[Ansteorra] Participation vs. Recruitment (long)

[Cionaodh O'Hosey]

On Jan 26, 2012, at 12:54 AM, Jeffrey Clark wrote:
>
> The issue in question is simply put: why is the calendar event the  
> be-all-end-all of life in the SCA? It would be like my saying that  
> you are only supporting the arts if you go see the MET, your local  
> opera company doesn't count. An opera put on by a high school is  
> just as valid an artistic endeavour as one done in Vienna, and  
> opera is not the only facet of art.
>


The study and appreciation of Art does not support the MET, the MET  
supports the study and appreciation of art, it would not matter if we  
all studied and appreciated art, if none of us went to the MET, and  
by doing so we never did anything that directly supported the MET, it  
would dust over and close, no point in it existing if no one goes to  
it, but art would go on because supporting art is not the same thing  
as supporting the MET. You are only supporting the MET when you go to  
the MET, going to your local opera company doesn't support the MET,  
singing in your shower does not support the MET, going to Vienna  
doesn't support the MET, only going to the MET supports the MET, only  
helping others go to the MET supports the MET, introducing people to  
art hoping that one day they will go to the MET is not the most  
productive way to support the MET.  The MET supports art like the SCA  
supports historical study, but supporting historical study is not the  
same thing as supporting the SCA, if none of us go to the Calendar  
events, they too will dust over and close, it is already happening,  
lower attendance means we have to find cheeper sights that are not  
always as nice, and fewer volunteers mean we can't have as many  
activities at the events (fewer teachers = fewer classes, no MOS = no  
children activities, fewer fighters = less entertainment, and so on  
and so on) This affects the quality of our events which then makes  
getting new people even harder which contributes to even smaller  
events, and down we go. My points are not about how can we better  
support historical study (the arts) but rather how can we better  
support the SCA (the MET).

Cionaodh O'Hosey