showing of grief (was Honor vs. Winning)

[carl christianson <einar@cvn.net>]

Poster: carl christianson <einar@cvn.net>

Elen Prydydd writes:
>
>Poster: Betty & David Eyer <Betty_and_David@compuserve.com>
>
>Lyanna writes:
>
>>>It is usually the case that the Midrealm
>really doesn't care about who wins or loses.  In the meantime, the East
>prepares
>year round to beat the Midrealm at Pennsic. ..snip...Because of Jafar, the
>Midrealm got nationalistic.  This behavior was wrong.  It was wrong for the
>Mid this
>year and it is wrong for the East every year.  This time, because of Jafar,
>the Midrealm took the Eastern gusto to fight and WIN to an extreme.  In
>short, the Mid adopted some bad habits practiced in the past by the
>East..snip.. The pervasive nationalism..snip... really should have no part
>in our game. <<
>
>You are, of course, entitled to your opinion.  I fail to follow you to the
>conclusion that preparing for war or feeling a sense of pride in your
>kingdom is dishonorable.  The thing, to me, that is fun about battle is
>seeing the strategy play out - how well do the leaders develop a plan, and
>how well does the army play it out?  This takes preparation - war
>practices, small team drills, triad drills, etc.  This preparation leads to
>a sense of comaraderie and pride.  This is very honorable, very period and
>part of the way of the warrior.  The problem comes when the line is crossed
>into cheating and being petty.  An interest in winning is not dishonorable,
>a determination to win at all costs is.  Your quote above indicates that
>you think the East always fights dishonorably - is that really what you
>meant to say?!?
>
>Magdalena

I think what Lyanna was trying to say is that *jingoistic* nationalistic
pride can, and often does, get in the way of enjoying Pennsic, or any other
war, for what it is:  a chivalrous game.  I would suspect that there are
more than a few people who take the whole thing way too seriously.  I don't
think she meant that a healthy amount of patriotic pride is wrong.

I have seen instances where people carried an interkingdom rivalry far
beyond the bounds of politesse.  It is something that can happen anywhere
and everywhere.  Does that mean a given kingdom where there is a noticeable
amount of it is an intrinsically evil place?  No, but it does mean that
thoughtful people should look at the situation carefully, critically and
find ways to defuse that kind of nastiness.

Emotions have almost certainly run very high in the Mid since December.  A
widowed Queen is a very sympathetic picture... a friend once told me about
a Midrealm queen who was terminally ill during her last Pennsic reign.  She
died soon after that war.  Emotions were running very high in the Mid at
that time, just as they have been there since midwinter.  Pennsic was the
crest of the flood, folks.  One last thing I will say on this, and trust
me, I ***do*** know what I am talking about:  grief does strange things to
people, no two people react the same way and you just have to let it run
its' course, whatever may come of it.  Leave it be, and let it go.  

Elen

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