The Most Important Test: Are You a Real Witch?

The Most Important Test: Are You a Real Witch?

This morning, while I was wondering how to do my annual witches dance at Walpurgisnight with a stay at home order in effect, I stumbled across a test titled: “Are you a REAL witch”? As my latest hexes did not work, and also, as my witch friends do not believe me, that my witch familiar Harvey (the rabbit) is a real support in my witch craft, I figured, I need to prove something here. Although it hurts, that they do not believe in Harvey only because they have not seen him for long. Or is it, because he is a white rabbit instead of a black cat?

So, I took the test. The outcome was “You got highly potential magic in your veins. Just turn that switch and activate the energy to do real magic.”

Holy sh… I knew it – just one turn of a switch and I can become a magical monster!

But then it said: “Look at the wrong answers”. Wait, something was wrong about my answers? So, I asked Harvey to come over and help me evaluating where I could improve to become a real witch. And Harvey, as a real friend, asked me questions so that I can learn: Here is the transcript, so that you can join me in learning…

Hexe
Me and Harvey, talking

H: Why do you think, this was a test?

Me: Well, it said so in the title, and then you have multiple choice answers, like in an exam.

H: But how would you define a test?

Me: I check some behaviour against an expected result. But, did I have an expected result? I mean, I know that I am a witch, but …

H: …other people might need a proof? Maybe they have a different perception of you. I mean, nobody believes that I, as a white rabbit, could be your familiar. People need to validate the expectations of results in tests also in diverse contexts!
So how can other people better understand your super powers?

Me: Well, they could judge alongside some heuristics that have proven in the past, that there is some indication, that a person could be a witch.

H: You mean: ugly women with big noses, always carrying a pack of tarot cards in her skirt and a black cat on their shoulder?

Me: no, wise women with a crystal ball! (And a white rabbit). But you are right: how can we create a set of heuristics, that encounters for diversity of witches, that do not pick the false ones – with drastic results as they did the Dark Ages… I mean at that time they all thought, that, if a suspect cannot swim with her arms and legs tightly bound to the body, she is a witch. And they had other horrible heuristics – they called them trials.

H: So, good you see that you have to revisit your heuristics depending on context! But tell me, what was the “correct” expected result of the witch test?

Me: In order to become a real witch, I would have had to choose quite differently – and in a way that I would picture myself as a really old-fashioned witch, with spooky seances and being negative. I even would have had to pick an owl as familiar! I do not like that expectation! I don’t think, it is correct!

H: Well then do not take it as correct expectation! How horrible – an owl! But if in a test, the given expected result is not what you think is correct – think twice. You have your own ethical judgement system. Or discuss with others – good that you did talk to me.

Me, all dressed up for the dance

Harvey is such a great friend! I now feel better. Rereading the transcript, I see, why being a witch and a tester at the same time resonates so much! I need to sharpen my test heuristics next time for an extended context and for the ethical dimension!

But now back to the really important question: How can I celebrate Walpurgis night?

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