william the warthog's re: whine

[sandra]

It is with great trepidation that I reply to this message...

I've been in the SCA for five years, and I've found that what is
true in group dynamics for the mundane world is also true for our
SCA reality...

Conflict is natural... futhermore, conflict between people is inevitable.

I've lived in two kingdoms in my time in the SCA, and in that time,
I haven't "heard" of any group that didn't have group conflict...
gossiping, rumor-spreading...

I've found the best way to avoid getting involved in the vicousness and
political back-biting is just to refuse to do it.

However, _sometimes_ the information in the rumor is important for me
to know (for whatever reson), but I've learned to take whatever information
I don't get first hand with the proverbial grain of salt.

Another thing I've noticed, is that rumors in the SCA don't die...
Or maybe, they just circulate _very_ slowly... such that the same rumor
will crop up (in an altered form) again and again.

So... while I'm not quite the source of information you wanted...

1. Sometimes it's hard to separate the important info. from the vicious
gossip. Also, human nature is such that if we don't like someone, we don't
want our friends to like them either.
The solution: Ignore the gossip, get to know people and situations on
your own.


2. I have a problem here... I don't play SCA at a level where this has been
a problem for me... See above, I guess.

3. For this one, I have an easy answer. Stay in persona. I've found that if I
stay in persona and act confused  as to what a "football game" or "ASCII text"
is, others immediately slip back into persona too.  (Don't be rude about it
though.)


I always find it ironic that we work so hard to leave the mundane world
behind, with all its pettiness and viciousness, and then we bring the bad
stuff with us.

On a lighter note, most of the time, the SCA is a _lot_ of fun.
There's so much to see, to do, to learn... it's wonderful!
Don't let the bad side distract you from the good stuff...

Hoping she's managed not to offend anyone,
Kiera McFhlannchaidh




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The sad thing is... I've started procrastinating 
stress...

- sandra at raven.tamu.edu
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