SC - OT Creativity Changes

[Micaylah]

Jon & Ania said...
<snip>
>When we started in the Society (give or take 10 years ago) it was simply
>the "act" of doing a craft that was not normally done in the mundane world
>that was encouraged.  For a person to make their own bread, cheese, wine,
>cordials, (garb, armor, jewelry, etc., etc.) was the draw, was the goal.
>(We were trying to find things with that "medieval" feel). If you wanted
>something, you learned how to do it or you bartered for it.
>
>Now things have changed; merchants have items available for purchase which
>has the wonderful effect of helping people achieve the "look" of the
>Society.  More and more we look for the crafts/creations to be exact
>reproductions of period pieces rather than the craft done in a period style
>for the sake of learning something new (with that "medieval feel") and fun.
> Our questions centered around how we have gained and how we have lost
>considering these factors.  By being able to purchase items, does that
>decrease a person's motivation for doing? (either making or bartering).
>Does the pursuit of exact reproductions drive people away from trying to
>(cook a feast, make a project, make a wine, which is our personal love) due
>to lack of time, resources, a fear of not meeting "the standards" or
>perhaps just wanting to have fun doing something different?
>

My take on this issue is somewhat simplistic. Since it is pretty nigh
impossible to be all things and know all things, people tend to be selective
and perhaps purchase/barter for what they don't know how, or are not
interested in learning about. For instance, I cook and do research, I write
and do research, but I don't and don't want to sew, fight, enamel or
otherwise learn what I am not interested in. Therefore in order to continue
to maintain that "medieval feel" I will purchase/barter these things even
tho', in some cases, I cannot document or otherwise wax eloquent on a piece,
does not mean that it isn't.

Learning something new does not scare me but I feel that there is only enuf
room in my life to continue along the chosen path of interest I walk. All
other aspects will suffer to a certain degree but that does not mean that
you cannot find exact reproductions from a reputable merchant.This also does
not mean that I am not interested in the "other" stuff, just that I have
only scratched the surface in my chosen calling and may feel like that for
years. I have however, taken a year off from cooking (yah right!) and am
trying something new but more in the service vein.

Does this make me a Spoonjock?

Micaylah

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