[MR] special versus medieval

[Becky McEllistrem]

Interesting idea since I've never felt elitist because I played SCA and others didn't although there are many that do.

I just don't believe it is the SCA's responsibility to encourage elitist attitudes especially as a society of courtesy that is not just about courtesy to royals or those of higher rank.  Things happen that do encourage elitist attitudes but I don't believe that is a purpose of SCA and I think here we actually agree.

And I find you very polite in disagreements which always earns my respect!

Rebecca

--- On Fri, 5/20/11, Garth G. Groff <ggg9y at virginia.edu> wrote:

> From: Garth G. Groff <ggg9y at virginia.edu>
> Subject: Re: [MR] special versus medieval
> To: Atlantia at atlantia.sca.org
> Date: Friday, May 20, 2011, 12:34 PM
> M'Lady Rebecca,
> 
> Not offense intended, and none taken, but I think we are at
> odds more over definitions. The SCA is in my view, by its
> very nature, an elitist fantasy. As long as it remains a
> fantasy, it is harmless. We are, after all, playing a game
> here. On the other hand, we as real people all have egos. It
> sort of goes with the territory of being a human. I do not
> advocate the SCA feeding anybody's ego as a matter of policy
> or purpose, but as in all organizations it is going to
> happen for some, and is going to not happen for others. What
> I hope is that nobody is going to feel hurt and leave by
> policies of the society or other actions of other members.
> 
> Kind regards,
> 
> 
> Lord Mungo
> 
> On 5/20/2011 12:09 PM, Becky McEllistrem wrote:
> > I believe that those with an elitist fantasy will
> never be satisfied by SCA or any other group and this is a
> psychological problem they need to work on and not something
> for us to encourage or try to feed.
> > 
> > Rebecca
> > 
> > 
> > --- On Fri, 5/20/11, Garth G. Groff<ggg9y at virginia.edu> 
> wrote:
> > 
> >> From: Garth G. Groff<ggg9y at virginia.edu>
> >> Subject: Re: [MR] special versus medieval
> >> To: Atlantia at atlantia.sca.org
> >> Date: Friday, May 20, 2011, 11:58 AM
> >> M'Lady Rebecca,
> >> 
> >> With all courtesy, I generally agree with your
> statements.
> >> At the same time, whenever I run up against
> somebody in the
> >> society who wants to make me feel small so they
> can feel
> >> important, somebody who takes on an office and
> then is too
> >> busy to do their job when I ask for their help (my
> biggest
> >> beef), or some arbitrary rule which feels like a
> snub, then
> >> I wonder why I'm here. Fortunately, there are
> usually more
> >> satisfactions than slights, though lately the
> >> dissatisfactions seem to be growing. O.K., so if
> as you say,
> >> the SCA isn't supposed to be about making people
> feel
> >> special, it still often is (think awards, honors,
> titles,
> >> and yes, coronets!). If our organization makes
> some people
> >> feel less than special, then they won't continue
> to play for
> >> very long. Just ask some folks who are no longer
> here why
> >> they left. I contend it is essential for the SCA
> to balance
> >> our elitist fantasies with the hard reality of
> real-life
> >> egos.
> >> 
> >> Kind regards,
> >> 
> >> 
> >> Lord Mungo Napier, Archer of Mallard Lodge
> >> 
> >> 
> >> On 5/20/2011 11:00 AM, Becky McEllistrem wrote:
> >>> This is a general comment for all so I post it
> here.
> >>> 
> >>> The SCA is an organization which strives to
> be
> >> medieval.  It was never intended to be an
> organization
> >> which strives to make the individual feel
> special.
> >>> There are special things that happen in SCA
> like
> >> meeting some of the best friends I've ever had
> and
> >> incredibly gorgeous works of art along with events
> that draw
> >> by the thousands.
> >>> But there are also special things that happen
> in real
> >> life - a birth, a marriage, winning competitions,
> the growth
> >> of a business and lots of other kinds of events
> that draw
> >> the thousands.
> >>> The scope of the SCA was always to be a
> society of
> >> courtesy that studied the middle ages.  It
> was never to
> >> make any one person or group of people to feel
> more special
> >> than the rest.
> >>> Thus if you focus serious importance on your
> need to
> >> be special and expect SCA to solve this need for
> you then
> >> you're playing for all the wrong reasons and will
> always be
> >> disappointed.
> >>> You will always be disappointed because what
> one Crown
> >> can change a future Crown can change back.
> >>> You can spend hours and hours and hundreds of
> dollars
> >> trying to control the future but what you find out
> in the
> >> long run is that controlling the future is just
> not
> >> possible.
> >>> If you want SCA to fulfill your need to be
> special I
> >> recommend a serious look at yourself and your
> focus. Any changes made will never be enough for long
> enough.
> >>> 
> >>> 
> >>> Rebecca the Contrary
> >>> whose friends always made her feel
> >> special!<grin>
> 
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