[Ansteorra] To title or not to title (James Crouchet)

[Elizabeth Ellis]

 Oh I agree completely with what you've written below, and have done most of them at one time or another for the same reasons. As for the situation I mentioned, this was years ago (as in the era before most people had computers), so the OP was not as easy to check then as it is now.  As to why a paper copy was not first reviewed to see what I had, I don't know - the reasons given below for the Crown's displeasure are the very ones I was presented with at the time.  I have to say though, that even today I don't like being flashy with insignia so generally my laurel medallion is the only one I generally wear.  Since it's the highest award I have, rightly or wrongly I figure it covers the other ones. 
   
  Anyway, the vague point I was trying to  make is that it can be helpful to other people if a person uses their titles, as long as they are not being a real horse's patoot (i.e. rude) about it.   Oftentimes usage of title or ensignia is done out of courtesy to others, not out of high-handedness.  
   
  Corrinne 
  

Hi, Corrinne. :-)

While I understand your perspective I don't think it is the only way to
look at this. Finding out what awards someone has should only take a
moment of looking through the OP. The Crown has heralds who should be
pretty good at that.

There are plenty of reasons to leave off an award. For example:
- Persona. For example, if someone has a monk persona it will look odd
for them to be wearing a pile of ribbons and trinkets. If I am playing a
peasant alternate persona he certainly would not be wearing any awards.
- Costume. For example, many middle eastern costumes will be plain
without ornamentation, or Western European ornamentation may simply look
strange on it. Sometimes you can substitute something culture specific
(like awards done as mons on a komono) and sometime you cannot (like a
White Scarf on an aba).
- Stealth. There may be times when you want to appear in some group
where you are not known and get the perspective of a newer or lower
ranked person. In my travels I sometimes learn a lot about other
kingdoms and groups I would never know if I showed up as Baron, WSA, etc.
- Activities. If I am working in the kitchen I don't want to splatter
whatever on my White Sarf and Iris. On the melee field I don't need a
bunch of trinkets dangling from my clothes to get knocked off. At a
forge I just don't need to be wearing finery or decorations at all.

If we stop playing persona, wearing authentic costume, trying to
understand what a new comer would encounter, fighting, working in the
kitchen and doing crafts we won't have much to give awards for anyway. :-)

Claire reminds me that these exceptions are not the same a *never*
wearing your awards. They are practical considerations, not meant to
deny or hide (except stealth -- and that is temporary) the fact that you
have the award.

Christian Dor? with helpful comments from Claire Shayhan


Elizabeth Ellis wrote:
> I learned my lesson about awards and associated titles/regalia a long time ago. Here's the story: After many years of playing in the SCA I recieved an Iris; however, because I am a bit on the shy and retiring side I would not wear it because I thought it was a form of self bragging and was afraid it would draw too much attention. Boy did that backfire in embarrassing ways! I ended up getting gently reprimanded for not wearing a ribbon because the Crown later saw some of my work and spent some time investigating whether I'd been recognized for it. They were not especially happy to learn that I'd already received the award to two reasons - by not wearing the emblem it gave the appearance of not valuing the award, and it wasted time the Crown could have spent investigating the other worthy people. This perspective made perfect sense once it was presented to me. As a consequence, I believe it applies to monikers as well.
> 
> Mistress Corrinne 
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End of Ansteorra Digest, Vol 10, Issue 42
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