NK - Yes Berengaria, I can document Santa Klaus!

[Bethor2000 at aol.com]

In a message dated 12/7/98 7:34:55 PM Central Standard Time,
berengaria at hotmail.com writes:
<< I have a question for the Barony as a whole, and I really and honestly
 and truly want to know what you think...problem is that I haven't been asked 
 very many questions...No one else has sent me any questions.>> What am I
doing wrong? >>


Berengaria,

I have thoroughly enjoyed your articles.  I found them interesting and
genuinely informative.  You obviously have put in the time to research and
document answers and topics in your articles.

Unfortunately, I think there is a syndrome the majority of SCA members suffer
from that can explain the lack of interest.  I call it the "More Medieval Than
Thou Syndrome," and its chief symptom - Education Envy.

Simply put, the majority of the members of the SCA have little or no formal
education in the specific study of Medieval History.  This is in itself (to me
anyway) no big deal.  However when your hangin' with SCA folk, any attempt to
steer the "conversation" into the realm of academic, or even "well read on the
subject," will land you in hot water 75% of the time.  Especially if someone
present considers themselves an authority on a particular subject by dint of
their years in the SCA.  In my opinion, most SCA members don't give a fig
about historical accuracy.  They would as soon have or "create" something out
of the Conan movie because it looked cool, not because it was an accurate item
used by their "persona."  That being said, if I was really concerned about
that kind of thing I would have joined an organization that stressed
authenticity and reenactment.  But instead I'm in the SCA and I think its
swell, really.

Which brings me back to you Berengaria.  Please keep up the good work.  It is
we the members who should at least try to show a little effort and give you
some brain bursting questions.  So allow me to belly up to the question booth
and place a query.

With the current explosion of mundane questions of Y2K to set the stage and
the general millennialist panic abounding, an educated explanation of how
calendars were used in the Medieval Period and how specific dates for events
in that period are derived for modern history texts would be very timely.  I
know that this might be a bit too much for one article, so you might have a
"mini-series" on your hands.

Thanks,

Alton

"Far more crucial than what we know or do not know is what we do not want to
know"
Eric Hoffer