SR - Late Entry

[Dory Grace]

someone wrote:
>>Sadly, this leaves many Southerners without a name with which they 
>>are satisfied. I have spoken to quite a few people and few expressed 
>>any enthusiasm for the names on the ballot. It is a shame to have to 
>>select a name because we think "it will do."

There are some very nice names on the list. I've always really liked
"Campoleone."


>I too have noticed a underwelming show of enthusiasm regarding any of the
>names on the ballot. Of course, this attitude seems to come from the people
>who have taken practically no part in the entire process up till now. At our
>last populace meeting I heard many things. That this was an "underhanded way
>to sneak in a principality", that the ballot was "rigged, because my
>selection was'nt on it", that the ballot was somehow tainted because there
>was none of the names of the persons who were on the selection commitee on
>the ballot.

You know, I've noticed the same sort of thing in quite a few instances.
Have you noted the timing? If something seems to be running smoothly and
something is actually about to get *done*, it seems that someone or
someones will invariably pipe up with some monkeywrench-shaped complaint to
throw into the machinery. (Note: Don Christian, I'm not talking about you,
ok? I like you. ;-> This is just a general observation.)

I think sometimes folks who don't feel a part of a process (for whatever
reason; it isn't necessarily the process's fault) will sometimes do things
in attempt to excercise *some* sort of influence. Unfortunately, sometimes
it's not a productive excercise. After years and years of watching people
interact in the SCA, I'm more and more convinced that wolf-criers any
nay-sayers are folk who perceive themselves (either consciously or
unconsciously) as having little to no power in their real lives and try to
take advantage of the social structure of the SCA to try to make up for it.

>*sigh*
>I dont know how it is in other southern groups, but the apathy, ignorance,
>and willingness to use inflammatory rhetoric that I have seen has made me
>sick of the whole issue.

This is the danger of this sort of action; where this sort of thing
eventually wears at an organization. Timo's an active, caring, productive
member who's willing to be involved in processes to help make this game and
his region better. But here we are, finally getting close to actually
acheiving the culmination of one part of a process, and already, once
again, the complaints begin. After a while, blows from wolf-criers and
nay-sayers is enough to wear anyone down. It sometimes starts to feel like
trying to do something positive is like swimming upstream. 

Is there a way to change this kind of group dynamic? I don't know. Forgive
me, I'm doing exactly what I tend to decry: complaining without really
offering any kind of solution. All I can suggest is that maybe folks think
about the ramifications.

Aquilanne



***Note! New Web Address! Look, ma, I'm a dot-com!***

Dory Grace***The Inkwell
www.inkwellarts.com 

"Just because no one understands you doesn't mean you're an artist."  anon.
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