Pug's Peerage Question

[Gunnora Hallakarva]

Pug asked what are the benefits of peerage.  We hit on this topic a while
back, and in looking over my notes it seems good to present the thoughts
again, with some areas revised slightly...

...maybe we should all take a lesson from the Pelicans and start DOING more
and waiting less for it to happen to us.  The point in all this is NOT to
become a Knight, Laurel, or Pelican.  Wise up, folks.  It is no fun in and
of itself.  When Master Cedric said to me during his vigil, "Mistress
Gunnora, many people this evening have spoken wise words to me about the
responsibilities of being a Laurel.  Tell me, what are the priveleges?"  I
was struck dumb (those of you who know me will understand how unusual this
sitaution can be!)  

OK, what ARE the benefits of being a peer of any stripe?  Hmmm.  Does being
a Laurel get you more money on your tax return?  Does being a Knight cause
you to accrue more seniority at work?  Does being a Pelican make your
mortgage payments any lower?  Smell the coffee... there are no real world
benefits to peerage.  

OK, how about SCA benefits... you get to wear a little symbol around your
neck.  Knights get the belt, chain and spurs. Laurels can wear a goofy crown
of leaves.  But is this an advantage?  No?  OK, how about the fact that you
can now sit for hours and hours and hours in a peerage circle?  This is an
advantage?  No?  OK, you get to teach.  But you were doing that anyway or
you wouldn't have been considered for the peerage in the first place.  You
get to do kick-ass art/fighting/service.  What?  Oh, yeah... that's why they
made you a peer.  Do people respect you more?  No.  If you were worthy of
respect before you got the peerage, you will have respect afterwards, but if
you are a jerk no one will respect you no matter whether you have all three
peerages and forty-two brass hats.  A peerage will not cure your hemrrhoids
(but might introduce you to ever greater pains in the ass), reverse baldness
(but it might accelerate hair loss as you tear your hair in frustration),
will not win you friends (but might attract flesh-eaters, peer-wannabes and
other syncophants).

There is one, sole and solitary advantage a peer has, and that is that the
Crown is required to listen to your advice.  But they not only do not have
to take your advice, they can totally ignore it.  But at least you got to
tell them what you thought.  And you know, a letter to the Crown does the
same thing for any person of any rank if you send them one.

There are joys associated with being a peer.  Being a peer puts one in a
position to act as a patron of the arts, fighting, and service.  There is
nothing I love more than teaching, which I did before I was made a Laurel
and would still do if I gave up the title, and people tend to look first to
peers as teachers.  And it is a good feeling to be able to sit in Circle and
unanimously acclaim someone who IS a Laurel and only needs recognition from
the Crown to be called one.  But, again there are no joys the peerage
confers that I didn't have before I was made a peer... I could and did
sponsor artisans and warriors, I taught, and I on occasion had a hand in the
awards process by making recommendations to my local nobility or direct to
the Crown.

I guess that I don't understand those who pant after any award for years and
then get bitter because they don't have it.  Don't get me wrong, it is
EXCELLENT to ASPIRE to an award... if what you are wishing for is for is to
gain the skills that would enable you to be worthy of the award.  I think
every single person in this Kingdom should ASPIRE to one day be a Lion of
Ansteorra, to become exemplars of what the SCA is all about.  But I think a
true Lion would never worry about getting the award though, because if they
ARE a Lion, they are out there playing the game and having fun. 

That's the bottom line.  ARE YOU HAVING FUN?  If you are, no award or lack
thereof is going to make you have more fun.  It is nothing more than a kudo
from your friends that hey, you're doing neat things.  If you are not
enjoying the SCA because you aren't getting an award, you should quit and go
join the Scouts, who will let you actively work towards merit badges.
Better yet, go to school and compete for good grades.  If all you want is
awards, there are MUCH better places to go for external validation of your
worth than the SCA.

But if the SCA is fun to you, if you have a good time at events, get misty
eyed over the singing at campfires, feel the rush of adrenaline as the
bagpipes skirl up behind the shield wall you're standing in, look forward to
the camraderie and friendship you find within the SCA, then YOU DO NOT NEED
AWARDS.  You already have the best the SCA can offer.

Wassail,
::GUNNORA::

Gunnora Hallakarva
Herskerinde
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