Appeal

[pierhias.livejournal.com]

Name: Iris
Age: 25
House you were sorted into: Ravenclaw
Link to original application: http://platform-934.livejournal.com/765547.html
Are there any questions you would like to elaborate on?

Considering I wrote that original app more than three years ago, I want to change/edit surprisingly few answers.

If you had the opportunity to live forever, but your family and friends did not, what would you choose? And if you did choose to live forever, what would you do with eternity?
I don't think I'd still want to live forever. Back in '09 I'd never lost anyone close to me, but in the past years I've had to come to terms with that, as well as watch my grandparents' health deteriorate considerably. At this point I don't think I could stand watching this happen to people I care about again and again.
I'm still curious to see what the future holds, and I'd still love to have all the time in the world to do different things I don't take the time for now. But I don't any longer believe that it would be worth the cost to me.

What would you see if you looked into the Mirror of Erised?
I sort of want to change it, and at the same time not. On the one hand I think that deep down this might always remain one of my most intense desires, the need to see my family whole and around me. But on the other hand I've really come to terms with the situation in the last few years and it's not actively bothering me anymore. My parents are so much happier now than I ever knew them together, and that's more important than who is living where.
If I looked into the Mirror right now, I might see myself in a new apartment, closer to my workplace, surrounded by my parents with their respective partners, and my brother and his girlfriend, holding a baby nephew or niece of mine. It would symbolize having reached a point where my life is good enough that I wouldn't feel the need to change any one given aspect of it.

Do you believe that moral actions should be judged by the intentions behind them, or by the consequences they create?
I believe that, legally, moral actions need to be judged by consequences mostly, though taking intentions into account. Morally, on the other hand, personally I judge people's intentions a lot more.


Pick one or two canon qualities from each of the four houses that you possess and explain why you picked them:
Gryffindor I have a pretty solid set of principles and what I consider to be right or wrong, and I don't like compromise when it comes to that. I try to stand by what I believe in, and stand up for it too, if needed.
I have a certain need to prove myself. Give me a challenge and I'll try my best to get there. I don't like backing down or being proven wrong, I can be pretty stubborn at times, and it's all because I want to prove myself.
Hufflepuff I am hard-working. Don't get me wrong, I like doing nothing all, I am lazy, and I procrastinate like the best of them. But if I achieve something, I want to know that I put the effort in and deserved it. Like Cedric when he offered a quidditch rematch after Harry fell off his broom. He wanted to win because he was better, because of his work, not because of Harry's bad luck, and I'd be the same. Hand me something on a silver platter and I won't appreciate it or be able to enjoy it. Make me work for it, and feel like I earned it and I'll be happier.
I also put a lot of stock in fairness. Few things get me riled up as easily as perceived unfairness towards myself or others. And I'd like to believe I can be impartial and judge a situation fairly without my own interests getting in the way. I'd rather lose in a fair manner than win by cheating or taking advantage of anyone.
Ravenclaw I strive on logic and I am analytical. I got a university degree in math, I just started work as an analyst, I love all kinds of logic puzzles, games, etc., and often I can see connections and mechanisms easily. I'm also naturally inquisitive. I want to know how things work and why, I want to learn and understand. I'm the kind of person who's so immersed in trying to figure something out that they forget to eat.
Slytherin I am ambitious as all hell. If there is a top spot, I want it, if a game needs a winner I want to be the one winning it. I don't really do things for fun, be it playing cards or doing sports or anything, I want to do it as best as I can, and I sure don't want to lose. I try to be a graceful loser if it does happen, but it's eating me up inside.
In social situations I am observant, and I probably know more about people than they realize. It's not that I'm particularly interested in knowing these things or that I am nosy, I just listen when people talk to me. Unlike a good Slytherin I don't use that knowledge to my advantage usually, but I guess I could if I wanted to.

