Words and Hats

[jamesq]

Thanks to everyone for their feedback on the tri-cornered hat debate. Although calling it a debate is stretching my case way too far.

Part of my problem is language. If I hear someone say "We are going to ban X", then I expect that to mean "We're going to [forbid/prohibit/deprive you of] X". I'm getting the idea that what it actually means in an SCA context is "We're going to [condemn/disapprove of/curse] X".

In this way, it's like the ambiguity in the statement "God Hates Divorce". Does that mean "God Hates You for getting a divorce" or does it mean "God Hates Divorce because it really sucks for everyone involved" (Oh, and thank you Slacktivist, for that great analogy)

So if TRHs position is "Tri-corner hats are lazy and out-of-period, we disapprove of them and know that you can all do better with a little effort", then hey, I've got no problem with that. If they mean "You're getting escorted off the event site for wearing one" then I think they're out of line.

It's pretty much got to be the former because the latter is unworkable.

I still think 100% carrot and 0% stick would have been better though. But it seems I'm the only one who has issue with this. Lacking a tri-corner hat, I'll leave it be.

Comments

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[thekillerb69.livejournal.com]

Depends...some of us like the stick sometimes ;)

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[jamesq]

Ford stared at Arthur, and Arthur was astonished to find that his
will was beginning to weaken. He didn't realize that this was
because of an old drinking game that Ford learned to play in the
hyperspace ports that served the madranite mining belts in the
star system of Orion Beta.

The game was not unlike the Earth game called Indian Wrestling,
and was played like this:

Two contestants would sit either side of a table, with a glass in
front of each of them.

Between them would be placed a bottle of Janx Spirit (as
immortalized in that ancient Orion mining song "Oh don't give me
none more of that Old Janx Spirit/ No, don't you give me none
more of that Old Janx Spirit/ For my head will fly, my tongue
will lie, my eyes will fry and I may die/ Won't you pour me one
more of that sinful Old Janx Spirit").

Each of the two contestants would then concentrate their will on
the bottle and attempt to tip it and pour spirit into the glass
of his opponent - who would then have to drink it.

The bottle would then be refilled. The game would be played
again. And again.

Once you started to lose you would probably keep losing, because
one of the effects of Janx spirit is to depress telepsychic
power.

As soon as a predetermined quantity had been consumed, the final
loser would have to perform a forfeit, which was usually
obscenely biological.

Ford Prefect usually played to lose.

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[http://users.livejournal.com/_thwap_/]

It's crap like this that started my exodus from the SCA in the first place. Love the idea. Most of the peeps are cool. But those jackasses who comprise the BOD, amongst others ruined the whole thing for me. My hat is off to you for having the patience to deal with them.

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[ya-inga.livejournal.com]

Do you REALLY think that we meant "You're getting escorted off the event site for wearing one"?

REALLY?

Sheesh

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[jamesq]

Due to my recent injury, I briefly looked into getting a pistol-crossbow. Turns out they're banned in Canada. Meaning I could be arrested for possessing one. That's pretty much what that word means in Canada at this time.

So when Vik tells everyone that one particular type of hat is banned what was I supposed to think? He didn't say "we disapprove of these" - he said "they're banned".

Lets pretend for a moment that I'm an even bigger jerk then normal. I decide to show up at an event during your reign and I'm deliberately wearing a tri-corner hat (aside: I have no intention of doing this in the real world, this is just hypothetical). Aside from you and Vik thinking "what a retard", whats going to happen to me?

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[ya-inga.livejournal.com]

OH please. *rtolls eyes*

So you really think we'd be that much of jerks? That is sad.

"Aside from you and Vik thinking "what a retard", whats going to happen to me?"

We might come and pitch the "encourage you to be more perood in your pirate-y-ness" but this is a GAME for petesake.

Y'know every other soul we talked to got the intent and the toungue in cheekness of the (little b) ban. I stand mystified that you would actually think we would ask someone to leave because of a hat.... I somehow thought we knew each other better than that.

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[jamesq]

I'm actually not a dumb person. If I interpreted your words the way I did, you might want to consider, for just a moment, that the words you choose are the problem, rather then my interpretation of them.

An Tir is a big place. If you call for a ban, somebody is going to take the most obvious interpretation of that word and act on it, even if that's not your intent.

My recommendation is to be super clear when you make your official proclamation. "We disapprove of non-period pirate garb, especially tri-corner hats. Therefore we will reward any historically accurate portrayal of pirates with a Letter of Marque".

Just imagine how much better that will sound.

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[ya-inga.livejournal.com]

I never said you were dumb James. However since you appear to be the only person who has taken issue and no one actually affected by this proclaimation was at all vexed, I am rather inclined to feel that our message had the largely desired intent. You are the only person I have spoken to who took the word ban as you have BTW.

We are not dumb either - We had already every intention of tweaking the message to suit a broder audience when traveling outside of Avacal. We are quite familiar with the idea of pitching to the audience in front of us.

It's not exactly our first time to the rodeo : )

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[jamesq]

So there was nothing wrong with what was said in court, and I'm just a crackpot.

Good to know.

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[ishansonofbrand.livejournal.com]

It is a little unclear about who is affected by this proclamation, as my definition of period is a little different then yours.

My vexation is due to a lack of clarification, which should come in its due course.

I am also concerned when royalty use the B-word, or even the b-word.