[Ansteorra] Wanting Awards & Persona

vmarsh at twmarsh.net vmarsh at twmarsh.net
Thu Sep 28 13:38:17 PDT 2006


JP, I remember a time when being a protege' or wearing a yellow belt was frowned upon by some of the Pelicans, or so Master Bran (my pel) told me. That's why I didn't have one.

I think the difference in being a "larger-than-life Lion" (or Peer) and "arrogant blowhard" is a certain level of sincere humility and passion for what you are doing.

An "arrogant blowhard" doesn't care who they run over on their way to the top and are only self-serving. They may be able to hide it for awhile, but the truth comes out under stress.

A Lion has the love of honor, courtesy, and chivalry and they should strive to be *worthy* to be called a Lion. Most of them are truly humble and are trying to serve others, to serve a code that we say the SCA is based upon.

To me, a Lion is a hero. Someone who will fight for what they believe in and what they strive to be.They are willing to do the research and make the clothes and study the fighting styles that fit their persona. 

They don't say "Hey! Look at ME! I'm a cool person". They say "Hey, come have fun with me and look at the cool stuff I've discovered that I can share with you!" 

They don't say "I'm too high and mighty to wash my own dishes" but volunteer to wash the dishes of others in order to serve. 

An arrogant blowhard surrounds themselve with fawning sycophants and wanna-bees. 

Lions and Lionesses inspire others. They aren't perfect. They aren't Saints and they have their own weaknesses. But the Crown and the people recognize a certain Greatness in the Lions that inspire others to their personal level of greatness. That's why they are Lions.


Xene 




>Wow.  That was a very effective and concise summary of our culture Robert,
>and the effect of conditioning via stories.   We do seem (in general) to be
>the "no I don't want it/(but secretly yes I do)" in modern society.
>
>Otoh, red belts, scarfs, yellow, and green belts are all a blatant statement
>of "I would like to be X someday", but it doesn't bother us...
>
>how come?
>
>JP
>
>
>
>
>On 9/28/06, Robert Fitzmorgan <fitzmorgan at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> --snippage--
>
>
>
>   Our culture views it as somehow disreputable to openly seek awards,
>> recognition and praise, but at the same time we find it difficult to
>> believe
>> that someone really isn't interested in those things.
>>     In fiction one of the surest ways to make your character unsympathetic
>> to the reader is to have him actively seek a position that offers great
>> rewards or fame.  If you want to put your character in such a position
>> while
>> keeping him sympathetic to the reader he must have the position thrust
>> upon
>> him through no action of his own.  If he tries to refuse the honour he
>> will
>> actually gain sympathy with the reader.  This is one of the most common
>> tools of the storyteller, so much so that we hardly even notice it
>> anymore.
>> So when someone says that they don't want an award we are conditioned to
>> regard it as so much polite but essentially meaningless noise.
>>      The issue of wanting a peerage is related.  The bar for a peerage has
>> been set fairly high.  There are a few people who just trip over it
>> without
>> really trying but most have to make a real effort to jump it.  But if you
>> say that you want to be a peer, there are some who will take that as
>> evidence that you shouldn't be one.  And you definitely better not say you
>> think you should be a peer.  So you have this silly little game of
>> striving
>> for a peerage while trying not to look like you are striving for a
>> peerage.
>>
>>     In many cultures of our period boasting and trumpeting your abilities
>> and achievements was not only acceptable but expected.  In 21st century
>> America it is considered unseemly.  As Ansteorrans we we admire big, bold,
>> larger than life characters, striving to cover themselves with honour and
>> glory.  If they do it really, really well they might be made a Lion.  As
>> 21st century Americans we are a little uncomfortable with this kind of
>> display.  If someone strives for this larger than life persona and doesn't
>> quite hit the right note they might be regarded as an arrogant blowhard.
>>
>>
>> Robert
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> "If you haven't found something strange during the day, it hasn't been
>> much
>> of a day."     John A. Wheeler
>>
>>
>-- 
>I want to fight and to strive, to vie with my opponents and friends, and at
>the end of the day cry out "ENOUGH!!! For I can lift my arms no longer"
>
>That is what is good in life.
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