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patgund(This is an edited version of a rant I posted on the Caid mailing list. To a certain degree, the same comments are quite true of fandom as well)
There is a lot of joy and wonder in the SCA. But too often then not that joy and wonder blinds people to the very real problems and flaws that remain. Too many people see their experiences - good and bad - as the norm. And as such, they either see the flaws as non-existant, or not able to be repaired.
For all that we try to hold ourselves to a higher standard of courtesy and respect, too often then not the creeping rudeness of the mundane world has started to taint us as well. One of the worse offender being that construct of "SCA Standard Time". When people *expect* events to start 2,3, even 4 hours late, they show up later and later - and the delay snowballs bigger and bigger as a result. People treat it as a joke, instead of the very real and serious problem - and rank rudeness - that it is.
Another being the award system. You point out a good fact, that ill-planning can turn a day of joy into one of personal embarassment and shame. The old metaphor of "the road to hell is paved with good intentions" comes to mind. And too many people assume too often that if someone has done x, y, and z and been in for mumble-mumble years, then they have such and such an award.
Does anyone here know how horribly embarassing it is to be called by a title you don't have? Does anyone here know what it's like to have someone critisize you for not wearing an award you've never been given???
It's horribly embarassing. And after a while, it also makes one bitter and angry. So when the award is finally given, when that person's service or art or skill or whatever is finally noticed *officially*, that bitterness and past embarasment taints what should be a day of joy and honour.
How many people have we burned - or burned out - due to ignorance or discourtesy? Far, far more than we should have. For an organization founded on chivalry and honour, there are times that we *all* fall far short of those ideals - and the dream suffers.
And in some cases, dies.
Many times you can find two daggers in the dream's heart. The first dagger is "my experience has been wonderful, so everyone else's is and I don't see why people complain". The second is "why bother, the SCA is cliquish and stuckup and nobody with any power want to change or fix things."
What kills the dream for many people? Those who don't see the flaws, and those who think the flaws cannot be fixed. People with influence seeing their experience as the norm, and people without influence see their experience as the norm.
There is a video game called "Katamari Damacy". In it, you start out small and roll up things smaller than you are. In time as you grow, you roll up bigger and bigger things, until you're rolling up houses, cities, etc. While the game is quite enjoyable, it can also be used to illustrate those creeping discourtesies.
The little rudenesses - starting later than planned. Discounting other people's feelings or experiences. Making assumptions that aren't true or fair. All of those add up in time. They start out small, but roll up bigger and bigger until people are overwhelmed by them.
And the SCA *as a whole* suffers that loss.
There is a lot of joy and wonder in the SCA. But too often then not that joy and wonder blinds people to the very real problems and flaws that remain. Too many people see their experiences - good and bad - as the norm. And as such, they either see the flaws as non-existant, or not able to be repaired.
For all that we try to hold ourselves to a higher standard of courtesy and respect, too often then not the creeping rudeness of the mundane world has started to taint us as well. One of the worse offender being that construct of "SCA Standard Time". When people *expect* events to start 2,3, even 4 hours late, they show up later and later - and the delay snowballs bigger and bigger as a result. People treat it as a joke, instead of the very real and serious problem - and rank rudeness - that it is.
Another being the award system. You point out a good fact, that ill-planning can turn a day of joy into one of personal embarassment and shame. The old metaphor of "the road to hell is paved with good intentions" comes to mind. And too many people assume too often that if someone has done x, y, and z and been in for mumble-mumble years, then they have such and such an award.
Does anyone here know how horribly embarassing it is to be called by a title you don't have? Does anyone here know what it's like to have someone critisize you for not wearing an award you've never been given???
It's horribly embarassing. And after a while, it also makes one bitter and angry. So when the award is finally given, when that person's service or art or skill or whatever is finally noticed *officially*, that bitterness and past embarasment taints what should be a day of joy and honour.
How many people have we burned - or burned out - due to ignorance or discourtesy? Far, far more than we should have. For an organization founded on chivalry and honour, there are times that we *all* fall far short of those ideals - and the dream suffers.
And in some cases, dies.
Many times you can find two daggers in the dream's heart. The first dagger is "my experience has been wonderful, so everyone else's is and I don't see why people complain". The second is "why bother, the SCA is cliquish and stuckup and nobody with any power want to change or fix things."
What kills the dream for many people? Those who don't see the flaws, and those who think the flaws cannot be fixed. People with influence seeing their experience as the norm, and people without influence see their experience as the norm.
There is a video game called "Katamari Damacy". In it, you start out small and roll up things smaller than you are. In time as you grow, you roll up bigger and bigger things, until you're rolling up houses, cities, etc. While the game is quite enjoyable, it can also be used to illustrate those creeping discourtesies.
