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SCA?

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Eva de Carduus Weald:
Not feisty so much as wanting to make it clear that it isn't a simple matter of if you don't fight you are weak or a coward, if you fight you obviously will make a good king. I understand it is a simple metric to work from however, it is a little too simple in my opinion and leaves a huge chunk of people out. If we are going to talk fair, this is not.

As far as people wanting to be king/queen who aren't fighters, why wouldn't they? Again, a war or battle is about more than people hitting each other, if that were all it took why do we need generals? It is about planning and strategy, it is about looking beyond the immediate. Granted I have never been to an SCA war but honestly how different is it? If it is just two sides smashing into each other then that is a very small war, and rather overly simple.

As I said, I will never have the funds nor the time to be Queen. I have no interest in the job as I see it as a responsibility and one that takes a lot to do well. Saying that, I personally know some people who would make awesome rulers but who simply do not wish to fight. Note I said do not wish to, I doubt very much that choice is always going to based in weakness or cowardliness.

Ian:
I think what's going on here is that you guys are looking at this issue from wildly different perspectives.  A king and queen in the SCA aren't really analogous in responsibility to a real king or queen in a real monarchy.  Eva and Jericho, it seems like you're both looking at this from a realistic perspective of Kings and Queens.

Within the context of the SCA, their system works and makes sense.  There are plenty of opportunities to reach high level positions in the SCA without fighting.  The Orders of the Laurel and Pelican for example.

The titles within the SCA are confusing for someone used to the terms as they are used in the real world.  A duke in real life is subordinate to a king.  In the SCA a duke is just the title used to denote a person who has been king more than once. 

You have to look at their system within the context of the SCA and its culture, not by comparing it to the real world requirements for good leaders or combatants.  It will just confuse the issue.

Eva de Carduus Weald:
Ah you might be right. I suppose my perspective might also be highly biased purely based on ignorance. If the whole purpose of the King is dealing with being seen, being seen fighting, and dealing with the fighters then yes it makes sense.

I completely agree that there are other groups as you mentioned, the Laurels and the Pelicans. There are also the Storms in my own Barony. All are very high ranking members. I think more I just figured the King/Queen had a purpose outside of fighting, and helped actually manage the entire Kingdom.

Thank you for explaining this Sir Ian, that helps.

Ian:

--- Quote from: Eva de Carduus Weald on 2014-08-20, 17:19:00 ---I think more I just figured the King/Queen had a purpose outside of fighting, and helped actually manage the entire Kingdom.

--- End quote ---

They do do that to an extent as far as I know.  They are also responsible for a lot of ceremonial aspects in the kingdom.  But you have to understand, the SCA is largely a combat-centric society.  While the SCA offers tons of opportunity for non-combatants, the fighting is just a huge portion of the SCA culture.  A bulk of the events, while supporting the other features and outlets within the SCA usually revolve around a war, or skirmish etc.  Because of that cultural paradigm, the SCA as chosen to draw it's leadership from its central activity.  It doesn't mean they are the best leaders, or even good ones in the real-world sense of the word.  They may be, but what they all are, are good SCA fighters, and that's how the SCA has chosen to go about it.

Sir William:
Sometimes the SCA reminds me of WoW - large amounts of people role-playing, interacting w/one another at events and going on quests, dressing up and adopting a different style.  A really huge game w/a lot of participants that can get complex at times.

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