My parents moved a few months ago, and that meant I had to come over and decide what to do with some of the stuff I owned that was still at their house. I sorted things into “keep” and “throw away” piles.
One of the things I had to decide on was my Harry Potter books. My parents were surprised I put them in the “throw away” pile. It was hard for a moment, not because of what they were, but because I remember the day my dad came home and surprised me with books 2 and 3. I had read the first book for school, but the first 4 books had already been published by the time I got into it, so my friends were well ahead of me. I was so happy when my dad spontaneously did that. I hadn’t asked for the books, but he knew I wanted them and went out of his way to get them just to surprise me. I felt so loved.
As I held those same books in my hands, 25 years since first receiving them, I took in that loved feeling, but it was twinged with disgust for JK Rowling. Although it pained me, I knew I wouldn’t be reading them again. In my internal monologue, I told myself, "These books served their purpose long ago. It’s okay to let them go and move on."
So into the “throw away” pile they went. The only things worth keeping anymore are the memories and experiences that those books originally opened up to me, and those can’t be tossed out even if I wanted to. Putting the books into that pile felt like visiting a wake - the series is dead to me now, and with this final viewing, I could have closure over it and finally say goodbye.
I think there’s something to be said for having to throw away things tied to precious memories because those things are tainted by a bitch who couldn’t just shut the fuck up and be happy with her success.
But this is exactly the type of thing I mean when I say that some people’s advocacy against JKR bleeds over into the lives of innocent people just trying to live.
I would never be able to throw away a gift my father had given me. Nobody should be pressuring anyone else to do the same just because they find something problematic (not for its actual contents, but because it’s author is a hate monger).
People forget that there are real and cherished memories attached to this franchise and whether they intend to or not, they do attack them when they make media like this, or post about how terrible a person must be for having engaged with said media.
Just because something is trivial for you to excise from your life doesn’t mean it’s as easy for the next person.
When people spread further hatred because they feel self righteous about something that has wronged them, they aren’t making things better.
I don’t even engage with the franchise anymore. Most of what I know about it from the last decade has been from media posts like this bashing it or telling people how evil Rowling is. I wouldn’t know there was a tv show, wouldn’t have known about the game l, wouldn’t have known about the universal park etc if it weren’t for posts like this.
Did you throw away all your Disney media? Would you still visit a Disney or universal park? Engage with the studio that made the game or the company producing the show?
There’s so much to how media gets made and how many companies are still actively supporting this bigot and instead of attacking those corporations we attack each other for no really good reason except that it makes some people feel superior.
Nobody ever shouts out the organizations that she donates to. Nobody ever mentions where they get their funding. Nobody ever talks about boycotting the companies making the media (not the media itself) until they stop supporting franchises like HP.
Does that make sense? It’s never made sense to me.
I mean, when you are going through piles of old sh*t to keep or trash, by, like, the second hour, you just want to throw it all away. Ain’t no one got time to find a person who wants each one of their things that they don’t want to keep anymore.
Thank you for saying this, that’s the point in time we were at. My parents had rented a dumpster, and that final cleaning was the last day before they had to return it, and two days before the new homeowners were set to move in.
Meanwhile, at the same time, I had just moved into a tiny little studio apartment. I have almost no storage/furniture, and no money to buy any. Most of my things are still in boxes because I have nowhere else to keep them. Boxes still fill my car now (months later), to the point that my 4-seater can’t hold a single passenger. I can’t overstate just how little space I have.
Point is, I had to cut down to only the necessities. Holding onto the book set would’ve just been more clutter taking up space that I need for more important things. Which reminds me, I have to dig out the boxes that have my summer clothes and do the switcharoo with my winter clothes (which I currently store in a luggage bag. I don’t even have a dresser!)
My parents moved a few months ago, and that meant I had to come over and decide what to do with some of the stuff I owned that was still at their house. I sorted things into “keep” and “throw away” piles.
