[MR] Re: authenticity...and the SCA as a joke

[Michael Houghton]

Howdy!

On Wed, Oct 29, 2003 at 04:12:12PM +0000, Olwen the Odd wrote:
> >That assumes that everyone has a particular period they aim to protray -- 
> >an
> >assumption that is observably incorrect and not supported by formal and
> >informal documents. One thing about the SCA is that people are free to 
> >focus
> >their creative energies (and authenticist bones) on the particular facets 
> >of
> >the temporal and cultural scope of the SCA that interest them while at the
> >same time giving scant attention to the rest. They may be the leading
> >authority on 13th century Hungarian narfing irons while dressing in basic
> >T-tunics. Such a person should not be cast out from our midst for the 
> >latter.
> >I fear that Logan's initiatives lean too much toward doing just that.
> >
> >yours,
> >Herveus
> 
> *Excuse me!!!*
> Herveus, this is not what I read in Duke Logan's missives.  I myself am one 
> of the very many who wear basic T-tunics yet pursue my avid interest in 
> period cooking and presentation.  I have taken no offense or read your 
> particular opinion into any of Logans and others statements in this thread, 
> nor do I feel I shall be asked to "get it right or leave".  I play with 
> food.  I do not play with garb or furniture making or armor.  What I do, I 
> believe, I do well.  I dress usually like a kitchen minion.  But I do, at 
> least, bring along a throw for my cooler, which usually doubles as my 
> seating.  It's not hard.

...and my point was simply to give an exaggerated illustration of how
the SCA has historically welcomed those whose focus on their particular
art may be monomaniacal to the extent that they have little energy left
for other aspects. I certainly was not demeaning "simple T tunics".
> 
> I am no fighter, nor play one on tv, but I can see validity in making the 
> simple request that fighters make a reasonable attempt to at least cover up 
> plastic armor and loose the blue jeans.  At practice where there probably 

Unfortunately, the law goes beyond a "simple request". It has been elevated
to a precondition. I'm not trying to argue that "blue jeans" are OK; simply
that, claims to the contrary notwithstanding, they are not outlawed by
corporate rules. 

> aren't any non-players/members I don't see any harm in these, but at a demo 
> or an event where the public is around then I do see the good reasoning of 
> such a request.  No.  We are not a re-creation group, nor are we expected 
> to dress in [our] period(s) from the skin out and only use items and foods, 
> etc for [our] time period(s).  (Frankly, if that were so I have no idea how 
> we could cook a feast for such a diverse time period(s)  But =if= we are 
> doing, basically, a show-n-tell for the general public then it seems a very 
> reasonable request that folks give it a simple basic thought as to how odd 
> it looks for one person in shiny metal armor fighting some person in a 
> plastic barrel, or someone dressed so very accurately in a hand stitched 
> documentable, oh, say, Bergundian outfit to be lounging in a canvas bag 
> chair with their cell phone and watch on.  After all, the second part of 
> show-n-tell is the telling.  How many of us have had folks from the general 
> public come (and be encouraged) to ask questions and touch items or even 
> try something out!?  That is the principle of the whole demo, the whole 
> society. If someone is taking the time and interest to inquire about an 
>  aspect of what we do, then you can surely bet they have taken note of the 
> totally out of place items.

In a demo, one can reasonably expect participants to be held to a higher
standard of kit. In the more general case, the standard for participation
is remarkably low. 
> 
> I can't imagine why everyone is so up-in-arms and defensive about these 
> thoughts.

To me, it's the carrot versus the stick. Too much stick; not enough 
carrot...and the blithe dismissal of the genuine concerns raised by
some in good faith. That rankles.

yours,
Herves

-- 
Michael and MJ Houghton   | Herveus d'Ormonde and Megan O'Donnelly
herveus at radix.net         | White Wolf and the Phoenix
Bowie, MD, USA            | Tablet and Inkle bands, and other stuff
                          | http://www.radix.net/~herveus/