“Always Harry had been encouraged to study whatever caught his attention, bought all the books that caught his fancy...given anything reasonable that he wanted, except, maybe, the slightest shred of respect”
This is rather odd—I imagine narcissistic parents as having very definite ideas of what their children should be studying. I also think letting a child study what they want is a sign of respect, though (it’s been a while since I’ve read the book), I suppose it’s possible to want a child to learn without wanting them to have any real-world impact.
Yes—for the narcissistic parent, the goal of learning is high social status, not impact. Harry must become an “eminent professor” like his father, or something equally prestigious. Actually doing anything beyond getting the title is irrelevant.
“Always Harry had been encouraged to study whatever caught his attention, bought all the books that caught his fancy...given anything reasonable that he wanted, except, maybe, the slightest shred of respect”
This is rather odd—I imagine narcissistic parents as having very definite ideas of what their children should be studying. I also think letting a child study what they want is a sign of respect, though (it’s been a while since I’ve read the book), I suppose it’s possible to want a child to learn without wanting them to have any real-world impact.
Yes—for the narcissistic parent, the goal of learning is high social status, not impact. Harry must become an “eminent professor” like his father, or something equally prestigious. Actually doing anything beyond getting the title is irrelevant.