Now pick up to two canon qualities from each of the four houses that you do NOT possess and explain your choices:
Gryffindor: I don't really see myself as passionate. Of course I am passionate about a few things, everyone is, but passion is not a word I'd use to describe myself in most circumstances. It takes a lot to get me riled up, and I regard myself as fairly laid-back in most things. I'm not one to change the world, and I lack the courage to allow myself to care about many things. People who care get hurt, and I'd rather not.
I'm also not brave. I am scared of many things, and if I can, I avoid them rather than facing them. Like said above, I'm scared to get emotionally invested in many ways. I'd rather not care than care and get hurt, which is not a very daring way to go about life.
Hufflepuff I'm not that fussed about loyalty. Not that I am actively disloyal, I am not. But if I have to choose between my principles and what I think is right, and loyalty to someone going against those things, there are extremely few people I would choose over what I believe in. I'm a firm believer that friends and partners in life come and go, and I'd rather be true to myself than to others.
Ravenclaw I am absolutely not the dreamy, creative, Luna-esque kind of Claw. I am also not idealistic or romantic. Give me cold, hard facts, logic and reasoning over emotions and day-dreaming any day. My reaction to Luna would probably be very similar to Hermione's, if hopefully more accepting.
Slytherin I hate networking. Like I seriously abhor the idea of getting places because I happen to know someone. I could easily have gotten a job without ever interviewing or even showing anyone my resume by just dropping my father's name at an opportune time and with the right people. And I might have done it if I had exhausted all other options. But I would have exhausted ALL other options first. I'd never have been happy with a job I felt I hadn't earned. I am really bad at "you rub my back and I'll rub yours."
Besides that I don't use any means to achieve my ends. There's a clearly defined line of what I am willing to do or not, and I think I draw that line more rigorously than many others would. Like I said above, I'd rather lose or not achieve my goals than use means I don't approve of to get there.

Explain why you feel misplaced in your current house. Please be sure to explain how much of your answer is based on your canon understanding of the house (versus the way the house happens to be in HiH): It's not so much that I feel entirely misplaced in Ravenclaw as it is that nagging doubt if it's really the best fit. Do I believe in knowledge for knowledge's sake? Yes. Do I like to feel like I spend my time doing something more "useful" than learning? Yes. I think if my time at school and university had gone differently, I might have turned out to be completely Ravenclaw inside and out. But as it is, both school and uni were miserable places for me to be, for different reasons, and it's put me off learning quite a bit. I hold a deep seated grudge against formal education, and it's hard for me to separate "learning" from my educational experiences.
I am analytical, and I enjoy brain games, for lack of a better word. I teach math for fun, and I like writing logic puzzles as much as solving them. But my main motivation in life is not learning, and I feel more fulfilled doing productive things that benefit someone somehow (even if that someone is just my paycheck at the end of the month, ahem) than "just" learning for its own sake.

Is there a particular house you believe you would feel more at home in? If yes, please explain: Ah, the house I identify the most with changes fairly regularly. I used to think of myself as a Ravenclaw primarily, then as a Hufflepuff, then back to Claw, and these days I can't help but notice the Gryffindor is cropping up more and more. I think at the core I may be a Hufflepuff, but I'm never quite sure.

Comments

[ariake.livejournal.com]

Hello Iris! Your appeal has been dropped and the judges will now begin interrogating you. If you have any questions, concerns, or if you need to pause your appeal, please let me know as soon as possible. Thank you and good luck!

- Sara, Term XXIII Appeals Mod

[ariake.livejournal.com]

What would you say is the single most important problem facing the world today?

What is the one single thing you are most passionate about in your life? (really, only one)

Pick a quote/lyric that you feel is one of the mottos of your life, and explain why you feel that way.

- Sara

[lovestyle.livejournal.com]

Hi Iris. :D I've got 3 questions for you!

Do you believe morality to be relative, or do you hold most people accountable to the same set of principles in your mind?

Would you say in general that you are more excited to learn cold hard facts, or openly ponder questions that have yet to be answered?

What element do you relate best to, and why?

