Peerage Factors

[David KUIJT <kuijt@umiacs.UMD.EDU>]

Poster: David KUIJT <kuijt@umiacs.umd.edu>


Earl Dafydd ap Gwystl, Knight, Laurel, and Pelican, greets Cheapside!

(drumroll please)

In concert with the discussion of factors that influence how soon
(and sometimes whether) a person in the SCA gets a peerage, I have
here a list of factors I think relevant.  Note that this does not
contain "having a warrant" anywhere :^)


Also, this is NOT the set of attributes I examine when I consider a
candidate.  I attempt to form a gestalt of the person's honour,
demeanour, ability, history, behaviour, (and whether or not they can
pronounce "out" and "about" correctly.  No winners yet :^).  Then I
make a recommendation to the Crown.

The list below is not exhaustive; I've constructed it with Duchess
Ysabeau's help based upon her memory of a class she taught several years
ago at University.  She based her list on an article written in the
Pikestaff (EK newsletter) some long time ago.


OBJECTIVE FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE CONSIDERATION FOR PEERAGE

Persistance.  How long you've been at it.
Accomplishment.  How good you are at it.
Personality.  How much/little you tend to hork people off.
Visibility.  How many people know about you.
Politics.  Whether the current Powers That Be know/approve of you.
???	(We can't remember the sixth factor... any suggestions?)


This set of factors is not a checklist.  Everything counts.  In
general, someone who is very visible and very accomplished may be
able to overcome the fact that they have ... personality deficits.
It is all tradeoffs.  More Visibility is always good (so long as
it isn't counteracted by more horking people off :^).  Similarly
for more Accomplishment, more Persistance, and so on.  One way to
think about it is to envision that you must reach 17 points, and
they can be from any of the factors.  Someone who has 11 points in
Accomplishment will need to spread 6 points in the other factors.
No, don't believe the math above--this is to illustrate that all
the factors are related, and that all of them influence consideration.

People often tend to overestimate the impact that Politics has, and
to underestimate the other factors.


Dafydd
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