Left Over Meatloaf...
Okay, during my little out-burst yesterday I commented about a second definition of 'meatloaf' that I think is more of a problem then just the "they've ruled to many times."
My second definition, to refresh your memory, is that the flavor of one reign is no different than the previous.
This situation arises in the pressence of a small group of people who constantly succeed each other and who, as a result, tend to have much the same mindset as they reinforce each others decisions during their reigns. This works in both a postive and negative sense -- the positive decisions (the ones they all agree on) get written into law or become "tradition". The negative decisions (the ones they don't all agree on) get written in and struck out in such short order that it seems they never existed at all and in the end the group seeks and eventually finds equilibrium on the issue whatever it may be.
Now the first basic argument about this is "well, if you don't like it, get into armor and win." This argument is basically invalid because when you look at the populace at large you see that not everyone fights or is even capable of doing so. So the "fighting to change it" option isn't available to everyone.
The next basic way is available to everyone -- speak up. If the populace makes their wishes known *it makes a difference!* Sitting around in a corner of your encampment and grumbling doesn't actually get the word out to anyone, let alone the people who actually need to hear it.
So, do you have wishes for someones reign? Expectations? Why not actually say something to the people who are going to reign? Surprisingly enough I'll be willing to bet that they'll *ACTUALLY LISTEN!* And more to the point, one need not be a Peer in order to speak ones mind to the Royals.
No, they may not do anything about what you've said. They might not agree. But at least you spoke up for a change and you learned the lesson that if it doesn't work for one particular set of Royals, it might for another.
So what really is a 'meatloaf' reign? It's not just constant repetitive reigns. After all, if the repetive reign is one whose theme is something you like and agree with than you won't really complain about it. No, the real 'meatloaf' reign is the one whose major theme can be easily identified as something you don't particularly like which repeats itself from reign to reign and can make the actual Royals virtual non-entities in your memory.
Let's take a specific example -- Boozewacker reigns. Now before anyone gets their knickers in a twist let me explain what I mean. I don't care which Royals where there if the only thing I walk away with in their reign is that damn Boozewacker. I'm not a prude, I like my drinks. Hell I'm a Certified Bartender for crying out loud. When I was on mad_duchess's guard my job was, in her words "to guard her from sobriety" and I had a great time doing it!
But there was no Boozewacker. There was no annoyingly loud obviously modern fixture in the middle of the Eric so that it could have maximum annoying power to the entire site. And in those reigns I walked away with nothing but that image. I don't even know which Royals were there anymore, nor do I care. When the Boozewacker came back multiple times, each of those reigns became 'meatloaf'. The Boozewacker overwhelmed any potentially good image for me that those reigns might have had.
And I can tell you that even when said as a joke it is disturbing to hear people say things like "clearly 'drunken frat boy' is a Knightly Virtue." When you hear that it definitely makes you stop and think. I heard that phrase during a Boozewacker reign.
No, I'm not argueing for sobriety throughout the Kingdom. But would a little responsibility hurt?
Another example -- WAR WITH EVERYONE!!!! Okay, yes, we have regularly scheduled wars and I've had some pretty good times at the few wars I've been to. I even look forward to more of them now that I'm getting my heavy gear together.
But that is not the same thing as focusing everything at every event to the promotion of war. It tramples any other activities that the rest of us attempt to bring to the game. Having Royals who brush off everything else simply because it isn't about war -- it's the makings of 'meatloaf'. Having the next set of Royals do the same thing -- 'meatloaf'.
See, it isn't about the specific topic so much as it is about the repetitive nature of various topics *across reigns*. Some might argue "well that's what the SCA is about." Nope, sorry Sparky but you're wrong. Doesn't matter what you are arguing for, you are wrong. I would be just as wrong if I argued that the SCA is all about the arts. The only valid answer to what the SCA is about is one that is inclusive of all the things that we try to study and recreate as defined by our governing documents -- and the teaching of that information to each other and outside of the SCA.
When the same thing happens reign after reign and nobody speaks up, then resentment builds. When Royals do the same thing as their predecessors one of two things is actually happening -- either they don't realize, or they think that is what they are supposed to do. In either case how are they to know any different if they aren't told? Nobody is psychic! (If you think you are, come find me and I'll test you. I know a way we can make a million dollars and all I want is ten percent and the rights to tell the story.)
Eventually that resentment is going to build in such a way that it has to be let out or people will explode. I think we've been seeing some of that over the past few reigns actually. I know that there have been lots of gossip mongers who have been getting called on their bullshit lately. And some who have yet to be called on it. I know that there are those who have taken healthy adult steps to redress their issues and I know there are those who have continued to act so damn childishly that they need serious time-outs.
The question is, if you find yourself in the position of needing to explode over something, which group do you plan on being in? Which group will you actually be in? Will you be responsible or will you be childish?
We develop expectations of each other based in large part on our past actions. This is normal. It's pattern recognition and it's what human minds do. When we encounter information that contradicts the pattern we've built up we get frustrated or angry or confused. And unfortunately when the information we encounter is negative we also get suspicious and even closed minded. We develop a specific perception about someone.
This is where the slope gets particularly slippery. My perception is not your perception. That is obvious.
Yet we tend to spout off many of our opinions, our statements of position, loudly and publically without thinking and without realizing that ours is not the universal perspective. Or we quietly spread our perceptions as if they are fact and thus feed the rumor mill. In either case Royals that I can't stand you may love with all your heart. Royals for whom I would do anything you would not give the time of day. And all of this is based only on our own individual interactions with those people whoever they may be and whatever information we bring with us when interact with them.
Yeah, we can certainly be a cynical lot. The stories that lurk underneath the stories can be even worse, and the further away such stories are told from the light the less likely they have any real truth in them having been fed on nothing more than innuendo and rumor mongering.
We are supposed to be seeking the best in ourselves, and helping those around us to achieve the best they can be. But it is insidiously easy to sink to the lower levels of name calling and gossip. Even easier to cast people into stereotypical boxes and never let them out again, a lesson I have to consciously work on all the time.
So this declaration of 'meatloaf' can come in several forms and I think has a more wide spread impact than many people realize. I think it's clear that no matter which set of Royals you might be, you are potentially in danger of being meatloaf to somebody. Can you do much about that? Probably not. After all you simply can't please everyone all the time.
On the other hand (you have different fingers) it is possible to take at least one step -- do something different. Be something different. Consider what the entire Kingdom is doing and decide what your take on it is.
And if you are not a Royal and you want to avoid meatloaf, then speak up. Order steak! The Royalty are the ultimate servants of the Kingdom (at least that's my view) and they do try to listen to what the populace wants. They want to hear from you. They are desperate to hear from you at times otherwise they don't know who to award, who to support or what to change to help make things better.