Tired of the same old invective?

October 5, 2002 3:44 PM

Tired of the same old invective? Looking for a fresh source of conflict, namecalling, and finger pointing? Fear not: the Routiers (an Aussie historical recreation group) lay into the Society for Creative Anachronism. Merry japes ensue. And, a pig.
posted by maudlin (8 comments total)

i found that so depressing¹. i know that, deep down inside, we all want to be better than someone else. but being better than someone else at dressing up in 17th century clothing? i know, i really shouldn't think this - everything is relative, why should what i'm good at (if anything) be more important? etc etc. i'd like to say that they're begging this kind of criticism by laughing at someone else. but then, aren't i doing the same? see why i'm depressed?

¹i don't mean it's a bad link!
posted by andrew cooke at 4:05 PM on October 5, 2002

"CORPORATE RULES FOR RAPIER COMBAT IN THE SOCIETY FOR CREATIVE ANACHRONISM, INCORPORATED
. . .
F. A good blow to the foot or leg will disable the leg. The fighter must then fight kneeling, sitting, or standing on one leg."
After all, it's only a flesh wound.
posted by SimStupid at 4:21 PM on October 5, 2002

Well, while not a double post the same discussion applies as for the Civil War Reenactors. It seems to be an unfortunate feature of geekdom in general that everybody thinks they are better and less geeky than other forms of geeks. Different reenactment groups are different things for different people, and there are so many fascinating (?) subcultures. I prefer the SCA despite often being labelled an authenticity nazi because I think it's funny to wear a fuzzy sheep backpack with my full Elizabethans. (You should see how many men in kilts said backpack attracts!)
posted by kate_fairfax at 5:46 PM on October 5, 2002

Well, I'm a lapsed SCAdian myself and took the Routiers with good cheer. (I have a soft spot for Aussies, too). Back when I was a regular at Pennsic, I had no problem with events like Eoforwic's beer, beans and corn night -- complete with many loud renditions of Barrett's Privateers -- being held just down the road from The Enchanted Ground.

(But how does a sheepskin backpack make you an authenticity nazi? Wouldn't that make you a Fun Maven instead?)
posted by maudlin at 5:59 PM on October 5, 2002

No, no, no, it's the obsessive Elizabethan costuming. The backpack is what makes it funny (kind of like lining your doublet with flannel plaid, or ordering pizza delivered to a meticulously correct Roman encampment.
posted by kate_fairfax at 6:11 PM on October 5, 2002

My limited experience with SCA types clearly showed that there are two subtypes -- those who enter into it with ha-ha only serious attitude, and those who enter it with just plain serious attitude (wherein serious is not only the attitude they are adopting, but an intensifier). The latter, especially, seemed to predominate at any political level, and there was all sorts of folderol surrounding the hierarchy.

The ones I knew were indeed heavily influenced in terms of tone and approach by D&D and Tolkien, but it's not something that I saw them get away with at gatherings, partly because there were indeed too many authenticity police.
posted by dhartung at 11:24 PM on October 5, 2002

As a lapsed SCAdian myself, I found said merry japes amusing. (I think anyone who hasn't been there would just be saying "Huh?.") I would point out, though, that there is an incredible range of people in the SCA, from those who are just as expertly medieval as the Routiers, to those who just want an excuse to wear funny clothes while drinking and flirting. Admittedly, there are much more of the latter...
posted by tdismukes at 12:18 PM on October 6, 2002

tdismukes: I found said merry japes amusing.

Yes, from what I've seen of SCA get-togethers, these barbs found their mark. (I've never been SCA myself; I found the entire thing just too unbearably silly.) And it looks like the Routiers people have some sense of humor about themselves, which is more than I can say for a good portion of the SCA'ers.
posted by deadcowdan at 6:20 AM on October 7, 2002