Awards and Coronets

[Pug]

[ Some wonderful material deleted. ]

> People are motivated by different things.  I think it's wrong to assume 
> that people who work hard are only doing it to earn "cookies".

I certainly hope not. This would defeat the purpose of working hard.

> And 
> even if they are, I don't think it's necessarily *bad*.

I do think it's bad depending on the award you desire to achieve.

> They may have 
> ego problems, and *I* would say that they may be missing an essential 
> element of the dream, but let's face it, the system is set up to 
> encourage it.

The system is set up nicely in my opinion. My problem is people's goals
in the Society. I will explain in a second.

> Is it rong to aspire to be a peer?

Yes. It is good to aspire to have the attributes of a peer. I am cutting
a very thin line here and I hope I am making myself clear. I think the
attributes that the peers are supposed to respresent are wonderful
traits, and people should strive towards those, not towards the title.
Whether you get recognized for these attributes should be irrealevant.

> And if you do, 
> what do you have to do to get there? You've got to climb the ladder.

The ladder is not what you have to cross. The ladder is just a measuring
stick of how fair you have achieved. That doesn't mean you should aim for
the next ring, but for the attributes that you hold in your heart. These
may be the attributes of Chivalry, the beauty of Arts & Sciences, or
even the pleasure of service.

> I have moral quandaries about punishing somebody (by denying them the 
> awards they "want *too* badly", even if they've earned them) because 
> they play the system as we ourselves have set it up.  

I think a great idea would be to ask someone why they would want the
position before offering it to them. (During the ceremony.) This would
hopefully make then think about why they are doing what they do, and to
give their peers (used loosely) a chance to view them in different eyes
as they advance through their ranks. I don't think that someone should
be denyed something if they truly earned it, but I also think that the
further up the "ladder" you go, it should be more evident that you have
the correct desires in your heart.

Ciao,

-- 
Phelim Uhtred Gervase | "I want to be called COTTONTIPS. There is something 
Barony of Bryn Gwlad  |  graceful about that lady. A young woman bursting with 
House Flaming Dog     |  vigor. She blinked at the sudden light. She writes
pug at arlut.utexas.edu  |  beautiful poems. When ever shall we meet again?"