[Steppes] Plea for the SCA

[Diane Rudin]

--- chiara <chiara at io.com> wrote:

> It does not take a genius to put words down in such a manner so that
> it is not insulting.

Then why is it so very hard to teach?

> I doubt that what she is quoting was ever intended for
> the maker to read.

It was not.  It was an internal document for the use of the college.

> There is a false comfort level that has been there for years to
> comment without fear of retribution.

"Retribution?"  That's a pretty strong word.  What need is there for
"retribution?"  So some people said some things that were insulting.
Yes, we should discourage that sort of thing, as being less than
helpful.

For years, I've been finding polite ways to write on judging forms nice
equivalents to, "what were you thinking?  This is about as period as
Spandex!  Were you drunk when you did this?  Are you even literate?"
and that sort of thing.  These, and worse, are all things that go
through my mind when I look at some A&S entries.  I also realize that
the entrant is probably new, that I did as bad or worse in my day, that
some people are dyslexic or dysgraphic, etc.  Most of all, I try to
remember that we're all hobbyists, and that holding people in the SCA
to a professional standard--be it in making art objects, manufacturing
clothing, or writing research papers and documentation--is inherently
unfair.  I try to encourage people to improve--and encouragement must
almost always be phrased positively.  In other words, I'm human--and I
realize that the entrant is, too.

On the other hand, for several decades now, our society (little-"s")
has become increasingly thin-skinned.  People are suing people in court
over the most ridiculous things imaginable.  (Really, there are some
amazing parallels to people's attitudes in the sixteenth century.)
I've had some pretty insulting things said to me over the years.  Most
of them were egregious.  However, I always mulled over every comment to
see if there was a grain of truth within it.  Sometimes there was.
I've worked hard to improve in those areas.  But if I got offended at
every insulting, ignorant thing said about me and/or my work and/or my
art, I'd spend every waking moment feeling offended.

What a terrible way to live.

I'm sorry that some people are upset by what they find when they turn
over the rock to see what's under it.  Most such things wither away
when light is turned on them.  As the distribution of the commentary
has grown wider, I believe that the comments have become more
constructive.  That is as it should be.  But trying to hold people of
the past to today's standards is not appropriate.

--Serena

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