisely because of that abuse. Most House Elves love to be servants, and are offended and disgusted when Hermione starts freeing them.

..because they're brainwashed into being slaves. House elves have magic the humans can't even touch but they don't use it because they're so used to being slaves
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The largest group of house elves we see is at Hogwarts. Do you think Dumbledore would condone slavery if he had to brainwash the elves himself?

Like I said, maybe they were engineered or cursed or bred a long time ago to be the way they are now and whoever did that is evil, but I don't think that simply giving them a place to work and live should be considered bad.
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Just becasue something is created for one purpose, doesn't mean that it can't be altered or changed to serve different purposes.

But you'd be altering them against their will to suit your own idea of what a person should want.
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Gafemage posted...

The Malfoys threatened Dobby's life multiple times a day & had him perform cruel punishments on himself for the fun of it. Explain how you could possibly condone something like that, TC.

I'm sure Lucius did, and Draco when he was younger, but I don't see Narcissa doing it. I didn't really see Narcissa be evil at all.
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I would send them all to Mordor
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Yes.
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Kajagogo posted...

Gafemage posted...

The Malfoys threatened Dobby's life multiple times a day & had him perform cruel punishments on himself for the fun of it. Explain how you could possibly condone something like that, TC.

I'm sure Lucius did, and Draco when he was younger, but I don't see Narcissa doing it. I didn't really see Narcissa be evil at all.

"It's okay to own slaves if only half of the family is nice to them!"

Dash_Harber posted...

Kajagogo posted...

Gafemage posted...

The Malfoys threatened Dobby's life multiple times a day & had him perform cruel punishments on himself for the fun of it. Explain how you could possibly condone something like that, TC.

I'm sure Lucius did, and Draco when he was younger, but I don't see Narcissa doing it. I didn't really see Narcissa be evil at all.

"It's okay to own slaves if only half of the family is nice to them!"

Really not what he was saying, bro.

He just doesn't see Cissy abusing Dobby. No judgment beyond that.
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DrizztLink posted...

Dash_Harber posted...

Kajagogo posted...

Gafemage posted...

The Malfoys threatened Dobby's life multiple times a day & had him perform cruel punishments on himself for the fun of it. Explain how you could possibly condone something like that, TC.

I'm sure Lucius did, and Draco when he was younger, but I don't see Narcissa doing it. I didn't really see Narcissa be evil at all.

"It's okay to own slaves if only half of the family is nice to them!"

Really not what he was saying, bro.

He just doesn't see Cissy abusing Dobby. No judgment beyond that.

I mean, I'm not really sure what you are trying to justify by showing that, but okay.

Dash_Harber posted...

DrizztLink posted...

Dash_Harber posted...

Kajagogo posted...

Gafemage posted...

The Malfoys threatened Dobby's life multiple times a day & had him perform cruel punishments on himself for the fun of it. Explain how you could possibly condone something like that, TC.

I'm sure Lucius did, and Draco when he was younger, but I don't see Narcissa doing it. I didn't really see Narcissa be evil at all.

"It's okay to own slaves if only half of the family is nice to them!"

Really not what he was saying, bro.

He just doesn't see Cissy abusing Dobby. No judgment beyond that.

I mean, I'm not really sure what you are trying to justify by showing that, but okay.

More defending one character from accusations of abuse, less defending the abuse itself.
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SerperiorThanU posted...

Dash_Harber posted...

Kajagogo posted...

Gafemage posted...

The Malfoys threatened Dobby's life multiple times a day & had him perform cruel punishments on himself for the fun of it. Explain how you could possibly condone something like that, TC.

I'm sure Lucius did, and Draco when he was younger, but I don't see Narcissa doing it. I didn't really see Narcissa be evil at all.

"It's okay to own slaves if only half of the family is nice to them!"

I mean, they're actually more like fantasy sentient dogs. It's in their nature. That's like saying Brian from Family Guy is their slave because he's their pet.

Except, Brian doesn't actually work and is free to leave whenever he wants. So yeah, it's the same, except not at all.

No. Even if house elves enjoy serving, they should have the freedom to serve people who treat them well and to leave those families that abuse them.
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Yes giving your elves dirty, sweaty, athlete's foot infested socks is indeed cruel.
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hollow_shrine posted...

No. Even if house elves enjoy serving, they should have the freedom to serve people who treat them well and to leave those families that abuse them.

That's what I said <_<
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I'd treat them how Dumbledore treated Dobby: bare minimum pay and being kind to them.
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Yeah the whole slavery thing was not thought out very well.

Are we supposed to root for free house elves? Or is Hermione in the wrong for being so naive and imposing her muggle sensibilities in magical culture?

Like, the whole "house elves like being servants" thing was unnecessary and muddied whatever message Rowling was trying to send.

But apparently in her marathon of post DH continuity, she mentions that Hermione helped end or curb house elf slavery. But until Rowling actually writes a book where any of that shit happens I just sort of ignore all that. >_>
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Hayame Zero posted...

I'd treat them how Dumbledore treated Dobby: bare minimum pay and being kind to them.

Well, Dumbledore's initial offer was a hell of a lot more money and time off, but Dobby talked him down.
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AlisLandale posted...

Are we supposed to root for free house elves? Or is Hermione in the wrong for being so naive and imposing her muggle sensibilities in magical culture?

I honestly always saw it as her being wrong, especially considering that no one gave a shit about SPEW. Not even Harry and Ron.
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