[mmailliw.livejournal.com]

Hey Iris! I'll just give you some of my old favorites here:

1) "Knowledge is more of a means to an end than an end in and of itself." Agree or disagree, and why?
2) What is your greatest ambition and how do you plan on achieving it?
3) Which of the following four dystopias do you think would be the worst to live in, and why?
A) A dystopia like Harrison Bergeron in which everyone is given handicaps until they are all at exactly the same ability - and if your ability ever improves, you are merely given a stronger handicap to bring you back down.
B) A dystopia like 1984 in which, if you have your own thoughts that are different from those of the establishment, you are guilty of "crimethink" which is considered to be worse than murder.
C) A dystopia like The Trial/Vor dem Gesetz in which almost no one has any chance of justice or a fair trial; in other words, you need to be liked by the right people in order to have a shot in a court of law.
D) A dystopia controlled by someone like Dolores Umbridge in which you are not allowed to speak your mind; if you are caught saying things that the leader disagrees with, you are severely physically punished.
4) Forest or river? (and, of course, why? ;-))

[sanalith.livejournal.com]

Hi, Iris! Here are some questions from me:

1.) You've discovered a spell that makes everyone around you tell the absolute truth for 24 hours, but if you cast it, you would also be under its effects. Explain why you would or would not cast the spell.

2.) You're given the chance to teach one and ONLY one thing to all the children of the world. This can literally be anything - you could explain a concept, give the answer to a specific problem, have them read a certain book - anything! What would you choose and why?

3.) You mentioned that your experiences in formal education put you off learning. What would you change about the school/university process that might make them more conducive to learning for learning's sake? Or do you think there isn't anything that could be done?

[slumber.livejournal.com]

Hi Iris! Just have a few questions for you:

1. (Sorry, this question is long. I don't know if you're familiar with the book or not so I figured background information might help. :P)

In the dystopian world of Divergent, society is divided into five factions, each of which is dedicated to eradicating an evil trait in themselves that they believe caused the downfall of the world, and exemplifying a trait that they think is paramount, usually to an extreme. When faction members turn sixteen, they are asked to select a faction. Usually it is the one they have the most aptitude for.

The factions are as follows: Abnegation (selflessness; they live to serve others and are the leaders of their society), Erudite (intelligence; they live for the pursuit of knowledge and often work to find efficiencies in running society), Amity (peacefulness; they value peace and harmony above all else and are the caretakers/counselors/artists of the society), Candor (honesty; they never lie and they see the world as black and white), and Dauntless (bravery; they value fearlessness and protect the city from threats).

First, rank the factions in order of which you feel most of an aptitude towards, and why you feel that way. Secondly, had you been given this decision, which faction would you choose and why?

2. Can you tell us about the times that you have felt most Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin?

3. You mentioned noticing that your Gryffindor has been cropping up more and more. Can you tell us more about these moments?

Thank you!

[lotrangel17.livejournal.com]

Hi Iris, here a few questions from me.

1. You've inherited a large sum of money but you must give half of it to a charity; what charity do you pick and why?

2. What is one thing people don't like about you? Would you change it if you could? Why or Why not?

3. What situation(s) really make you lose your cool?

4. Finally, choose a few (at least two please) of these Ravenclaw qualities and explain why they don't describe you. Analytical, intelligent, logical yet impractical, curious, creative, inquisitive, witty, wise, cynical, fond of intellectual discussions, independent, introspective, observes more often than participates, self entertaining, fond of learning for the sake of learning.

Thanks!

[pierhias.livejournal.com]

3) I would do away with grades and results, and the all-encompassing belief that your ability to perform well in school says ANYTHING about you as a person. At least in the system where I live your status among teachers and peers is almost solely defined by your results. It puts bad students off learning because they are repeatedly shown they are "stupid", and it puts good students off learning because they get to deal with a lot of jealousy, and it's easier to be mediocre.
If kids are expected to enjoy learning, imo they need to study in small groups of people wit similar skill levels and interests.
I know plenty people who at my age still believe good grades make you a better person and make you happy. It's just what 12+ years in our educational system teach you.

1) I don't think I would cast that spell. I'm more scared of knowing what people think of me than not knowing. And more importantly, I am a very private person irl, and I wouldn't want everyone to be able to find out whatever they wanted, without some control on my part.

[pierhias.livejournal.com]

What is the one single thing you are most passionate about in your life? (really, only one)
The one thing I am most passionate about in my life is tennis. I started playing really late, and initially I meant to do it just for fun, a little bit on the side. But somehow I got sucked into it big time, and for the last ten or so years I've had an average of playing at least a few times every week, sometimes as often as every day before I had to sell my soul to work.
I don't know what it is about tennis, but it's the perfect distraction and stress relief for me, even if I sometimes take it too seriously. It's helped me through some tough times, and if I can't play for a stretch of time I get moody and irritated.

