I know it will eventually get lost in the plethora of replies to that post, but it just kills me that someone like that thinks they are somehow sticking to to The Man by doing something so cude and childish.
*sniffle* I love the ideals the SCA espouses - I've tried to live by them my entire life, even before the SCA (which is one of the reasons it was such a good fit when I found it!). I feel so sad when someone in the group sets that kind of example for newer people.
I agree. The only thing that I can think of to explain their actions is that someone(s) must have really hurt them in the past ('course, I could be completely off on that, but SOMETHING must have happened for them to be that bitter and intentionally seeking out people to target so harshly)
Huggies. I do think that some people would be better of in some other LARP group. The rule used to be (it is still written in the known world handbook: DOn't spoil anybodie's enjoyment. SO how did the original poster do that? NOT AT ALL. These were legitimate points. PERIOD. And they are useful points to those who are trying to do their bests without a degree in history. I find that surprisingly enough, most people who claim to be concerned about *low income* usually aren't. And they are not watching out for those who are. because there are better ways to do that. If you want to go camping with your buddies, you can do that. If you join The SCA one would expect you to at least enjoy the genuine feeling that comes with the ambiente. If you don't, then you need to quit, not spoil it for anybody else. I very much agree with you here. though I really didn't get the tampon thinghie at all. It was one of these moments when the lawyer in me wanted to shout at the UNiverse: *Objection! relevance?"
They wouldn't be better in LARP groups. LARP groups have rules that they'd have to follow.
These are not people who would be better off in another group. They are people who hate everything so much that they want to destroy the fun of everyone around them.
Bobbi once said, of the people who complained of rules changes in Mystic Realms, "When you play Monopoly, do you ask for an extra $200 when you pass Go? No- because it's the RULES."
Its been my experience that far too many of those who complain that they don't have money to do it right, never seem to be without money for beer or other such things. Its a choice they make, and party is always at the top of their list. I'm still reading part of that thread, some didn't take kindly to my posts, either. Anyway, I'll see you Thursday and we can burn them in effigy.
Its been my experience that far too many of those who complain that they don't have money to do it right, never seem to be without money for beer or other such things.
or buy the $400 custom made moccasins or spend $1000 on a comic book statue (true story) when they can't afford to pay their rent.
I just went and read the comments on that thread. Its so depressing to see some peoples attitudes to just simple suggestions like "wear a v-neck t-shirt instead of a crew neck so we don't all see the white at the collar".
And then the complaints about how these authenticity attitudes are driving people away.... To be quite frank, as an authenticity-minded person, its the celebration of the "its all OK, just come and don't make any effort" is driving people away. There's no challenge if there's no effort required!
I mean, why should people join our organization if there's no effort involved in playing? There's nothing to learn, to do, to create the atmosphere of the medieval.
I miss the "magic moments" that I used to find at SCA events. Perhaps I'm too jaded, or too tired from chasing a toddler single-handedly to see them myself... but if my little attempts at authenticity helps someone else to have one, so much the better.
I don't think it is the authenticity efforts that drive people away - I think it's the rudeness. Some people cloak their rudeness with unasked-for criticism (usually incorrectly based, no less) of another's authenticity, but that is simple smoke-screen to me. I've actually made fast friends by loaning garb to a teenager or two who wanted to look pretty and fit in better.
Actually, I love to get to know someone who has done research and is working on authenticity - if only to hear them discuss it and perhaps even venture a few questions of my own, or discuss the validity of certain references. I am very careful to approach this cautiously, however, I don't want anyone to think I censure them personally.
Throughout my SCA membership there have been appalling examples of anti-courtesy that I've witnessed, including some by the flowers of chivalry.
Over the years, I have come to think of courtesy as like any other part of the SCA (garb, for example). We admire great efforts at fine authentic seeming garb, but we do not reject those who excel in other areas of recreating the middle ages (e.g. playing music), and wear polyester T-tunics.
You wish everyone could bring the whole package, but we don't.
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*hug*
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I know it will eventually get lost in the plethora of replies to that post, but it just kills me that someone like that thinks they are somehow sticking to to The Man by doing something so cude and childish.
*sniffle* I love the ideals the SCA espouses - I've tried to live by them my entire life, even before the SCA (which is one of the reasons it was such a good fit when I found it!). I feel so sad when someone in the group sets that kind of example for newer people.
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These are not people who would be better off in another group. They are people who hate everything so much that they want to destroy the fun of everyone around them.
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I will never understand these people, ever.
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Its been my experience that far too many of those who complain that they don't have money to do it right, never seem to be without money for beer or other such things.
or buy the $400 custom made moccasins or spend $1000 on a comic book statue (true story) when they can't afford to pay their rent.
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And then the complaints about how these authenticity attitudes are driving people away.... To be quite frank, as an authenticity-minded person, its the celebration of the "its all OK, just come and don't make any effort" is driving people away. There's no challenge if there's no effort required!
I mean, why should people join our organization if there's no effort involved in playing? There's nothing to learn, to do, to create the atmosphere of the medieval.
I miss the "magic moments" that I used to find at SCA events. Perhaps I'm too jaded, or too tired from chasing a toddler single-handedly to see them myself... but if my little attempts at authenticity helps someone else to have one, so much the better.
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Actually, I love to get to know someone who has done research and is working on authenticity - if only to hear them discuss it and perhaps even venture a few questions of my own, or discuss the validity of certain references. I am very careful to approach this cautiously, however, I don't want anyone to think I censure them personally.
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Over the years, I have come to think of courtesy as like any other part of the SCA (garb, for example). We admire great efforts at fine authentic seeming garb, but we do not reject those who excel in other areas of recreating the middle ages (e.g. playing music), and wear polyester T-tunics.
You wish everyone could bring the whole package, but we don't.
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