Ah, you know, I'm not really looking for the answer. I just enjoy other people's input ;-)
I very much agree with you that magic is more than just a replacement for machinery etc. I just used it as an example to elaborate my question/problem with the whole concept of magical powers: It's supposed to be "normal" for witches and wizards to use magic instead of machinery, but the use is highly restricted (not allowed for: underage, school drop-outs, in-presence-of-Muggles etc.). But even these witches and wizards who are not allowed to use magic (Hagrid, officially) define themselves through magic. So, magic is part of what they are, even though they don't really use it. - Which is why I think that losing the ability to perform magic must be a more substantial tragedy for witches and wizards than using the remote control is for Muggles (even though the latter one is a bitch). It takes away part of who they are. And yet, it seems that loss of magical powers can occur quite easily - see Tonks in HBP.
Like losing your sight, or hearing - or an arm.
I agree. And this is why I was wondering about the impact. Because if the loss of magic - like Tonks' metamorphing abilities - can be compared with losing a sense, it is a very severe one. But Tonks' loss was caused by, basically, unhappiness. So, you know, this would mean that witches and wizards are very fragile indeed: They rely on magical powers like we rely on our senses, but they are always in danger of losing them at any time due to emotional distress. Now, this is why I was wondering about the psychological impact. - Muggles might lose their eyesight, i.e. a sense, which causes depressions, but witches and wizards might become depressed, which causes the loss of their magical powers, i.e. a sense.
Oh, and I'm totally with you on the public transport issue! I, too, always take the car, even if it means that a) I've got to spend a fortune on petrol and b) can't drink.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2007-03-23 03:10 pm (UTC)I very much agree with you that magic is more than just a replacement for machinery etc. I just used it as an example to elaborate my question/problem with the whole concept of magical powers: It's supposed to be "normal" for witches and wizards to use magic instead of machinery, but the use is highly restricted (not allowed for: underage, school drop-outs, in-presence-of-Muggles etc.). But even these witches and wizards who are not allowed to use magic (Hagrid, officially) define themselves through magic. So, magic is part of what they are, even though they don't really use it. - Which is why I think that losing the ability to perform magic must be a more substantial tragedy for witches and wizards than using the remote control is for Muggles (even though the latter one is a bitch). It takes away part of who they are. And yet, it seems that loss of magical powers can occur quite easily - see Tonks in HBP.
Like losing your sight, or hearing - or an arm.
I agree. And this is why I was wondering about the impact. Because if the loss of magic - like Tonks' metamorphing abilities - can be compared with losing a sense, it is a very severe one. But Tonks' loss was caused by, basically, unhappiness. So, you know, this would mean that witches and wizards are very fragile indeed: They rely on magical powers like we rely on our senses, but they are always in danger of losing them at any time due to emotional distress. Now, this is why I was wondering about the psychological impact. - Muggles might lose their eyesight, i.e. a sense, which causes depressions, but witches and wizards might become depressed, which causes the loss of their magical powers, i.e. a sense.
Oh, and I'm totally with you on the public transport issue! I, too, always take the car, even if it means that a) I've got to spend a fortune on petrol and b) can't drink.