[Ansteorra] Why aren't we doing this?

[mikea]

On Wed, Nov 03, 2010 at 06:41:43AM -0700, Jasper wrote:
> Getting back to the original subject of the original post....on making period 
> things become mandatory in some type of regulation.
> It was mentioned that there was a fear that making some type of "rule" that 
> everyone, even newcomers, follow a set of guidlines for historical accuracy. 
> There was the argument posted by a few that this would drive new people 
> away...being faced with spending large amounts of money on period gear from 
> chairs to armor to clothing many would simply not wish to participate. My 
> argument is the opposite in that we drive many newcomers away because there is 
> not enough of us who care about this aspect of the society and make an "attempt" 
> at being period or pre-17th century. People hear about this great group who 
> re-create the middle ages, who relive the days of chivalry recreating everything 
> from combat to courts. when these newcomers arrive what do they find? Many folks 
> walking around in t-tunics over jeans, using plastic armor and hockey gloves for 
> gauntlets, sitting in nylon chairs...blah blah blah. There is simply no appeal 
> to those newcomers who now have access to the web, movies and so on who can 
> plainly see that alot of what we do is not medieval at all. I have played long 
> enough to know that this is just how the society is no matter what kingdom you 
> are in. Periodness on some level should be a goal that we all at least strive 
> for in some way even if it is over a period of years. Times have changed and the 
> dynamics for attracting new members have changed as well. Its not enough anymore 
> to offer events that serve as merely a place to camp out and party. When people 
> hear about our dream, that is exactly what they expect. Why come to us if they 
> can't see that dream imagined? What makes us so different than Amtgard or some 
> of the other groups out there if we do not strive to recreate our vision of the 
> dream? I am not trying to change the society, I just believe that when it says 
> "attempt" at pre-17th century many do not take this seriously. We are not 
> re-enactors(obviously) we are re-creators of history. We should be trying to 
> re-create our vison of the middle ages as accrately as possible where ever we 
> can as we play. 

In my experience, a great many people have been driven away, not because
of historical inauthenticity, but because groups and their members have
been less than welcoming.

-- 
Mike Andrews        /   Michael Fenwick    Barony of Namron, Ansteorra
mikea at mikea.ath.cx  /   Amateur Extra radio operator W5EGO
Tired old music Laurel; Chirurgeon; SCAdian since AS XI