Fw: Re: Bards - how to get things done.

[jonwillowpel at juno.com]

Dear fellow bards and performers. 

Power in the SCA is very confusing and it often seems that the people who
are in power are in it for themselves and not for the group. We,
performers, often feel we have no power but that is wrong. Because the
SCA is not based on economics, social and prestige are based on the mind
not the pocketbook. The most important thing in our group is having a
good time and second most important is having that a feeling of magic.
Real power in the SCA is in the hands of those people who can create FUN.
If you can create fun you can have a great influence on your groups. If
at the same time you can make the people feel the magic and make them
think of themselves as heros and heroines you can have an even greater
influence.

Power in the SCA is also clustered around the ability to recognize
people. I call this the "limelight theory". When two people watch a
fighter on the field they might not know each others names but they know
the fighter' name and when the fighter comes off the field if he
complements the dress of one of them they are impressed. The  fighter has
gathered public limelight and can pass it around. There are several
places where you can get limelight. One is the fighting field and the
better the fighter the more limelight. One is the court and one is on the
performance field. You can see this in the respect people hold rock
stars. If you add in the ability of performers to give word fame you can
see how a performers can bring limelight to a lot of people. If you, as a
performer, use your limelight to promote the good in our society then the
society will hold you in high esteem. 

Be careful though. If you promote something that hurts the society then
the powers that be will try to stifle your influence. I could go into
some examples of an performing artist being ostracizes for their personal
dress, totally unperiod, or their values. I have seen artist be hassled
and driven out of the SCA because they promoted improper behavior in the
eyes of the power structure. It is alright to make a political stand
different from the power that be but make sure you know what you are
promoting.  It is a shame to get in trouble for something you didn't mean
to do.

When I was in Merides I used my bardic arts to carve a niche for myself.
I looked for programs that I believed in and used my skills to promote
them. I bought the history of Merides alive and shone limelight on good
people that had been forgotten.  I used my position on the performing
field to give recognition and soon I became important to the people. I
used my position to promote the good values of the leadership so I became
important to them. Working with nobles and officers to make things better
is totally period and works. I would like to stress a personal bias.
Never support something you don't believe in. If you are untrue to
yourself then you can not be happy. 

Performing is Living
Willow de Wisp
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