Period Styles...

[Chris Walden]

Michael Litchfield wrote:
>Period styles and conventions should be encouraged by all means, but they
>should not be mandated. There will be abuses as there are in every human
>venture but I hardly think...

CAN NOT be mandated, unless we allow the SCA police to go put you in SCA 
jail until you put on a decent costume and start saying "my lord."  
Encouragement is the right method.  But HOW do we encourage people?  I must 
admit that I feel that the only thing that seperates us from groups like the 
High Fantasy Society, is our base in History and our tradition of 
scholarship.  I think that the historical side of what we do is tres cool 
and I like to experience people who are good at bringing that history to 
life.  I do what I can, but I have a lot to learn.

So how do we encourage?  Currently there is a great "none of your business" 
policy floating around.  Somehow this strikes me like "modern parenting."  
We'll just trust people to work things out for themselves.  Now I know that 
the favorite response for many to this reasoning track is "We don't have THE 
right way to do things, and you have no right to impose YOUR beliefs on me, 
you mean-spirited-elitist-authenticity-police-minded-bastard."  But I think 
that it really is our business.  People get involved with our group because 
they see what we're doing and they want to be a part of it.  Then they 
arrive and participate and we trust them, with no experience or practice to 
work things out for themselves.  We need to take a hand in shaping and 
teaching them a little, so that they can conform.  I think many of these 
people want to conform.

So, how do we encourage them?  Surely there is a way with tact and genuine 
interest in these people that we can help them to experience what others of 
us enjoy.

I remain Yours, etc.
Antonio Bastiano
or cmwalden at bga.com