As Great as Harry's Been — It's Time to Move On...

In a post titled, "Harry Potter and the Web Disconnect," Just an Online Minute poses a great question, with regard the the much hallowed and even more anticipated arrival of the final book in the great Harry Potter series:

Could J.K. Rowling and her publisher have really believed that the eagerly awaited final book in the Harry Potter series would remain under wraps until its official release at 12:01 Saturday morning?

My response is this:

Yes, it’s sad that people want to ruin others’ enjoyment - but that behavior is not new and not inextricably linked to the Internet age! It may be easier and more viral today, but 25 years ago, two girls ran through the halls of my high school shouting, “ET lives! ET lives!” solely with the intent of ruining the ending for the masses.

To be outraged by the early release of something at this point is somewhat ludicrous. It is, in my opinion, not dissimilar to wanting a “retraction” from someone who’s uttered a comment not to my liking. What is said is said - there’s no “taking it back.” And what’s published/created is out there, whether according to the writer/publisher’s agenda, or earlier.

Those who want to dress up in capes and wizard hats to celebrate Harry’s sending off will do so

— and they will AVOID Web sites where spoilers abound. You don’t like what’s on the TV, you change the channel, right? No one is forcing people to know the ending ahead of time. Where is our own active choice in this??

I think we need to spend less time worrying about protecting ourselves from cretins and more time creating the next dynasty of characters to populate a new story. Harry has no doubt joined Frodo and Dorothy as memorialized icons of “children’s literature,” but he’s done now. Next!