DIVINATION CLUB: Term XXI, Activity 7: Cold Readings vs The Noble Art of Divination

[anbyrobanby.livejournal.com]

Every year, this squabble seems to happen. Somebody throws a tantrum, fed up of not being able to see anything, or seeing shapes in tea-leaves only to be shot down for saying something. The whole class pipes up about how it's a waste of time, until somebody points out what has correctly been predicted over the course of the year. It seems Trelawney has a special way of dealing with this: she opens a fresh pack of greenish joss sticks and lights them; the thick mossy smoke makes everybody go mellow and thick-headed, and she smiles at the renewed optimism.

Activity: Cold Readings vs The Noble Art of Divination
Points: Long debate: Participation 10pts, Additional comment: 2pts.
Deadline: 20th December @ 11:59PM UTC.
Details: Do you believe there is a difference between the Divination presented in the HP series, and those techniques applied by Muggles in the real world? Could you or I walk into a class and be on equal footing with those at Hogwarts? Do Wizarding folk simply have greater sensitivity to the paranormal workings of the universe? Debate and discuss.


Okay! Seeing as people seemed to enjoy the Hogsmeade debate, we're going to have another one (before I forget). So here's the point of discussion:

Is wizarding Divination any different from Muggle fortune telling?

Note that this question is NOT asking if you think Muggle fortune telling is a sham or not: that's a completely different issue. If possible, let's try to keep things on track!

I would like you to consider whether there's any real differences between our brand of fortune telling, and the one depicted in the books. Do you think a Muggle could teach the kids as well as Trelawney? Did the predictions that came true in the novels happen because of Divination's magic, or was it just dumb, serendipitous luck? Are both types just cold readings manifested in different ways? Feel free to cite things from canon as much as from your own point of view!

A substantial opening comment is worth 10 points. Follow-on elaborated responses are worth 2 points each, so long as they're a bit more meaty than "I agree/disagree". Cap of 30 points total.

Make Hermione proud, guys! Or Trelawney. Or Firenze. Whichever.


_{The future will look bleak if you forget to sign the ROSTER}

Comments

[narianha.livejournal.com]

I don't think that the majority of wizarding Divination is any different than Muggle fortune telling. It was still all about interpreting the cards/coffee grounds/tea leaves/what have you. There was still astrology, and dream analysis. The Sight is a noticeable difference, but only if you don't believe that there are people in the Muggle world who genuinely have visions. It seemed like there was very little magic involved in the teaching of Divination, the magic was more in the ritual than in the person themselves. It was up to the individual to interpret, but that doesn't really require magic.

Rita//Slytherin

[narianha.livejournal.com]

Yeah I will say that I think that the centaurs connection to the stars seems like something humans couldn't replicate, but it also seems like something that can't be completely taught at Hogwarts either.

Rita//Slytherin//9

[astrophelind.livejournal.com]

It was up to the individual to interpret-.

Exactly this. Because Divination deals with predicting something that hasn't yet occurred, it doesn't have instant results like waving your wand and casting a spell. Essentially you're guessing, alright so you have a couple of cards with pictures to help you along the way, but overall I think both variants -wizarding and muggle- are almost identical.

Ria/Slytherin/1

[capeofstorm.livejournal.com]

I do agree with you that the Divination from Hogwarts is like fortune telling. I'd even say that it was a tad misleading to call the class Divination.

I don't agree that the magic was in the ritual, though. I believe the magic, in this case, was the sigh, open mid, sixth sense, whatever you call it, and it was definitely in the person. It is something that cannot be taught or passed on, unless you already possess it and are able to cultivate it.

Lena | Gryffindor | 10

[slumber.livejournal.com]

Yes, exactly. This was what I was trying to say, only you said it much more clearly. :P It strikes me as quite odd, now, that JKR didn't have a more magical version of Divination, and that its treatment in the series is much the same way Muggles look at Divination.

Evy//Ravenclaw//8