Slug Club: Discussion [TERM XIII-VI]

[djmayhem-aubrey.livejournal.com]

Activity: Slug Club Discussion: Criteria for Slug Club Good or Bad?
Points: Long debate: Participation 10pts, Additional comment: 2pts
Deadline: Saturday, April 11 @ 11:59 PM EST.

Details: We all know how Slughorn chooses the members of his club. Now we face an interesting dilemma: some people think this is terribly selective. Some people think this is a good thing. This is not a debate. This is a discussion on what everyone thinks about Slughorn's criteria, and if there is anything you would personally do differently while keeping the ultimate goals of giving the Slug Clubbers' decent job prospects intact.




CLUB LEADER NOTE: Since I feel it needs to be said in light of some of the bollocks going on in other posts, if you cannot discuss something without getting your feelings hurt, this is probably NOT the activity for you. That said, do not personally attack anyone else for their opinions. We all have them, we are all entitled to them. I'll be watching the post and making sure things don't get out of hand.

Interested in social networking? Join the Slug Club today!

Comments

[silveredaccents.livejournal.com]

I think that Slughorn is a slightly deluded (or more than slightly depending on your criteria and perspective) character who wants what he wants. He created the Slug Club to help himself. That much is easy to see, but Slytherin rationales are rarely so simple. He created a club which would help those invited as well.

Do I like his criteria? I'm not sure. I'll be honest and say if I ended up invited, I'd like it. If not, I'd be irritable at his criteria. I've always wanted to belong, and anyone who makes me feel that way automatically has an edge in my life. Now, it doesn't rule me the way it did when I was younger, but it is something I will never fully escape.

Certainly, in less charged times, I imagine the Slug Club would be very positive for most if not all individuals involved. After all, it's a win-win. You get those with influence to see those with talent and then get to claim rights to having introduced them later. Everyone wins.

Kimberly ~ Slytherin

[valkyrie-lisa.livejournal.com]

I must agree, I like being told I belong as well. It makes you feel privileged, or at least accepted.

And now, as a job searcher, I really regret that I've never really taken the time to build up a network. What a powerful life tool Slughorn is giving to those kids!

Lisa//Slytherin

[silveredaccents.livejournal.com]

It really is! We only really see this again, through Harry's biased eyes. If you're reluctant to take part in things, you certainly aren't going to benefit from it the way that you could.

It is powerful to realize that only part of success is the ability to have your talents recognized. Harry's bias against social networking gives us a skewed view of things.

come to think of it, I think part of Hermione's guilt of belonging was that Ron wasn't. It wasn't that she didn't want to be in it ( or maybe she didn't want to stick out?), but more a show of solidarity.

Kimberly / Slytherin

[djmayhem-aubrey.livejournal.com]

You know, I completely about your comments about Hermione. She even says something in the books about how the Slug Club get togethers aren't that bad, and only adds a disparaging remark after both Harry and Ron give her the stink eye, from what I remember. I could be slightly off, but I don't think I am.

And while I think it's somewhat ridiculous, I think Harry's bias against social networking makes sense, considering he grew up with his aunt and uncle doing that very thing.

Adam//Slytherin

[silveredaccents.livejournal.com]

You're right. Petunia and Vernon did do the shmooze thing, and of course, they were the worst sort. They did it with poorly fabricated facades instead of legitimate mutually beneficial networking.

And, I seem to recall the same thing. Hermione didn't see any harm in it, but Harry didn't like it (felt he was being used. The legitimacy of that *shrugs* well I won't argue that part just yet. LOL) and Ron felt left out.

Of course, this goes back to Ron's feelings of inadequacy already (sixth of seven children, youngest boy, everything's been done) and his inherent lack of extraordinariness. I will agree he's good at chess, but that alone isn't enough. He doesn't seem to have the ability to transfer that strategy into real life, which in my opinion, would have made him a much more likely candidate for entry into the Slug Club.

Kimberly / Slytherin

[painfullybored.livejournal.com]

Perhaps it's just been too long since I've read the book, but was Slughorn even aware of the fact that they called it the 'Slug Club'? Slughorn seems to me someone who likes to be amused, likes status, and this is simply the functional workings of what can be referred to as the 'Good Ol' Boys Club' (though absent and gender or racial overtones). Like salons, back in the day. Those beneath a certain status (innate connection, like Ginny) were permitted in because they were amusing, or popular, or something interesting.

I think many of us are rather the same in how we pick our own circles of friends: we look for someone who fits in. Which criteria we use often varies from person to person.

And I'd have joined. Social networks are v.handy things.

Lara||Slytherin