Pick a quote/lyric that you feel is one of the mottos of your life, and explain why you feel that way.
He is a hard man who is only just, and a sad one who is only wise. - Voltaire
Being able to say that as a person, I am being both just and wise, is something that I would like to achieve in my lifetime. I've been known to say I want to be David Rossi from Criminal Minds when I grow up, and it's mostly because he manages the perfect combination of those two concepts. I think it's easy to lose sight of the bigger picture of what kind of person you are when you only focus on either one of them. But combining just and wise, I see that as a true achievement.

[pierhias.livejournal.com]

Do you believe morality to be relative, or do you hold most people accountable to the same set of principles in your mind?
I hold everyone accountable to the same set of principles in my mind, but I try to acknowledge that what is right for me might not be for everyone else, if that makes any sense? Basically I think my set of principles is right, obviously, but I also think it's none of my business to tell other people what is right for them. So while I'll silently disagree with their actions/choices/opinions I won't try to change them or tell them how to live their lives.
For example I talked about my dislike for networking above. So if a friend were to use connections to score a great work deal I would still think that working for it is the "better" way, but I wouldn't expect them to see it the same way.
Let me know if that is not making any sense, I have a hard timing putting it into words properly.

Would you say in general that you are more excited to learn cold hard facts, or openly ponder questions that have yet to be answered?
Hm, that is hard one. I hated having to learn about history because it's nothing but cold hard facts, and I never saw any kind of merit or fascination in it. On the other hand one of my favourite things about math is that it's the only discipline where there is universal truth, and that you can prove things once and for all and deal with proven facts that way, instead of lofty ideas and theories.
But then again every bit of progress has to start with questions yet to be answered. If everyone just dealed in facts we wouldn't be where we are now, and there is something inherently exciting about progress and new inventions and such.
I guess when it comes down to it I am better suited and more likely to enjoy facts, though. Luna's snorkack theories just had me scratching my head and I wouldn't get anything out of that. ;)

[pierhias.livejournal.com]

3) For me, C) would be the hardest to accept, in which almost no one has any chance of justice or a fair trial; in other words, you need to be liked by the right people in order to have a shot in a court of law. Even if I were liked by the right people I'd hate to have to take advantage of that, and of all the things you could take away from me - ability/motivation, freedom of thought and/or speech, and justice/fairness, I value fairness the most.
B) comes a close second though, since it is pretty much impossible to controll your thoughts. In D), I could always choose not to speak up, no matter how hard that might be, but in B) I don't see how you really have a choice whether or not to break the rules.
I think A) would be crippling for my motivation to do anything at all because I need competition or a challenge to motivate myself. I'm driven by wanting to be the best, so knowing that there is no "the best" would take the wind out of my sails, but I suppose I could deal with it.

4) Not a fan of either, but if I have to choose river wins out. While I don't like being IN water, I like being NEAR water, so as long as I can stay by the river and not enter it I'll be fine. The river offers more guidance and direction than the forest. It's ridiculously easy to get lost in a forest, but you can always follow the river up- or downstream without much trouble.

1) Probably not the answer you're looking for, but... a bit of both. I do believe in knowledge as an end in and of itself, to a certain extent. Society dictates that everything we do must be directed towards some sort of goal, and that status and money are the most important things, and I don't really know why that is. If I enjoy spending an entire day reading wikipedia articles on the most obscure topics I can find, who says it's wrong to do so? I love just discovering a new topic and reading up about it until I feel like I know enough to be satisfied with it, even if it's something that will never be of any further practical use to me in my entire life. Every now and then. I could not, however, spend every day doing that. I find productivity a lot more satisfying in the long run. I couldn't be a profession student, going through one subject after another, or specialising in one, and spending all my time with theories and questions that have nothing to do with the "real world". It's a privilege that I got to do that for several years, but I need to put my knowledge to use and see what can be done with it, other than just admiring it for the fact that it exists.

[tunnels-of-loce.livejournal.com]

Hello Iris! Here are a few questions for you to answer when you can. :)

1. If you could choose one person from each house to be your best friend, who would you choose and why? (They do not have to be from the same generation.)

2. How do you usually handle adversity? What do you do when something doesn't go your way?

3. What is one trait or quality you admire the most in others?

Thank you, and good luck with your appeal!

