Re: [Epic] Re: SCA

From: <duckrvr_at_...>
Date: Wed, 19 Feb 1997 10:26:09 -0600

At 07:16 AM 2/19/97 +0000, you wrote:
>A brief caveat about that caveat:
>
>In my experience the nice guys outnumber the wierdos (that's why I'm still
>here...)

I didn't mean to imply that they were weirdos (though some are). I think
that a disproportionately large number of people in the SCA need to get
their mundane lives in order before they self-destruct. There's the guy who
was out of work for 6 months but scrounged up money for an event instead of
looking for a job, the real estate broker who made (and blew) six-and seven
figure deals that was an alcoholic, the poli-sci major who wanted to be a
lawyer but was flunking out of school . . .

>Sounds like you encountered a problem case/bunch of problem cases there. I
>would have expected an acedemic like the one you described would have found
>just the opposite. That is people with a reasonable knowledge of medieval
>history/culture willing (and able) to discuss his specialist field with some
>vigour...

There is reasonable general knowledge. But there is just as much fluff
running around, and little knowledge of how professional historians
approach the field (which is fine). As it is, my friend avoids all
discussions of factual medieval history because of the number of dunderheads
he has come across. It seems these are always the ones who wish to
"enlighten" him.

>I'll bet that isn't all you learned!

I also learned some really cool medieval recipes, a bit of history, a
familiarity with sewing techniques, some heraldry terminology, and a lot of
SCA-specific cultural stuff. Of all of it, I only use the cooking and
brewing nowadays.

>I'm kinda surprised that you gave it four years and then quit. In my
>experience, folks either quit within a year or stick around forever...

I mentioned some political in-fighting in another post. I wasn't involved,
but just seeing people take a hobby and turn it into some sort of
socio-power-jokey thing disgusted me. Like I said, they needed to get their
real lives together first. Maybe it was the time and place, but it was
widespread at the time and place I was. I also had other opportunities that
were never going to come again that were draining my time resources. The
SCA is still around, but I don't have the option to do the college stuff
anymore.

After all my SCA bashing I still think it can be a lot of fun. I may even
get back into it. Just not for a while.

Temp
Received on Wed Feb 19 1997 - 16:26:09 UTC