According to Phys.org, a recently released book titled Harry Potter and the Millennials takes an interesting look at how the Harry Potter series has impacted the generation that grew up with the books and films.
According to the findings in the book, fans of the boy wizard participate more in political activities than non-fans, which leads to a conclusion that this “perhaps reflects the story’s lesson on the need to act, and efficacy of doing something to fight what is ‘wrong’ in the world.”
One way the researchers tested this was to ask Potter fans how they felt towards groups that have been subject to discrimination in the United States, to test whether the “acceptance of diversity by Harry and his friends mirrored that of readers,” with the results concluding that readers felt more accepting of minorities than non-readers.
Harry Potter is represented in the real world, including the work of the Harry Potter Alliance, whose motto is “The Weapon We Have is Love!” However, the greater impact on how Potter shaped the Millennial generation’s political viewpoints speaks to the power of the series.
Do you agree with the findings of this book? Are you a Millennial who feels your political views have been impacted by Potter? Let us know in the comments below!
