03-23-2021, 07:58 PM
WIZARDKIND VS. MUGGLE CUSTOMS/INVENTIONS
In our board-canon the wizardkind are hiding in plain sight, integrated into the muggle society. A wizard/witch can live like the Weasleys or Malfoys do in the books--in a very magical style tugged away in a rural area and minimise their muggle contacts, but they can't be clueless and dumb about muggle things nor completely avoid muggles. Some may struggle with or be in awe of muggle customs and inventions to a degree but nowhere near as much as they are in the books. Remember to also ignore anything that originates from Pottermore, unless I have literally confirmed it on this board.
Here's how this aspect works in this RPG's universe.
International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy
This is a wizarding law that took effect in 1692 when the wizardkind went into hiding due to the Witch Trials. It requires every witch, wizard and squib to blend in with muggles, to pretend that they are muggles whenever in the presence of a muggle. Those living on all-wizarding areas are required to have a second home that is located at a muggle address and appears in muggless' registries. (So this applies to anyone who has a primary home in Hogsmeade, Hogwarts, or Diagon Alley.)
The law requires everyone to register their children's births with the muggle government and educate their children according to the muggle education system. Of course, they can choose to home school their children and that is what they should do at least until the child has learned enough control over accidental magic in order for state/private school attending to be safe.
All in all, the law requires them to live by the general customs of muggle society when living among muggles, and to obey their laws as well as the wizarding laws. They are allowed to participate in muggle affairs, sports and whatever as long as they don't use magic while doing so.
Witches and wizards have every possible reason to interract with muggles. In example: shopping for food which can't be conjured up from thin air, and shopping for current day clothing, and furniture and school equipment as nothing conjured up from thin air lasts more than a few hours at a time. And providing their children's education achievements to the proper officials if home schooled or managing their children's attendance in a state or private school. And they're surrounded 99% by muggle neighbours unless living in an all-wizarding area. It would be impossible to completely isolate one's children from muggle peers and completely avoid interraction with the loads of neighbours.
Also as "muggle" citizens the police services, social services, health care services, and pretty much any authority/service we come into contact and deal with in our lives in several ways is unavoidably also what the wizards and witches have to do every bit as much as we, as they exist officially as "muggles" at the same time as they do as magical people.
Then there's also the military service matters. Most of the time the British Army has relied on voluntary recruits but conscription has existed twice and applied to the wizardkind just as much as to muggles. Although, for the wizardkind from their own government there was an emergency legislation forbidding them to get involved. Thousands defied that law and participated anyway. Some most accomplished and trusted individuals were granted special permission, such as the Auror Theseus Scamander, but most got involved illegally. There were mass breaches of the secrecy during both wars but no one was severely punished for it.
All wizardkind have the right to carry a wand at all times except not when imprisoned or if expelled from a wizarding school, or if too young to control their powers (mainly meaning you shouldn't give a wand to a child who is many years younger than Hogwarts age.)
And then more specifically about...
~ TECHNOLOGY ~
Any witch or a wizard born during or after the industrial revolution of the late 1800's, can't be deeply/utterly ignorant of the oldest and most mundane muggle inventions. Generation gap does only so much. Would affect understanding of and feelings towards computers and video games and such but not of relatively simple old inventions such as a phone, car, letters/stamps, or a rubber duck. Even if one chose to live without downright owning those muggle inventions, it is unlikely anyone would remain completely alienated from them.
The law requires everyone to get at least basically familiar with the purpose and function of muggle inventions of great magnitude and world impact. (Such as the phone, letters/stamps, and television.) Especially if been born in or after the era when the invention was permanently and essentially established in the muggle society, as in when one truly should see it as mundane and know how to use it if they were really a muggle. Thus, being out of touch with those type of inventions and customs is a severe offence seeing to the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy - far worse than old-fashioned or strange clothing. And as said, unless you were born before the late 1800's or live like a total hermit it would be extremely difficult to even get that out-of-touch with them.
The Weasley family would be in deep trouble with the wizarding law enforcement if they were as ignorant as they're portrayed in the books. So, as they are a crucial part of the canon storyline, in order for it to happen, in this RPG they are not ignorant and out-of-touch like that.
~ MUGGLE MONEY ~
Everyone must learn the value of their own country's muggle currency and how to use it – even if they mostly did their shopping in the wizarding community. Because no one could completely avoid payments and transactions in the muggle society.
~ CLOTHES ~
If a witch or a wizard wears robes, they're still most likely wearing normal clothing under it. In essence there is no such thing as ”muggle clothes” - the only difference between clothes sold in muggle shops and those sold in wizarding shops is that in the latter they tend to be stuck in the past centuries' fashion. That is they are muggle clothes, just terribly out-dated.
The law on International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy includes a dress code/guidelines for the wizardkind when they walk among and/or socialise with muggles. They are required to dress in the style/fashions of the current day. But in this day and age this part of the law isn't enforced unless someone constantly wears ancient clothing styles from past centuries or utterly absurd attires. Just a retro style froma few decades ago isn't an offense. Most witches and wizards do know how to dress accordingly. Any absurd, downright strange choice must be deliberate, for whatever reason.
Anyone deliberately and constantly breaking the clothing code is subject to fines and warnings. Increasingly if repeated offence, and if the person just won't stop the punishment will be harsh. As is if people pull a larger group offence. Wizardkind are legally allowed to wear robes and witch hats and such in public among muggles around Halloween, and on rare occasions outside the season too as costume parties do happen around the year.