Singing Potatoes
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Tuesday, 8 July 2003
Æquari pavet alta minori.

I'm always amused by people on SCA mailing lists who exhibit the pathological need to list the "alphabet soup" of titles after their names, as though it'll impress anyone or lend greater import to their words. Especially if they're Peers and feel the need include the lowest-level awards in their "Peerage track", on a mailing list composed only of other Peers.1

It never fails to make me think of Arnold J. Rimmer (BSc, SSc).

1 On a related note was the Laurel whom I heard fretting about whether she should wear her Maunche medallion along with her Laurel medallion, as she prepared to go out partying one evening at Pennsic. If the little pretend titles are that important to you, psychiatric care probably wouldn't be a bad idea.

Posted by godfrey (link)
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Comments
Is there a problem with that?
Lunchbox (FaT, OLd, LaZY)
Posted by Lunchbox on 9 Jul 2003 09:40
Why would someone bother sporting the little medallions unless they were prepared to start teaching whatever it is they're a laurel in at whatever party they were going to? I thought the whole point of the laurel thing was "Yo, I became an expert in my hobby, ask me how" and spreadin the love. Maybe she thought being an expert in basketweaving would increase her chances of getting laid?
Posted by Sarra on 10 Jul 2003 00:27
Oh, there's a whole bunch of different issues there. I doubt the "getting laid" thing was a factor in this particular case, because the Laurel in question had always been concerned about rank and awards as long as I'd known her — but at Pennsic, there definitely is a "Peer-chasing" factor (though it's usually Knights, Crowns and Royal Peers who are the primary prizes).

A lot of people feel that a Peer should always wear the medallion or white belt, so that people know who they are and can look up to them as perfect shining examples of what everyone should strive to be. (Which of course leads to disappointment when Peers turn out to be human too, but that's a whole different can of worms.)

In fact, there are some people (including some Peers) who assert that any Peer who doesn't wear his or her tokens of rank every single second, then he's trying to be a "Stealth Peer", or she's ashamed of her rank, or it's a sign he doesn't want to fulfill his duties, or whatever.

It's a funny little club.

Posted by Godfrey on 10 Jul 2003 06:58
I read those couple of posts too. She must have many things to do.
Posted by Lisa on 10 Jul 2003 07:33
Funny's probably not the word I'd use for our club, unless you mean like "Something smells funny in the fridge."
Posted by Lunchbox on 10 Jul 2003 09:02