One of the things I had to decide on was my Harry Potter books. My parents were surprised I put them in the “throw away” pile. It was hard for a moment, not because of what they were, but because I remember the day my dad came home and surprised me with books 2 and 3. I had read the first book for school, but the first 4 books had already been published by the time I got into it, so my friends were well ahead of me. I was so happy when my dad spontaneously did that. I hadn’t asked for the books, but he knew I wanted them and went out of his way to get them just to surprise me. I felt so loved.
As I held those same books in my hands, 25 years since first receiving them, I took in that loved feeling, but it was twinged with disgust for JK Rowling. Although it pained me, I knew I wouldn’t be reading them again. In my internal monologue, I told myself, "These books served their purpose long ago. It’s okay to let them go and move on."
So into the “throw away” pile they went. The only things worth keeping anymore are the memories and experiences that those books originally opened up to me, and those can’t be tossed out even if I wanted to. Putting the books into that pile felt like visiting a wake - the series is dead to me now, and with this final viewing, I could have closure over it and finally say goodbye.
I think there’s something to be said for having to throw away things tied to precious memories because those things are tainted by a bitch who couldn’t just shut the fuck up and be happy with her success.
But this is exactly the type of thing I mean when I say that some people’s advocacy against JKR bleeds over into the lives of innocent people just trying to live.
I would never be able to throw away a gift my father had given me. Nobody should be pressuring anyone else to do the same just because they find something problematic (not for its actual contents, but because it’s author is a hate monger).
People forget that there are real and cherished memories attached to this franchise and whether they intend to or not, they do attack them when they make media like this, or post about how terrible a person must be for having engaged with said media.
Just because something is trivial for you to excise from your life doesn’t mean it’s as easy for the next person.
When people spread further hatred because they feel self righteous about something that has wronged them, they aren’t making things better.
I don’t even engage with the franchise anymore. Most of what I know about it from the last decade has been from media posts like this bashing it or telling people how evil Rowling is. I wouldn’t know there was a tv show, wouldn’t have known about the game l, wouldn’t have known about the universal park etc if it weren’t for posts like this.
Did you throw away all your Disney media? Would you still visit a Disney or universal park? Engage with the studio that made the game or the company producing the show?
There’s so much to how media gets made and how many companies are still actively supporting this bigot and instead of attacking those corporations we attack each other for no really good reason except that it makes some people feel superior.
Nobody ever shouts out the organizations that she donates to. Nobody ever mentions where they get their funding. Nobody ever talks about boycotting the companies making the media (not the media itself) until they stop supporting franchises like HP.
Does that make sense? It’s never made sense to me.
Hate to break it to you, but you can absolutely lose memories. Time is a bitch.
Oh, I know. I used to work in a nursing home. Dementia is horrifying. But in the meantime, the memories are still with me, and that’s good enough.
Why not give them to someone for free such that they do not need to spend money for them?
I mean, when you are going through piles of old sh*t to keep or trash, by, like, the second hour, you just want to throw it all away. Ain’t no one got time to find a person who wants each one of their things that they don’t want to keep anymore.
Thank you for saying this, that’s the point in time we were at. My parents had rented a dumpster, and that final cleaning was the last day before they had to return it, and two days before the new homeowners were set to move in.
Meanwhile, at the same time, I had just moved into a tiny little studio apartment. I have almost no storage/furniture, and no money to buy any. Most of my things are still in boxes because I have nowhere else to keep them. Boxes still fill my car now (months later), to the point that my 4-seater can’t hold a single passenger. I can’t overstate just how little space I have.
Point is, I had to cut down to only the necessities. Holding onto the book set would’ve just been more clutter taking up space that I need for more important things. Which reminds me, I have to dig out the boxes that have my summer clothes and do the switcharoo with my winter clothes (which I currently store in a luggage bag. I don’t even have a dresser!)
These days we have websites for exactly that purpose.
A lot of the major furniture in my apartment came from people getting rid of stuff that I found via free-and-for-sale pages.
Still promotes someone else supporting her nonsense.