The little rudenesses - starting later than planned. Discounting other people's feelings or experiences. Making assumptions that aren't true or fair. All of those add up in time. They start out small, but roll up bigger and bigger until people are overwhelmed by them.
And the SCA *as a whole* suffers that loss.
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no subject
Date: 2006-06-05 04:43 pm (UTC)Basically this comes from a lack of leadership and respect for others. The flaws can be fixed but it has to be from the top down. There has to be accountability for actions. I don't know how far I will go into the SCA but I do know I don't tolerate a lot of the lack of respect I have seen.
If the SCA is to survive, it will need to make global changes to how things work. Time will tell.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-05 05:10 pm (UTC)In one direction, I genuinely wonder what may have happened (recently) to set you off about many of these issues (especially considering your distance from events of late). Yes "SCA-time" is probably the longest running joke in the Society. The wiggle room built into many event schedules by autocrats (veteran one here) usually is wide enough to drive a tractor trailer through. Schedule adherence is something that is born of practice, experience and planning for contingencies, worse case situations and conversely, the responsible efforts of the participants. We take it for granted that in general, this is a volunteer organization first and foremost. Much as we want it to be, event schedules and sometimes the associated activities become exercises in contingency planning. People get sick, crowns (local and sovereign) change plans, sites/facilities break, and weather influences matters. We stay flexible or things blow up.
The other direction is frustrating agreement on the other subjects you mentioned. Without thoughtful stewardship, the SCA (like other volunteer social organizations), can easily become (and occasionally has) a cliquish, impersonal and less than welcoming experience. It drives away newcomers and makes experienced players unlikely to weather the social storms. In the worse case, is becomes a “good ole boy’s (and girl’s) club where failure to conform to the localized expectations results in blackballing and worse. Now-a-days, “the Dream” is less emphasized to newer members than the opportunity to learn new skills, to support the “community” and to socialize with friends.
As for courtesies, awards and recognitions, damn.. That's a subject hat's near and painful to me personally as well. One of my pet peeves has been in fencing / rapier and the nature of recognitions there. I’ve been fighting and teaching subject this for 15 years, and 11 of those years has been in kingdoms with the order of the White Scarf. The most painful (and painful is an understatement to me) question that has been asked of me is “why aren’t you a Don?” or correcting someone from calling me “Don James” versus “John James” or being told members of this very secretive order that I’m an awards hound for even asking about why I’m not. For me the joy of the competition and the mental game was wonderful. It was a passion and a joy that has now passed into frustration over missed opportunities, misunderstood actions/perceptions, and personality conflicts which transcend the widely perceived meaning of that order have effectively killed that part of the Dream for me.
I keep hoping for changes Pat. In many cases, poor situations are self critiquing / correcting. I attended the Coronation and Queen’s Champion event for TRMs Sven and Kolfinna this past weekend. People move away from areas they are having bad experiences in and move on to others that are better run. For example, I’ve become increasingly involved with youth combat (to support my son) and event photography (to improve my skills). As for schedules, it has to start from the top down and the populace will take notice. Though there were issues with the site and a general understanding of what was where and when, it went well.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-06 05:49 am (UTC)Certainly schedules need to be flexible, but anymore they're treated more like overcooked pasta. The problem is that people are fixing their plans using the wiggle-room of "SCA standard time" as a start, rather than using the scheduled time as a start. That mindset is causing worse and worse problems.
Maybe I'm too much of a bitter oldtimer, but the dream still means something to me. :-(
no subject
Date: 2006-06-05 06:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-05 09:03 pm (UTC)I've seen that it happens elsewhere too, unfortunately. Sure, every one runs into traffic, etc but some people just don't TRY to make it on time to a LOT of things.
BTW, I friended you (I read this post in the caid community). I hope you don't mind :)
Brenda
no subject
Date: 2006-06-06 05:49 am (UTC)And not a problem!
no subject
Date: 2006-06-05 09:23 pm (UTC)Anyway, sorry if I've been rambling.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-06 05:59 am (UTC)As a Chriurgeon, I don't want to give up all of modern technology :-)
Too many people now aren't even trying it seems.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-06 07:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-06 06:09 pm (UTC)I find the sense of entitlement that's in mundania is slipping in more and more - and it's very much not a good thing.
the time thing... sheduling for me has helped. as well as enforcing that schedule. Enforcing a schedule is -very- "period" and might be remarkably effective. Perhaps an Ithra class on medieval scheduling methods? Duels with people who are late?
The Viking in me suggests starting "things" and including "bad manners" as challengeable in court - with appropriate "fines" (paid to the hurt part with a section going to the judges).