[MR] That was then, this is now

[logan]

actually, society wide, the numbers of new fighters rises every year.  also,
i disagree that its "thawk, thud, next" and more that sca sport combat has
become a legitimate for of arts martial and not just a bunch of guys
swinging at each other without a real concept of what they are doing.  there
is a science evolving in our combat sport and it continues to grow.  our
armours are so far above and beyond what they were just a decade ago.  its
no different when you compare it to what our artisans know and do now
compared to what they knew and did 15 years ago.  same thing, we created a
knowledge base through study or our art.  they found more and more resources
(thanks internet!) and honed skills at clothes making, woodworking, etc etc
over years of practice and the sharing of knowledge.  look how far rapier
has come.  we see less and less of the silly bad shtick theater and 1950s
pirate outfits from the past and more and more period garments, actual
weapons, and heightened skill that our very impressive rapier community now
displays regularly.  the sca is growing and becoming less and less of a
simply dress up party and more and more like a respectable living history
experience.  we still have a very long way to go of course but the more we
improve the more enjoyment it will surely bring.

regards
logan

"I never did give them hell. I just told the truth, and they thought it was
hell." 
Harry S Truman 
"If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his
vengeance need not be feared"
Niccolo Machiavelli
For your amouring needs please visit:
www.ebonwoulfe.com/armory.htm

www.ebonwoulfe.com

For worldwide listings of fighter practices please visit:
www.fighterpractice.com


-----Original Message-----
From: atlantia-bounces at seahorse.atlantia.sca.org
[mailto:atlantia-bounces at seahorse.atlantia.sca.org] On Behalf Of Terri
Morgan
Sent: Wednesday, September 30, 2009 9:23 AM
To: 'Merry Rose'
Subject: [MR] That was then, this is now

It seems to me that the recent debate reflects the shift in outlook that the
Society has undergone. It used to be, "We're all here to have fun" with an
emphasis on the old-timers helping the newcomers to do that, to learn to
love and enjoy what we do. So a hoary ole scary-good fighter would create a
handicap for himself when the newbie fighter/less gifted fighter had taken a
crippling blow - because that kept the fight going for a little longer and
increased the newbie fighter's chances of winning that bout... "I won
against Duke Almighty! Wow! Okay, well, he fought with one arm behind his
back after he legged me but still... I am SO gonna be practising some more!
Next time he won't need to give me an arm..." and the fighter walks away
stoked. Even if he lost (which is more likely), he was out there swinging
away for more than the three seconds it takes for the Super Fighter to kill
him.

Nowadays, it seems the emphasis is on winning. *Thawk* *Thud* "Next!"

Great for the really good fighters, slightly boring for the medium ones, and
- - have you noticed that we're getting fewer and fewer new ones?


It's not my area of interest so I don't really have an oar in this water.
But I can say it *used* to be my area of interest (to watch) back when the
idea was to go out and make it so *everybody* has fun rather than to reduce
it to a sporting contest.

All things change. 


Hrothny


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