[Middlebridge] Dreams of a future SCA

I couldn't get Coley's last post out of my head, so here I am back at my
computer responding.

I have nothing against a large number of kingdoms. Heck, I remember when
Atenveldt (#4) was brand-new, so as far as I am concerned we *have* a large
number of kingdoms now (but maybe not enough).

But the idea of theme parks, huge numbers, and huge institutions does bother
me. The crisis of last year is just a hint of the kind of problems we might
have with lots of serious money sloshing around the organization(s).

I joined an organization where the members had to do everything, and having
10 events a year in a given kingdom was quite an accomplishment. I would not
care to belong to an organization which ran huge theme parks -- in fact, if I
was involved at all, it would be just as a cash customer, in the same way I
might go to Disney World. That's because this hypothetical big money
organization would treat me like a customer, not like a member.

The hoop-de-do about closing time at Pennsic this year bothered me a lot.
Not so much for the decision itself, which is both bad and illogical, but for
the offensive, condescending way that the autocrats talked to us about it.
Pennsic is something that I put a lot of work into in the early days. If
Fernando and I hadn't worked very hard at it, PW VI would have been the last
one and there would be no problem getting people to leave Cooper's Lake on
Tuesday. I don't need to be talked to like a child when I (like many others)
point out that leaving on Monday would mean a lot to our enjoyment, and that
getting people who won't leave then off the site is an entirely different
matter.

The bigger it gets, and the more money is involved, the more we will be
talkedd to nicely when we are potential customers, and like bums when we are
not ponying up.

What a downer! And I was just looking forward to my nice trip to Lilies War.
The thing that keeps me active is not fancy stuff, but the free creativity of
members, not customers. Those of you on the Calontir list have missed a
treat: representatives of the two "sides" have been goading each other in
Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, sonnets, sermons etc. in the best period
style and in great good humor. That's what makes the SCA worth while.

Finnvarr

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From: Steve Muhlberger <STEVEM@EINSTEIN.UNIPISSING.CA>
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Received on Fri Jun 9 15:55:41 1995