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Size matters? (SCA)
Jan. 15th, 2010 05:25 pmIt is a distinct possibility that a portion of the problems (as I see them) we have here are related to two things:
First - the size of the Kingdom. In conversation with someone from a smaller Kingdom not long ago I asked "Do you have a 100-mile rule for events?" The response - "Not formally. We just try not to be assholes to each other."
Hmmmm. I note a few too many people who seem to absolutely glory in being assholes to certain other people or groups. Dad likes to say that most of the regulations in the Navy are written in blood. A flip through Kingdom Law gives one the distinct impression that a lot of THOSE are written in angst, if you will. Now, a fair few of them get utterly ignored. Some are obeyed in letter, if not in spirit. Frequently dependent on who is on the Curia and whether they care to pay attention to certain "small matters" or not.
Add to this, that with a large group of people, chances are you don't run into and therefore don't know folks on the other side of the Kingdom. Which leads to a We/They mentality.
Second - Yet another SCA aphorism is that the West Kingdom is the Kingdom of the Book (Corpora above all, as laid down by the illustrious ancestors), while the East Kingdom is the Kingdom of the Word (The King's word is law, if you don't like it, well, wait till the next reign.)
The Middle Kingdom - is the Kingdom that Bows to Furniture. Now, part of this is a disparaging remark about the Custom of offering reverence to the Royal Presence, whether Royal Butts occupy it or not at any given moment. But, more deeply, it marks out or "national character," if you will. That tendency to pay homage to tradition (sometimes in the face of utter contradiction of Corpora - Squire's Chains, anyone?) and worship it without ever stopping to think about it. The reaction is knee-jerk, ingrained, and generally has taken root in a newbie by their 3rd year of participation.
One major facet of this is resistance to change. Any kind of change. (How many Midrealmers does it take to change a lightbulb? Change? CHANGE? That was Cariadoc's lightbulb!!!) This is the only rational explanation for the rabid attempts to suppress each Principality that has ever made its painful way to independence from it.
What's rather amusing is that some of this made it into Kingdom Law - but the reasons for it lost so to the mists of time that no one pays any attention whatever.
F'rinstance, at one time officers, champions, etc were prohibited to any regional entity not listed in the seneschallorum. Which allowed the name of "Northshield" to be banned, and prevented it having it's own officers. Notably, other prinicipalites had, at various times, held "regional champion" tournaments - that ammounted to a Coronet List in all but name. Any attempt at "regionalism" was stamped out. Firmly. It just refused to stay stamped.
There also seems to be a knee-jerk anti-Pentamere sentiment. I suspect (with no good reason, just suspicion) that this dates back to a time when a lot of Royalty came out of Pentamere. There was a lot of grousing, whining, and complaining about why 12th Night was always held here.
That's changed. I'm not sure our neighbors to the south are quite aware of just what a hit Michigan has taken in this Depression. I know, everybody's had it rough. But Michigan's unemployment rate dropped to a mere 14.5% last month. I think sustainability will be an issue for some of the smaller groups. So many of our citizens have left to find work.
I would hope we see a little coalescing, to counteract the recent trend to creating ever more small groups at the expense of their neighbors. And don't even get me started on Households. From what I've seen, they're almost without exception divisive, cliquish, pointless, and drain the energy of local groups. When they're not trying to set up a competing group outright. (Which, again, while prohibited by the letter of the law, seems to happen rather often when close attention is not paid. Or possibly, the right questions are not asked of the right people).
Anywho - more brain blobs have thus fallen out. Comment or not, an it please thee.
First - the size of the Kingdom. In conversation with someone from a smaller Kingdom not long ago I asked "Do you have a 100-mile rule for events?" The response - "Not formally. We just try not to be assholes to each other."
Hmmmm. I note a few too many people who seem to absolutely glory in being assholes to certain other people or groups. Dad likes to say that most of the regulations in the Navy are written in blood. A flip through Kingdom Law gives one the distinct impression that a lot of THOSE are written in angst, if you will. Now, a fair few of them get utterly ignored. Some are obeyed in letter, if not in spirit. Frequently dependent on who is on the Curia and whether they care to pay attention to certain "small matters" or not.
Add to this, that with a large group of people, chances are you don't run into and therefore don't know folks on the other side of the Kingdom. Which leads to a We/They mentality.
Second - Yet another SCA aphorism is that the West Kingdom is the Kingdom of the Book (Corpora above all, as laid down by the illustrious ancestors), while the East Kingdom is the Kingdom of the Word (The King's word is law, if you don't like it, well, wait till the next reign.)
The Middle Kingdom - is the Kingdom that Bows to Furniture. Now, part of this is a disparaging remark about the Custom of offering reverence to the Royal Presence, whether Royal Butts occupy it or not at any given moment. But, more deeply, it marks out or "national character," if you will. That tendency to pay homage to tradition (sometimes in the face of utter contradiction of Corpora - Squire's Chains, anyone?) and worship it without ever stopping to think about it. The reaction is knee-jerk, ingrained, and generally has taken root in a newbie by their 3rd year of participation.
One major facet of this is resistance to change. Any kind of change. (How many Midrealmers does it take to change a lightbulb? Change? CHANGE? That was Cariadoc's lightbulb!!!) This is the only rational explanation for the rabid attempts to suppress each Principality that has ever made its painful way to independence from it.
What's rather amusing is that some of this made it into Kingdom Law - but the reasons for it lost so to the mists of time that no one pays any attention whatever.
F'rinstance, at one time officers, champions, etc were prohibited to any regional entity not listed in the seneschallorum. Which allowed the name of "Northshield" to be banned, and prevented it having it's own officers. Notably, other prinicipalites had, at various times, held "regional champion" tournaments - that ammounted to a Coronet List in all but name. Any attempt at "regionalism" was stamped out. Firmly. It just refused to stay stamped.
There also seems to be a knee-jerk anti-Pentamere sentiment. I suspect (with no good reason, just suspicion) that this dates back to a time when a lot of Royalty came out of Pentamere. There was a lot of grousing, whining, and complaining about why 12th Night was always held here.
That's changed. I'm not sure our neighbors to the south are quite aware of just what a hit Michigan has taken in this Depression. I know, everybody's had it rough. But Michigan's unemployment rate dropped to a mere 14.5% last month. I think sustainability will be an issue for some of the smaller groups. So many of our citizens have left to find work.
I would hope we see a little coalescing, to counteract the recent trend to creating ever more small groups at the expense of their neighbors. And don't even get me started on Households. From what I've seen, they're almost without exception divisive, cliquish, pointless, and drain the energy of local groups. When they're not trying to set up a competing group outright. (Which, again, while prohibited by the letter of the law, seems to happen rather often when close attention is not paid. Or possibly, the right questions are not asked of the right people).
Anywho - more brain blobs have thus fallen out. Comment or not, an it please thee.