[pierhias.livejournal.com]

3) Driving, lol. I'm usually a pretty calm person and it's hard to get me to a point where you'll notice I'm angry. But when I'm driving the smallest things tick me off. People just don't know how to drive. ;)
Inconsiderate behaviour makes me angry too. I try to be considerate myself and when people only think about themselves and trample over others without even thinking about it that bothers me.
Anything against my family. You hurt me, we're done, but I can deal with it. You hurt those few I care about? I will hunt you down and make you miserable.
Anything I perceive as inherently unfair, that makes me go 'but it should have been different'. I think part of that is the powerless feeling of not being able to change anything about it, as much as the unfairness itself.

[emptyhanded09.livejournal.com]

1. Please give me your opinion on how your Jung/Myers Brigg personality type fits into the different Hogwarts houses. If you don't know your Jung personality type, you can take a version of the personality test here (http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jtypes2.asp).

2. If someone were to hand you one million dollars (or whatever your currency might be), what is the very first thing you would do with the money?

3. You mention wanting the top spot/winner winner all the time. If you were Cedric Diggory in the maze with Harry (and didn't know the cup was a portkey to Voldie, of course), how would you have acted?

[pierhias.livejournal.com]

2) I'd give a big part of it to my brother. Probably half, or like a third to him and a second third in equal parts to my parents or something. I'm not rich, but I wouldn't need a million € either, and my family could so with some extra too, so that makes the most sense to me.

3) I think I would have done the same as Cedric, or at least I hope I would have. I hate losing, but I don't take short cuts in order to win. Harry and Cedric helped each other so much not only in the maze, but during the entire tournament that it was just fair for them to win together. I wouldn't have judged either one of them for taking the cup alone, but this solution seems the most appealing to me personally.

[anbyrobanby.livejournal.com]

Hey Iris!


- How do you believe you respond in a crisis?

- You mention that legally, consequences should be considered above intentions, but morally intentions should be considered above consequences. Please give a HP canon example of someone who made an intention/consequence call you believe was incorrect in that context, why you disagree, and what you would have done differently in their position.

- You get the power to telepathically transmit one message into the minds of every witch or wizard on Earth, simultaneously. They will all recieve the message at the same time without distinction (eg, if you transmit in 1992, everyone in Chamber-of-Secrets-era Hogwarts would hear it, but, say, Lily & James Potter wouldn't, as they're long dead). The message can be about anything, but it's limited to only be one sentence long. Only witches & wizards pick this up this transmission. What is it, and at what date/period/era/etc would you send it?

- Name two Muggles whom you respect and admire: one living, one dead. They can be anyone, famous, personal, or otherwise. Explain briefly why you picked these two, and Sort them.


Apologies for the potential tl;drness of this ;)

[xfortytwo.livejournal.com]

Hey Iris!
I have some questions for you:

1. Pick one from each of the following pairs: (It would be very helpful if you gave some reasoning too)
individual vs collective:
realism vs idealism:
creativity vs knowledge:
passion vs reason:

2. If you could achieve only one goal in your life, what would it be? Would you want to reach this goal at any cost?

3. Imagine that someone has access to information about the world that is top secret and hidden away for fear of the consequences it would have if the world knew. The information is coveted by many, but knowing it can potentially be dangerous. This someone offers access to this information to you, would you want it or not?

I think that's all for now!
Thanks :)

[pierhias.livejournal.com]

Just a heads-up for the judges. Tuesday is my day from hell; I just got home after a 15-hour day, and I'm dead, so I'll get back to answering questions tomorrow.

[madlybewildered.livejournal.com]

1. Which HP character do you find most reprehensible?

2. How do you feel about deception? Is it ever justifiable? If so, when? Is there anyone you'd never lie to?

3. You can give five year old mini Iris one piece of advice. What is it?

[pierhias.livejournal.com]

3) I'd tell her to go to school because waiting that one year to start school at age 6 as it is common here will set her up for a lifetime of disappointment in education. My parents wanted to send me early, but I put it off. I don't know if going early would have changed things, but I'd try to explain to my bb self that starting school early was full of benefits I didn't realize at that age.

