ANSTHRLD - Grant question

[Amanda Lewanski]

"Dr Tiomoid M. of Angle" wrote:

> Be careful what you wish for ... you just might get it.

Tell me about it. I wanted children.  : )

> Yeah, yeah, and it ranks right up there with Santa Claus and the Tooth
> Fairy as a cute story to tell the easily-impressed, but it's all
> whipped cream.

No offense, Tadhg, but Jan was there and you weren't.

> Any award is intended to divide a population into those
> who have it and those who don't, with the implication that the haves
> are better in some sense than the have-nots; the myth that it merely
> "recognizes" status already achieved is a fairly transparent fiction.

I disagree; that the first part of this statement is true does not necessarily
mean the rest of it is. Perhaps the "haves" are better not because they got the
award, but because of the qualities they had which inspired its bestowal.

> I've seen a lot of Lions given out; and some I thought well-deserved,
> and some I thought Stupid Political Tricks -- much as with the peerage
> orders.

Well, jeez, of course. There's Good Kings and there's Bad Kings and then there's
just plain Dumb Kings. I do believe that you can't judge any accolade solely by
the people who receive (or give) it; it must be looked at in the light of its
own standards. Look to your own profession--too many people judge lawyers by
their experience with individual lawyers, and ignore the ideals of the position
of "lawyer." Sure, there are ambulance-chasers out there, but there's plenty of
idealistic people who still believe in what they do.

> Granted that not everyone is as cynical and jaded as I am,
> nevertheless I can't imagine that I'm the only one not standing around
> with starry eyes saying "Gosh! Wow!"

Well, no, I'm pretty cynical and jaded by now, too, but I can still be stirred
by ceremony and by worth recognized and applauded.

> How this sort of thing serves a useful function I can't imagine ...

Ah, you have my pity. Why did you *join* the SCA? I'm really curious; most
people want it for that very starry-eyed magic, and miss it when it's gone.

> nor do I intend to waste any of my valuable grumping time on it, relatively
> innocuous affectation that it is.

Okay. But did you ever know any woman that didn't want the last word?

- --Alisandre


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