[lbo-talk] Harry Potter, Metritocracy, and Reward

[John Thornton]

While the thread has not actually been a discussion of Harry Potter 
books I can't help but wonder what the hell the Harry Potter books have 
to do with the topic of meritocracy?
My SO read the first few Potter books and she reported to me they were 
elitist through and through.
Ordinary people are apparently "muggles" and are depicted as scared, 
stupid, easily distracted small minded persons written about in a manner 
totally lacking in the range of personalities of those in the wizard world.
One can only enter the wizard world if you have some blood relative who 
isn't a muggle. One must be born to the right sorts of people (even 
distant relatives can count apparently) if one wishes to attend a wizard 
school (prep school ?) and learn something beyond TV and pop culture.
Where is the meritocracy in this system?
This is just plain old British peerage nonsense for the modern age to my 
way of thinking.
The riveting tales of the infighting among the elites complete with 
arguments over the dilution of status with the dilution of bloodlines.

John Thornton