Re: Authenticity

[steele@sprynet.com]

Poster: steele@sprynet.com



On 02 Dec 96, Janet Toney/Terry Neill <71035.3227@CompuServe.COM> wrote:
>
>I believe you "overdumb" newcomers. Some "old timers" never get the clue, but I
>believe there are as many new people who are really interested in "doing it
>right" or at least as best they can as there are among the titled nobility.
>
  It may also be mistaking youth for newcomerness. I keep finding folks my kid 
sister's age who were virtually raised in the society. As I recall, the folks 
with the strongest resistance to any sort of historical fact seem to be college 
age.

>Sounds as if you are attempting to hold the Society to a level of authenticity
>you don't keep for yourself. And cotten t-tunics are why many newcomers wear
>exactly the same garb you do - time, expense, skill - and why spend tons of
>money on a hobby you may not enjoy?

  As I said, I am working on an ideal. My Pennsic garb is slowly being replaced 
with a fairly documentable peasant/shepherd look that is cheap, easly sewn, and 
much closer to historical accuracy. There is also the loaner garb closet for 
reasonable stuff for one's first event.

>And there's ***lots*** more people can learn about Medieval history via the SCA
  Oh, of course there is, although I note your list mostly includes crafts. 
Sure, in a large barony one can find practical skill classes practically 
nightly.
>
>I guess I'm really not even sure I see the point of your arguement. Perhaps you
>are looking for a group that is *not* the SCA.
  I think you are confusing two seperate threads. One is my continuing concern 
about the SCA's official claim to be an "educational" organization in its annual 
 federal income tax forms. In that context I do press for either authenticity 
closer to the Civil War types or for changing to a different official form 
(501(c)(7) status as a social club, for example).
  The second thread is a concern as an armchair historian I have for the folks 
who have a cursory interest in history but get mislead by historical looking 
customs. On that level, I would like to see more emphasis on history and more 
explaining what is done for tradition or safety or cost. The 3 hour in a 
college-level library proposal hardly would satisfy the civil war types.


>I'm not arguing against people *who want to* being as authentic as they wish 
and
>can afford to be. I just do not want to see hand-spun, home-dyed, warp-weighted
>loom-woven, and hand sewn garb de rigetour for the Society and everyone in it. 
>
   But I think you are arguing against a straw man. I don't think anyone has 
seriously proposed it. What I read being proposed is more effort at authenticity 
factoring in safety and cost.
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