Re: Peerages (was Earl D)

[Lance Harrop <lharrop@mrj.com>]

Mistress Keilyn delurks to write:
>      
> >And if one wants to be recognized as acting like a peer, isn't it 
> >hypocritical of the establishment to bash such behavior?
>      
>      I beg to differ.  I concur with Henry in that I do not recall having 
>      seen the 'bashing' you describe.  [I *have* seen people bashed for 
>      putting on airs, but they were not usually behaving like a peer - they 
>      were putting on airs for other reasons].  Perhaps you have been seeing 
>      things from a different angle?

Jeez, forgive me for quoting my knight.  I am certainly glad there isn't 
a common practice of bashing squires, apprentices and proteges for 
acting, to the best of their ability, like peers.  But I have certainly heard
of non-peers being bashed for taking students, even if you haven't.
>      
> >Third.  There have been obvious cases of severe burn-outcof candidates 
> >who'vectried to maintain Peer-Quality while lacking the privledges of a 
> >peer.  
>      Privileges?  Hm.  I guess there are privileges.  I get to ferret outc
>      worthwhile candidates for awards (which I've been doing since long 
>      before I was a Peer). 

You get to push for worthwhile candidates IN the order meetings, rather 
then just sending letters to the Crown.  You get to come to the candidate 
and say, "Hey, I'm a Laurel and I know that the Laurels would like you to 
improve on X before we poll you for the order".  Seems like you're 
privileged (appropriately) compared to a non-peer.

>	I get to serve theccrown and kingdom to the 
>      best of my ability (ditto). 
>	 I get to teach my crafts to those who 
>      are interested in learning them (ditto again). 

You get ecchance at the better students because you cancmake them 
apprentices and give them green belts, and everyone will know that a 
Laurel, at least, thinks well of your students.  Seems like a privilege.

>	 I get to try to 
>      improve people's experience of Atlantia and the Society (ditto 
>      again). 

You get ecposition of respect to soap-box your interpretation of what isc
important in the game.  You get to speak with greater authority when you 
insist on the importance of poetry or forsooth speach (both of which I 
agree are important).

>	 To be a peer is a greatchonor, but I'm not sure the 
>      'rewards' are what you think they are.
>      
I think being a peer should be a big pain in the ass.  I think peers are 
people who work hard at teaching others and demonstrating peer 
qualities.  Because you have these responsibilities, you should also have 
privileges, not 'rewards'.  When a peer doesn't do the things you've 
listed, then they don't need or deserve these same privileges.

>      And more importantly, why should those privileges (whether they 
>      exist or not),affect one's ability to maintain peer-quality?

Because maintaining peer-quality means trying to influence, trying to 
teach, trying to guide the kingdom and society in your image for it.  All 
these things are easier to do, if you are already a peer.  All of these 
duties you and I agree about are effected by the respect accorded one.  
When one is already a peer, that respect is assumed, from thecstart, to 
be higher.  Now peers can lose that respect to a level lower then a 
companion of a kingdom order or even lower then that accorded an AoA, but 
mere AoA's don't have that assumption of respect to work from.
  
>     >...they didn't deserve to be jerked around by the establishment 
> >telling them they had to perform like peers when they weren't going to 
> >get the position in any case (one specific incident comes to mind).
>      
>      I don't know the case of which you speak, so I can't address it exceptc
>      to say that you might wish to find someone with a more objective view 
>      of the incident.  I'm not saying it doesn't happen, rather that it 
>      seems unlikely.  

I might, if it were me or one of my squire brothers or cousins or someone 
related to my household to whom I refer.  As it is not, I feel objective 
enough to refer to the incident.  And it is hardly what I would regard as
a unique case, and is certainly not unlikely.

In Service
Leifr Johansson