A&S judging

[I. Marc Carlson]

<Lyonel<amazing at mail.utexas.edu (dennis grace)>>
>I may save this set of postings and use them in class.  Here we see a
>classic example of two individuals arguing at cross-purposes due in part to
>a lack of shared assumptions.

Be my guest.  I suspect that you are correct, and if something useful can
come of this, then it has been worth the effort.

>...OTOH, as a writer I find that few events darken my life as
>thoroughly as rejection slips.

I could not agree more.

>Critiques from the editor on the other hand (if they're rational and 
>considered) lessen the blow...

This is also true.  It is, in essence, what I am referring to when I 
say that it is not the principle goal of the competition.  It is a
reassuring thing (if, in my opinion, a trifle too rare) when it does
happen.

>...Essentially, this is an aspect of A&S judging I believe both
>Diarmuit and my own dear Aquilanne do not address...

Well, we were *asked* to not dwell on the failures of the judges :)

>...Furthermore, I believe this aspect of judging necessitates continued use of
>written critique in some form.  I, for one, don't want county fair judging
>standards, wherein Molly Applemasher can win the apple pie contest by stint
>of--mmmm, let's just say appropriately *mollifying* certain judges.  Why,
>you might ask, did her pie win?   Why, because it was the best, they will no
>doubt respond. 

If it were possible that we were able to guarantee that sort of reasoned
standards in judging, then yes, I would likely not have my objections to 
the use of critiques in A&S competitions.  I may be a bit too cynical to
expect that, however.

>Perhaps Diarmuit meant between competitors, and I can agree. Aquilanne was
>clearly talking about kindness and nurturing from the judges, however, an
>attitude that Diarmuit's previous postings appeared to support.

No, I meant from the judges.

The problem here is that I am not discussing the *ideal*, that judges
*should* be kind and nurturing (I think that they SHOULD try to be,
however), but rather the harsh reality (as I see it) that they will
fail to be.

If that is unfair, that is unfortunate.  I also believe that even in
the SCA we have a few of our own "Molly Applemashers" who have gained 
their victories by, um, mollifying the judges.  I will not apologize
for those beliefs.  But they are why I would prefer to separate
competition from placing my work out for straight evaluation.

Diarmuit