[Ansteorra] Which brings us to...

Wed Apr 24 14:24:34 PDT 2002

I have heard this sentiment from a number of different individuals: the
young adults of today just wouldn't be interested in the SCA.

I am a young adult who has been playing in the SCA for almost 5 years now
(discovered it shortly after my first year of university).  I find it
difficult to believe this is true, because I have seen hordes of younger
members join in the two baronies I played in throughout university.
Albeit, that was in a different kingdom, but the majority of the members
there fell between 22 and 30 years of age.  There were some long-time
members, as well, and they gave stability and knowledge to each group.

When I moved to Ansteorra, I was surprised to find the average age was
considerably older than I was accustomed to.

I have _seen_ other young adults who are just as interested in and
delighted by the SCA as myself.

I still have not figured out to my satisfaction why this kingdom and my
previous one are so disparate on this, and there are a number of factors
that could have effect.  We had fewer events, for one.  We also had more
demos.  Our practices (in the summer) were at a high-traffic downtown
park, or on the university campus.  We always had _many_ non-fighters out
at practice doing their thing - embroidering, dancing, singing, spinning,
whatever was portable.

We had monthly mini-revels, on a weekday night, and this was one of the
high points of the month.

I am certain there are more, and I hope some day to figure out what makes
the two places different.

Young people's goals of the new milennia are not at odds with the culture
of the SCA.  Most that I've met have a definite "work hard - play hard"
attitude, which would lend itself well to going to events and wars.

So, please, I beg of you.  Do not discount a reduction in the number of
younger members as simple non-interest of the younger generation.

If anyone wishes to contact me directly in regards to this email, my
address is audette at sapheron.org

Thank you for listening.

Audette des Grenouilles

On Wed, 24 Apr 2002, Jay Yeates wrote:
>
> * ... Recruiting and retention of new members.
> * ...
> * ... As a result, the Society is falling into a spiral of decay.
> New blood is harder to come by, and many of the folks who've kept the
> wheels turning for so long are long past worn-out.  Our best hope is
> in bringing in new folks, but (to my eyes) it's slow going.
>
> ...
> problem being is that todays world is different from the world of the
> past that the older generation came from ... those still in remember
> and see through the eye's that see it as simple to replace the
> numbers.  reality is that the core concepts that made the SCA
> attractive to us (speaking as "old blood") are not necessarily
> relevent to the younger generation ....
>
> you spoke of a generation coming in, playing, getting "trained"
> (???), - then moving on to better jobs, families, and leaving.  that
> younger generation everyone targets as "the replacements" no longer
> has the luxury we did of "blowing off a few years" and are more
> likely to skip the "play after graduation" phase and go directly into
> the quest for well paying jobs, home ownership, families.  in todays
> economy, you pretty much have to do so to survive (counts my
> blessings that i grew up in a less demanding time).
>
> perhaps the "society for creative anachronism" has become just that.
> organizations, like people age.  based on the reality of the times,
> instead of seeking to replace the numbers lost as the participants
> age and always seeking to push the growth curve upwards, i would
> suggest a better tactic would be to accept that times change and the
> society is on the other side of the natural bell curve, and start
> looking at the future in the practical terms of "making do" and
> scaling back.
>
> rules from history for a historical society .... "golden ages" and
> empires are never forever, they grow, they peak, they decline.
>
> 'wolf
> ... In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of
> principle, stand like a rock. (thomas jefferson)
>
>
>
>
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