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Lifestyle Crisis
Jul. 31st, 2011 07:24 pmJohn and I had a longish chat today whilst in the car. Don't read any of this TOO very deeply. It's more in the nature of working out of things.
Many "hobbies" are, in fact, lifestyle. Now, most of us who are SCAdians will freely admit that the SCA is a lifestyle. But, so is RVing. Classic cars (if you get into the cruise-in shows and what not). For a lot of people, social media. Travel hockey leagues. Ice skating, Gymnastics. Irish Dancing. Pretty much anything your kids get REALLY into.
It's difficult to manage more than one. And each has an internal culture. And a sort of "stereotypical member."
John suggested in the car today that the SCA (or maybe just the Middle Kingdom) has hit middle age. Psychosclerosis has set in. We do things the way we do them. And sometimes the changes we've made are a factor of the organization and its members aging. It was John's suggestion that attracting much of the 20-something crowd requires a certain degree of a fantasy element be allowed. That very element that has been so heavily discouraged in the SCA over the last decade or two - often by people who were originally attracted to it themselves. Now, I'm fond of authenticity. But I've eased into it. I started out in the Arthurian land of the idealized 14th century where everybody wore circlets, etc. I can see his point. And, while I'm not advocating satyr tails or Elvish names, sometimes fantasy is "Ivanhoe", or "Gawain and the Green Knight." Or more Victorian than strict authenticity.
Though it's as possible that John and I have reached the top of our "arc" with the SCA. If you read through the recently released survey from the BoD, the average "lifetime" in the SCA is 10 years. Which is what we're coming up on. We've reached the point where the newness has worn off and the bureaucracy is starting to be wearing. I've started to envy people close enough to participate in La Belle Compagnie. Or the group that Cherilyn is with. John would love to find a HEMA group close enough to join.
In other words - either sumpin's missin' - or we just don't fit.
We're also not the stereotypical SCAdians. Politically, religiously, and in many other ways, we're not that good a "fit" into the organization. And then there are the girls. Lets get down to Brass Tacks and admit that my children are not welcome in the SCA. I don't mean that there is specific "you're not wanted" noise - well, not usually. Spring RUM did lean rather heavily in that direction. The SCA in general is not that kid-friendly. Yes, there are activities. Sometimes. For some kids. Though they're really not designed that well for the kids. 17-year-olds fighting boffer? Eeeesh. 17-year-olds play football. I'd bet most of them cringe at the very idea of a boffer tournament. And either they yearn for their 18th birthday and being able to authorize - or they wander off and do something else. Or there are other "junior" level versions of adult activities. Nothing of their own, though. For the most part, we're in a bind where we can't really enjoy events as a family. It's an issue.
Now - we're not leaving the SCA. We're talking things over. There are commitments we have made. There are things we want to try to try to rekindle the desire to participate.
But we're also exploring other "lifestyles" - that is, hobbies that the girls ARE welcome in or that center on them.
(At the moment, I'm making a cake for a co-worker. In 90 degree weather. With no AC. It's entirely possible that this is coloring my opinion of the matter. Possibly more later)
Many "hobbies" are, in fact, lifestyle. Now, most of us who are SCAdians will freely admit that the SCA is a lifestyle. But, so is RVing. Classic cars (if you get into the cruise-in shows and what not). For a lot of people, social media. Travel hockey leagues. Ice skating, Gymnastics. Irish Dancing. Pretty much anything your kids get REALLY into.
It's difficult to manage more than one. And each has an internal culture. And a sort of "stereotypical member."
John suggested in the car today that the SCA (or maybe just the Middle Kingdom) has hit middle age. Psychosclerosis has set in. We do things the way we do them. And sometimes the changes we've made are a factor of the organization and its members aging. It was John's suggestion that attracting much of the 20-something crowd requires a certain degree of a fantasy element be allowed. That very element that has been so heavily discouraged in the SCA over the last decade or two - often by people who were originally attracted to it themselves. Now, I'm fond of authenticity. But I've eased into it. I started out in the Arthurian land of the idealized 14th century where everybody wore circlets, etc. I can see his point. And, while I'm not advocating satyr tails or Elvish names, sometimes fantasy is "Ivanhoe", or "Gawain and the Green Knight." Or more Victorian than strict authenticity.
Though it's as possible that John and I have reached the top of our "arc" with the SCA. If you read through the recently released survey from the BoD, the average "lifetime" in the SCA is 10 years. Which is what we're coming up on. We've reached the point where the newness has worn off and the bureaucracy is starting to be wearing. I've started to envy people close enough to participate in La Belle Compagnie. Or the group that Cherilyn is with. John would love to find a HEMA group close enough to join.
In other words - either sumpin's missin' - or we just don't fit.
We're also not the stereotypical SCAdians. Politically, religiously, and in many other ways, we're not that good a "fit" into the organization. And then there are the girls. Lets get down to Brass Tacks and admit that my children are not welcome in the SCA. I don't mean that there is specific "you're not wanted" noise - well, not usually. Spring RUM did lean rather heavily in that direction. The SCA in general is not that kid-friendly. Yes, there are activities. Sometimes. For some kids. Though they're really not designed that well for the kids. 17-year-olds fighting boffer? Eeeesh. 17-year-olds play football. I'd bet most of them cringe at the very idea of a boffer tournament. And either they yearn for their 18th birthday and being able to authorize - or they wander off and do something else. Or there are other "junior" level versions of adult activities. Nothing of their own, though. For the most part, we're in a bind where we can't really enjoy events as a family. It's an issue.
Now - we're not leaving the SCA. We're talking things over. There are commitments we have made. There are things we want to try to try to rekindle the desire to participate.
But we're also exploring other "lifestyles" - that is, hobbies that the girls ARE welcome in or that center on them.
(At the moment, I'm making a cake for a co-worker. In 90 degree weather. With no AC. It's entirely possible that this is coloring my opinion of the matter. Possibly more later)
