[Sca-cooks] Politics rant

Sun Feb 10 05:17:46 PST 2002

    Actually, it doesn't, which was kind of my point. I essentially quit the
SCA, though I remain an active and loyal Trimarian. If I want to do
something for the Kingdom, I do it. I don't deal with turgid bureaucracies,
bitchy officers, pompous nobles, or anyone else who needs an award or office
to pump up their ego. I see what needs done, and I go do it. Sometimes I
step on some toes. Big deal.
    The core of the Society isn't the nobles, peers, or officers. It's the
rank & file of the populace that constitute the heart & soul of our various
Kingdoms. The Officers and Peers could all go away, and the people would
remain. Remove the people, and you just have a mutual admiration society.
Unfortunately, the PTB generally regard the 'great unwashed' (as I once
heard a sitting Queen refer to the populace) as beneath their notice.
Period, but not for the 21st century. . .
    I don't know about other Kingdoms, but in these parts, all Kingdom
business is conducted in total secrecy, and god help the poor SoB who asks a
question that an officer finds sensitive. We don't have Curias, town
meetings, or any venue for the populace to find out what's going on or to
provide input. Just think of the populace as the mushroom people . . .
    Finding anything out is virtually impossible if the officer decides to
stonewall. Right now, I'm asking some hard questions regarding the status of
about $45,000 in the Kingdom Land Fund that seems to have gone adrift. After
repeated written inquiries over several months, the officer in charge of the
fund (a Duke and Knight) has yet to respond in any manner (in violation of
kingdom law).  If I can't get answers, I'm taking the matter to the Board
with a request for an investigation. Do I think I'll actually get it? Naaaah
. . .
    As a result, there's more and more of a growing disconnect between the
power structure and the populace. This is manifested by the diversion of
focus and effort from officially recognized groups to households. When I got
started in the SCA, there were only a few households, and they were mostly
fighting houses centered around Peers. Now, every mook and his twin brother
is starting one, and these are in direct competition for the hearts & minds
of local members, not to mention being flash points for political
controversy in and of itself.
    I find that awards are only a small element of politics - you have a
fresh shot at those each new reign, which acts as a release for those
tensions. The absolutely WORST politics I see involve jockeying for offices.
I watched a small clique organize a whisper campaign to the effect that the
Minister of Children was child molester in order to get her removed from
office so the person that clique wanted in place would get it. She was quite
blameless, of course, but how do you fight something like that? She left the
SCA, by the way . . . And when I went to the K.Sen to tell what I knew, I
was told it was none of my business, and that the decision had been already
made, go away. The truth was . . . inconvenient.
    People aren't stupid. They can see what's going on, and can decide if
that's a game they want to play. Many decide that they're simply not. Some
see it and love it! They're the scary ones . . . But if folks are
disillusioned about the Society, they can retreat to their households and
play there. But the Kingdom has lost the talents and hard work that these
people now devote to their households. Over time, that can prove crippling.
    So politics don't 'control' me or anyone else I know. But the general
reaction to the level and intensity of political warfare is akin to turning
over a rock and discovering something extremely unpleasant beneath it. It
doesn't control you, other than inducing a nauseous feeling, and a strong
tendency to look the other way, ort simply leave the area.
    So I return to my original point - SCAdian politics is a major factor in
people leaving the Society in disgust. You may find that perfectly
acceptable, but consider that those who LIKE to play those games aren't
really the kind of people you want behind you in any way at all . . .

    Sieggy


----- Original Message -----

> Sieggy, and all who allow SCA politics to control your
> SCA lives,
>
> It serves you right.
>
> The only Peerage that isn't entirely controlled by
> politics is the Royal Peerage, and considering that
> some Kingdoms are going to Invitation Only Crown
> Tourneys, chances are they'll all be political plums.
>
> So what?
>
> When I first moved over here, a person who is
> conversant with EK politics and disliked the incoming
> Crown, said, laughingly, "And now he's going to be
> YOUR king". I told the person, that that wasn't a
> problem, I could treat him just exactly as I had
> treated any I had disliked in the MK- ignore them long
> enough, and sooner or later, they'll go away.
>
> Now, I've been in SCA for a while. I've seen many good
> Peers, and a few not so good Peers. I've seen folk I
> think should be Peers, and folk I wouldn't trust to
> pick their own noses. So what?
>
> What on this green earth requires that I spend time
> worrying about what other people are, think, or do? I
> can't control them, and I have no desire to. They
> can't control me, whether they want to or not, unless
> I let them.
>
> There are Peers I'm aware of, Laurels, who, as near as
> I can tell, are totally clueless about what good
> research in their touted specialty is, but unless they
> make grandiose, unrealistic claims about their
> specialties, I'm going to ignore them- they just ain't
> worth my time. There are far too many good folk out
> there, Peers and non-Peers, to worry about the idiots.
>
> I've been lucky enough to get some good advice from
> some very good people. Adamantius sits on me usually,
> when I get angry and wired, but he was busy a while
> back, so I asked another Peer whom I like and respect,
> for some advice in a difficulty I was having with a
> particular person. I was mad enough to nail them, but
> I was really trying to behave, because I knew I was
> really much more upset about something else.
>
> I asked Cariadoc, whom I love to argue with and tease,
> because he makes me laugh- and sometimes, I'm not
> really sure if he knows how funny he is, which makes
> me laugh harder ;-) It turned out the same person had
> been trying to cause him difficulties, and his comment
> was, "Most of the time I ignore (them); arguing with
> people who don't like you isn't much fun." And he's
> absolutely right.
>
> We're out here to have fun, and if we're not having
> fun, we're doing something wrong. Much of the
> political complaining I hear is about awards- "I, he,
> she, it, they" can't get an award because of
> "politics" - usually, bottom line, coming back to "I".
> Well, tell you what, people, if you're not having fun
> any more because you didn't get that award, it serves
> you right. That award doesn't do a damn thing for you
> except make you feel good, and masturbation would
> probably not only do a better job, but is an
> infinitely renewable resource.
>
> Nobody out there can take from you the things that
> really count- the satisfaction of learning a new
> skill, or improving an old one, the ability everyone
> has to share something with someone else, or to help
> someone else. Recognition is nice, but accomplishment
> is better- and if you're doing nice things just so
> other folks can see what a wonderful person you are,
> you're probably pretty miserable.
>
> So, why worry about politics? Who cares what other
> people think? If you're working at being the best at
> whatever you can be, and it makes you happy, then you
> win. Ignore the naysayers, and enjoy yourself- you
> can't lose.
>
> Phlip,
>
> very tired lately of people obsessing about other
> people's ill-founded opinions.
>
>
> =====
> Never a horse that cain't be rode,
> And never a rider who cain't be throwed....
>
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