Sca Speak (was Ideal events or some such...)

[STDCLB at TINY_TIM.SHSU.EDU]

This debate about the semantics used in the SCA, seems to be the 
same agument between the philosophies of reform and conservancy: 
is the purpose of this society to reform it towards an ideal of 
perfection (in this case the middle ages and renaissance), or has it 
become a separate society based on the principles of chivalry and 
the ideals of the middle ages and the renaissance?  (this seems to be 
expressed in Bran's letter, though I'm not speaking for him)  And if we 
have become a separate society, how much have or should we adopt 
from that ideal,(how far should it go)?  For example, at an event you 
see people wearing garb, that you could in no way document, but is 
consider SCA acceptable (ex: the printed long chemises over printed 
harem pants then belted, both items you can find in period, but where 
is the documentation with them combined in such a way with those 
colors and patterns).  We accept these as Garb, because not 
everyone is a seamstress, or have great access to one, and most I 
know are on a budget.  Are we in an effort to be "period" going to stop 
this?  Or are we going to accept this as a part of our society and move 
on, (you could, of course, offer to help the ones you know personally, 
but who has the time and money to "correct" all these "mistakes", and 
even if you educate them that what they are wearing or using may be 
"un-period", they may not have the resources or interest to change).  
If we accept the view that we are a separate society, that evolves and 
has inventions - it's own ways and traditions, then to what extent are 
we to hold to that original ideal?

I believe that we are evolving and changing and a separate society, 
but that we need to dedicate to that ideal as best as it fits in to the 
society.  How do we do that?  In this debate about the common terms 
we use as a society, which ones should we or can we change?  How 
do we find a happy medium between the people who want to save and 
treasure the traditions that have grown out the creation of our society 
(the conservators) and the ones who want to strive for that perfect 
ideal (the reformers)?  And should we brush away the "mistakes" of 
the past, such as the term Autocrat, or should we keep them as a part 
of OUR history?

Just wondering,
Lynette