RE: [fwd] [Mid] Another Society observation

[E L Wimett <silverdragon@Charleston.Net>]

Poster: E L Wimett <silverdragon@Charleston.Net>

Some of it is geographic; some of it personal.  I don't think it is a "things were better then" type of thing.

"Persona development" is something that a lot of people just never did.  I know several people who have been in over 30 years (including several people who were at the First Event) who have never felt the need to decide precisely when and where they were from and create a fictitious history for their persona.  Nor have I.  As Frederick of Holland is Frederick (alias Flieg), I am Alisoun (occasionally alias Bambi).

I (almost) always introduce myself as Alisoun.  (The exceptions are usually when I meet someone with a friend we share in common who will probably place the metatag Bambi with more accuracy).  However, for many people there a lots of Alisouns (in various spellings) and only a few Bambis.  (In most kingdoms, I've been the only one and --- if you look at life on an interkingdom level --- I am probably the "default Bambi" for an awful lot of people having served as a national officer, a long-time heraldic commentator and Pennsic War Herald.)

This has always been the case and the situation goes back a looooong time.  One anecdote tells it all.  Many years ago in a kingdom far far away (well not so far from where I am now in Tear-Sea's Shore), I was autocrat for John Bearkiller's second Coronation.  (I SAID it was a long time ago, A.S. XIV, I think, though it may be XIII since the memory goes when you age.)  Late in the event, one of the local everything Nazis (we had them then too!) was haranguing me about everything that she thought should have been done differently.  (She was very impressed with herself since she had come from the West to Meridies which she considered primitive in the extreme.)  Just as she had reached the apex of her complaints --- that I had allowed some people for whom the Coronation was their first event to call me "Bambi" without initiating a nuclear strike on them --- I heard a loud cry of "Baaaam-biiiii" from the neighbouring hill where some pick up battles were going on.  I gave her my de!
!
epest court courtesy, smiled graciously and departed saying "I'm sorry, my lady, I have to go.  My king is calling me."

Alisoun who is feeling VERY old this evening. . .

-----Original Message-----
From:	JBRMM266@aol.com [SMTP:JBRMM266@aol.com]
Sent:	Tuesday, February 23, 1999 10:39 AM
To:	atlantia@atlantia.sca.org; sca-east@indra.com
Cc:	dsmith@mcscon.com
Subject:	Re: [fwd]  [Mid] Another Society observation


Poster: JBRMM266@aol.com

In a message dated 99-02-22 21:50:16 EST, alasdair.maciain@snet.net writes:

<< I have another observation on the way that things have changed in my years
in the Society.    . . .  I have noticed the gradual death of "being in
personna."   . . .  I used to remark
 >that there were dozens of people who I knew, whose "real" names I had no
idea of.  Now there are folks I know, whose personna names I have never heard.
. . . 
 
 Has anyone else noticed this trend?  If so, what steps are you taking to
address it if any? >>

I have definitely noticed this trend, and feel like I have been swimming
against the current for many years.  

Whenever I hear someone's modern name used at an event, I give a quizzical
look and ask, "Pardon me?  Who?"  This gets me some furrowed brows sometimes
but I think it's better than a straightforward admonition.  

As for out-of-period subjects, I just try to avoid them myself (tho I confess
that I've fallen into the trap more than once) and try to steer the
conversations to period topics ... not always easy to do.

Once in a while the Crown will express the wish that modern topics be avoided,
and this helps, but I think peer pressure (by peer I mean one's equals or
compatriots rather than the Peerage, tho their attitude does have an effect)
is probably the best way to maintain the ambiance.

~Donal Mac Ruiseart
(whose first event was East Kingdom XII Night in A.S. VIII)
=======================================================================
List Archives, FAQ, FTP:  http://merryrose.atlantia.sca.org/
            Submissions:  atlantia@atlantia.sca.org
        Admin. requests:  majordomo@atlantia.sca.org=======================================================================
List Archives, FAQ, FTP:  http://merryrose.atlantia.sca.org/
            Submissions:  atlantia@atlantia.sca.org
        Admin. requests:  majordomo@atlantia.sca.org