Sobre este Blog...

Blog personal de un internacionalista. En ocasiones serias entradas sobre las RR.II, la ONU y la política. En otras, no tanto... (Gandalf, Patos y cosas peores)

26 abril, 2012

Why the world needs more Hufflepuffs

My close friends by now know that I've been sorted into Ravenclaw house at Pottermore. Of course, geekdom runs in the family (even though a certain sibling tries to deny it) and my two sisters joined the site as well. One got sorted into the proud house of the Grey Lady with me, whilst the other (the youngest) did not. As the older siblings we've always smirked about how sweet and nice and goody-to-shoes our youngest is. Truly, she is a force to be reckoned with in matters of good will. By now, you probably guessed that my youngest sister was sorted into the unsung-yet-noble Hufflepuff House.

When speaking about it my sister remembered the Sorting Hat's exact wording (she has a memory that puts my raven mind to shame, pun intended) of how Helga Hufflepuff "took the rest". This once after Godric had taken the brave, Rowena the smartest, and Salazar the most ambitious. I couldn't help but notice a slight spark of indecision in her eyes. After all, and this I say with complete honesty, she is way smarter than me. I probably only beat her at knowledge because I'm older, nothing more. Shouldn't she be in Ravenclaw? She's smart!Then again, one of my best friends, whom I consider a logical genius, was also placed in Hufflepuff. 


To further make my point, Hermione Granger herself, after almost being a hatstall (Pottermore spoiler alert, sorry!) was placed in Gryffindor. Let's assume that she did not ask to be in the house of the brave. This for the sake of argument (to avoid all "the hat takes your choices into account as well" debate), and because I believe our favorite witch wouldn't mind being sorted to Ravenclaw. Why then would the hat place her in Harry's House?

To begin with, let us eliminate some fallacies with the following premises: 
1. Being in a house other than Slytherin doesn't mean you have cero ambition. 
2. Being in a house other than Hufflepuff doesn't mean you are disloyal.
3. Being in a house other than Gryffindor doesn't make you a coward.
4. Being in a house other than Ravenclaw doesn't mean you aren't smart. 
5. People are multidementional, therefore, one sole feature cannot define them.
6. Pottermore cannot define your abilities, only your choices in the questions. 
7. Pottermore, being from JKR, is officially canon.

Out of these, we can conclude the following:
1. It is not lack of characteristic "X" that determines your House. 
2. House "Y" does not hold the exclusive patent to characteristic "X". 
3. The "brightest"of any generation may not be in Ravenclaw (Ex. Pomona Sprout, Minerva McGonagal, Hermione Granger, my best friend, or my little sister)

My hypothesis states that the Sorting Hat does not choose on that feature which you have the most, rather on that trait you appreciate/identify with/value the most. In a sense, someone who is Stephen-Hawking-smart may become a Slytherin if that person values goal-setting and power the most. Likewise, an ambitious man may become a Hufflepuff if he holds those loyal to him as his dearest. 

We need more Hufflepuffs today. Not because they are loyal, good friends, just or unafraid of toil. But rather because they value loyalty, friendship, justice, and hardwork. "The rest" certainly sounds derogative and sad. But, as previously stated, you don't go to Hufflepuff House because you lack something else better (ambition, wit or bravery). You are placed there because your choices in the quiz show that you value something far more important than individualism or distinction. Hufflepuffs are less propense to allow an A+, or a political post get to their heads. They're less likely to expect recognition and awards because they did something cool. 

No. They do what's right, rather than what is easy, because it is the right thing to do. Generally, (We know not all Hufflepuffs are as nice right Ernie Macmillan?) you would expect a Hufflepuff to understand the value of simple things: honesty, hard work and a good life. Ravenclaws, Slytherins and Gryffindors have a fatal flaw in common: we seek recognition. We want to be the wisest, the greatest, the bravest. We seek overall, diferent kinds of power (knowledge, physical strength or authority) and may sometimes forget that these are not those details which make life the best.

We need more Hufflepuff polititians, who understand that it's their people that rule them (in a so-called democracy at least) and not the other way around. We need more Hufflepuff teachers, who know that effort has more value when it is true than a perfectly-written essay by someone who did his/her minimun. We need more Huffelpuff inventors, who undertand that innovation is here to help humankind and not solely to bring them more money. 

All in all, the world needs more Hufflepuffs. And so, I finish saying that I am the proudest brother to have not only Ravenclaws in the family, but Hufflepuffs as well. 

If you don't believe me, then believe Calvin Coolidge, US President 1923-1929: 

"Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent."