msmemory_archive (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
msmemory_archive) wrote2007-09-28 03:44 pm
msmemory_archive) wrote2007-09-28 03:44 pm
Recruitment vs high standards
This is a half-developed notion. I have this theory percolating around my brain that the SCA's recent higher standards in many areas are in fact a barrier to recruiting new members.
Thinking back, when I joined the SCA, it was very much a do-it-yourself group. Nobody minded if you made a polyester velour tunic, or made a surcoat out of brocade curtains from a yard sale. We all politely ignored the pickle bucket armor, webbing folding chairs, and nylon tents, instead collectively imagining ourselves lords and ladies in samite and fur, living in bright pavilions, sitting on thrones. College students, young adults, and the poor could feel welcome, for their fantasy was just as good as anyone else's.
These days, all the trappings are available to anyone with enough money. You want turnshoes, sheepskin bedding, snowy linen robes, shiny armour? Just plunk down enough dollars and Poof! instant status. That random 19-year-old scholarship student, who would have been a shabby but respected herald in 1982? Well, now he's just shabby.
We've recreated class differences, and based them on modern incomes. No wonder we aren't bringing in or retaining the peripheral, young, or poor members who historically have been the SCA's lifeblood.
ETA: I'm not claiming innocence here either: I am at least as guilty as most of spending my "look! no kids!" income on finery while that early garb molders in the attic.
Thinking back, when I joined the SCA, it was very much a do-it-yourself group. Nobody minded if you made a polyester velour tunic, or made a surcoat out of brocade curtains from a yard sale. We all politely ignored the pickle bucket armor, webbing folding chairs, and nylon tents, instead collectively imagining ourselves lords and ladies in samite and fur, living in bright pavilions, sitting on thrones. College students, young adults, and the poor could feel welcome, for their fantasy was just as good as anyone else's.
These days, all the trappings are available to anyone with enough money. You want turnshoes, sheepskin bedding, snowy linen robes, shiny armour? Just plunk down enough dollars and Poof! instant status. That random 19-year-old scholarship student, who would have been a shabby but respected herald in 1982? Well, now he's just shabby.
We've recreated class differences, and based them on modern incomes. No wonder we aren't bringing in or retaining the peripheral, young, or poor members who historically have been the SCA's lifeblood.
ETA: I'm not claiming innocence here either: I am at least as guilty as most of spending my "look! no kids!" income on finery while that early garb molders in the attic.
;-)
I do know lot of good people in your barony too (ms. memory and her husband justin, heather, crisovau, other whose names I just cant remember) and I am not saying the aforementioned in the previous post tarred people are bad either. they just prefer to play differently. Your Baron would have a heart attack if he were to go to every Stonemarche event... lets be honest! ;-)
but if this can turn off a large group of people in generality, some of these things might also be a contributor to why new college people dont want to join in such droves. Too much like school just is not as fun to one who is still in it. As a few of carolingia members of old have pointed out in this discussion the atmosphere is different now then back then... how that can be fixed I dont know. But its not just there... its in stonemarche too.
but trying to get it back to the original...
Even up here I have started to see the push towards having to have to finery, keep up with the neighbors, get the fancy awards, get everyone to become peers in training... not saying any of this is bad in any one aspect... but put a lot of it together and it gets exhausting and the proclivity of certain peoples to over extend their advice and comments and behind the scenes political power plays. And up here it has even degenerated into some really bad feelings amongst various group members.
this has caused a downturn in established and useful group members, and not enough competent willing people to take over which again causes its own strife.
This is one of the things that bogged down the UNH group is no one competent willing to run it for many years.
But things ms memory is saying are things i have mentioned in the past, at least to her husband at some point, so I am glad she brought it up for discussion. Its a very good discussion no matter where you are.
Re: ;-)
And I know plenty of good ones in your barony :-)
>proclivity of certain peoples to over extend their advice and comments
I think that it is usually meant in a good way. Sometimes I think it may be an overreaction to those "nobody talked to me" comments we also get from time to time.
>behind the scenes political power plays.
Uggh. I hate politics. I just want to play with my friends.
>so I am glad she brought it up for discussion. Its a very good discussion no matter where you >are.
Yes!