2) I am pretty unforgiving about deception, I don't give my trust easily and you don't get it back if you trample all over it. (Example: when Emily and JJ came back on CM I was shocked how fast everyone forgave their lie. I can acknowledge Hotch's intentions, but I'd never be able to trust them again.)
That said, I do think it can be somewhat justifiable if you are protecting yourself/someone from someone else. (Like I said I get why Hotch did it, and that's easier to accept than if he'd done it for personal gain or something. But the consequence would be the same, I don't think you can re-build trust.

I can't pretend I'd never lie, no matter to whom. I've lied about my mental health, about my feelings to family and friends, those closest to me. I wasn't ready to talk to anyone about it or to get anyone else involved.

[pierhias.livejournal.com]

3) Confidence, or maybe it's rather being true to yourself no matter the opposition you're facing. I admire people who are themselves and are completely ok with that, even when everyone else around them is shaking their heads. It's so easy to just go with what people expect from you, and I have a ton of respect for people who buck that trend and meet only their own expectations instead.

[pierhias.livejournal.com]

3) It's in refusing to back down from what I believe in, and admiring/identifying with others who do so. It pretty much breaks my heart every time someone says Ned Stark from GoT/Asoiaf was stupid for acting the way he did towards the end of book 1. All I can think is 'but he was doing the right thing!!1'. The outcome doesn't change anything about that. If anything, it makes his integrity more amazing imo.
I'm not completely sure if integrity falls into Gryff or Puff territory more, but the rigidity with which I hold on to my own (sometimes crazy strict) standards for myself made me question the lack of Gryffindor I used to claim.

[pierhias.livejournal.com]

1) Individual: I am very introverted, I need tons of time alone to recharge, and I have an intense dislike for large crowds. There are few situations where I'd pick being with people over solitude for longer than a few hours at most.
Realism: I don't see the point in hoping for more than is realistic. All it does is set you up for disappointment. To me, realistic doesn't mean settling for less, it means not wasting your resources on things that will never happen.
Knowledge: I'm not the most creative person, but I can remember more or less random knowledge just fine. They are both fun, but knowledge can be a bit more practical, I think.
Reason: Logic and reason are easy, emotions are complicated. Give me easy to understand and to control over puzzling feelings and passions that make vulnerable and lead to questionable decisions.

2) As cliché as it sounds, the one thing I want to achieve in life is happiness. If I can wake up in the mornings and be happy with who I am and how my life is going, that's the only goal I need. I wouldn't be willing to do anything, no. If you told me I could buy this sort of being content by killing someone, I'd walk away.

[mmailliw.livejournal.com]

One very difficult follow-up question: You seem to suggest that integrity might fall into Gryffindor or Hufflepuff territory. However, Slytherins do seem to often have their own code of moral integrity (see: Slughorn's attitude towards Death Eaters, Severus Snape's sense of duty towards Lily) while Gryffindors, such as Peter Pettigrew, often seem to behave in a way that seems to go against any notion of integrity.

Keeping this in mind, how, if at all, does your notion of integrity differ from Slytherin notions of integrity?

[pierhias.livejournal.com]

Of course members of all four houses can have (or not have) their own sense or code of integrity, but I think it's rarely a defining trait in Slytherins or Ravenclaws. With the examples you mentioned, Slughorn and Snape, I wouldn't say integrity is at the core of who they are, compared to say, Cedric, Ernie or Neville. The kind of integrity I mean is the basis for pretty much all your decisions, and it's imperative in your choices. Cedric couldn't take the cup because he felt Harry had earned it just as much, Ernie couldn't stand by having questioned Harry when it turned out he was wrong, Neville could only join Voledmort if hell froze over. Slughorn took a lot of convincing to tell Harry what he needed to know because his sense of self-preservation and pride was stronger, and even then it might have been the felix felicis more than Slughorn's need to do the right thing. Snape is a bit more difficult, but I'd argue that his duty towards Lily was motivated more by his own guilt and a desire to justify his actions towards himself than wanting to do right by anyone else.

So in a way I think my notion of integrity is more rigid and defining than what I perceive as the Slytherin notion. It's not an optional thing in some areas of my life, it's at the very center of who I am. Not saying Slytherins or Ravenclaws don't have integrity, just that it's not a defining trait. The same way members of every house can be brave, but it's a core trait for Gryffindor.