JUST yesterday as I was watching the CNN channel, the ticker tape news ran the line saying that Harry Potter's 6th instalment entitled Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is expected to sell 10 million copies on its first day of release.
Now, if only the 2,000-year-old bible has such a reception, we won't be hearing anymore about suicide bombings around the world. Sorry, for getting religious over this issue.
Really, what's the breakthrough news about Harry Potter and its author J.K. Rowling? Personally, I am very happy that she is commanding such a worldwide attention. But honestly, it does say something about people around the world when they go ga-ga over a book that has no significant literature value, except for the fact that it makes lots of children want to keep up with a fascinating tale of a young wizard.
You would have thought that the communities around the world would have something better to pay attention to. If you were to wander off to Laos, Cambodia or maybe even Sicily right now and ask the question: "Read the latest Harry Potter book?" The person this question is addressed to will probably reply: "Who is he? Is he the new president of America?"
I have to take my hat off to Rowling's manager. Whoever that person is, she/he as well as the book publisher have really got book readers around the world by the scruff of their collars.
It's all a media-hype, you people. But then nobody is listening to me but never mind, Rowling is becoming even a bigger billionairess by the hour. Except that she's no Bill Gates or Bob Geldorf. I don't think Rowling is terribly keen to help the starving millions in Rwanda, Sudan or even North Korea.
Really, you chaps out there. A book is one thing, getting your priorities wrong only indicates how sad the state of affairs is the world now in.
I don't mean you shouldn't get excited over anything. You can, of course. That's part of the human condition but a Harry Potter book is just a book. It is not going to change the miserable conditions around the world.
If I sound like an NGO, I apologise but I really like to see people getting more worked up over famine, corruption, wickedness, wars, suffering. Am I the only one who is infected by this kind of syndrome? Surely not, I pray.
Get excited over the right things and this world will have a fighting chance, otherwise in the end, Hurricane Harry will come your way and wipe out everything that you own and have.
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