RF - Fwd: Re: ANST - A Take on Peerage and Recognition from a Newbie

[Lorraine and/or Kief]

This is part of an ongoing discussion that ya'll might be interested in it 
has been going on since around wed of last week and if
ya want to see more of it ya should go to the ansteorra-archive

Lorraine


>From: jonwillowpel at juno.com
>Reply-To: ansteorra at Ansteorra.ORG
>To: ansteorra at Ansteorra.ORG
>Subject: Re: ANST - A Take on Peerage and Recognition from a Newbie
>Date: Tue, 19 Oct 1999 00:07:49 -0700
>
>
>Dear people
>  Master Petruccio is right about Ansteorra. We do have more courtesy than
>other places. Have any of you ever asked Why? Years ago, long before many
>of you were in the SCA certain decisions were made. We decided not to
>take the path that so many kingdom had taken but to try a new one. We
>would try a positive approach. We would praise the good . We would try to
>put models of good behavior in front of everyone so our new people would
>know how to behave. We tried to set standards that were high and tried to
>expect them from everyone. When people did bad things we treated them
>like children who have done wrong. We treated them like someone who needs
>instructions but we tried to treat them with courtesy.  We tried to show
>them by our actions. The system worked.
>
>The system allowed people to see all the good we did and for many people
>it  kept their dreams alive. Because their dreams were alive they stayed
>in the SCA longer. Chivalry, honor and courtesy became not dreams of long
>dead world but something alive and real in the day to day working of our
>kingdom. The kingdom attracted people who believe in our ideals. The
>people made Ansteorra real and it became a place where people acted in
>certain ways.
>
>What happened to the system?  About Ten years ago a certain group of
>kings and knights didn't like the controls put on them by the ideals of
>the Kingdom of Ansteorra. They wanted their own things and didn't want
>anyone to judge them. They decided that standards were bad. Up until that
>time we talked about being Ansteorra and Ansteorran but starting at that
>time we started talking about The Dream! and The SCA. The problem of The
>Dream is that  it is a dream and each person shapes it. Now if  want to
>be an ass it is OK because it is my dream.  Anything I do is OK because
>that is how I dream it. The problem with the SCA is that is mundane.
>Organization  the SCA is a 20th century club. When we are in it we are
>not role playing a person who has medieval ideals. We are regular people
>doing what comes naturally in everyday  political situations. People in
>the American culture do not treat each other with a lot of courtesy. The
>other problem is when we are in the SCA not Ansteorrra  we are not
>fighting on the field of honor we are doing a sport. IF there is one
>place that is worse then the political arena it is the sports arena. Time
>after time I have heard of coaches giving the advise that it is only a
>foul if you are caught.
>
>What can we do? We can be positive again. We can reinforce good behavior
>with word fame. We can support each other in being true to our ideals. We
>can teach new people the ideals. We can use each others titles and
>interact in a courtly way. We can promote bards and players who can act
>out proper behavior.
>
>I know I sound like Pollyanna but trust me it works. Also it will allow
>you to continue to enjoy the SCA for many years and not get burned out. I
>am still playing after 30 years.
>Willow
>
>
>
>
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