Category: Philosophy

Filling The Cups, Or How To Be a Laurel

Philosophy

I was jokingly asked recently, “What are the five easy steps to become a Laurel?” Never one to miss an opportunity, I gave a serious answer, though I failed to limit myself to five. Here I shall try to recreate that answer. I preface this with the disclaimers that this is all my own opinion of what I look for in a candidate, and opinions about such things are widely variable. This also very much reflects my experience in Meridies, and its applicability outside those borders may be imperfect.

Knights often use a metaphor of cups representing virtues that must be filled so that, once combined, they fill the bucket of Knighthood. I am going to appropriate and redefine that metaphor for my own uses. Before trying to define the cups, we must first define what exactly the bucket is. Here I point the reader to my old post “What is the Laurel?” In short, I define the Laurel as a recognition of an artisan’s ability to teach and guide others toward the goal of recreating and understanding historical arts and sciences. With that in mind, we can begin to look at the cups needed to fill that bucket.

Prowess

To be able to teach a thing, you must first be able to do the thing. It is not necessary to achieve the highest levels of mastery to be an effective Laurel, but you must have enough skill and experience in your chosen field to guide others down the path. An easy way to display prowess is by presenting your work at A&S faires. There are other opportunities to display, teach, and showcase your talents, but faires are unique in that Laurels are on hand as judges to give close attention and detailed feedback.

Knowledge

As our goal is not only to make and do things skillfully, but also to recreate and explore the historical arts and sciences, it is important for a Laurel to have deep knowledge of the tools, techniques, methods, and materials used by our forebears. There is always more to know, new subjects to explore, and fresh research to seek out and examine. An effective Laurel is never satisfied with what they already know; they are constantly on the lookout for opportunities to learn and reexamine the things they think they are sure of. Like prowess, this can also be put on display at A&S faires, as well as by teaching classes or publishing in print or online.

Teaching

Unsurprisingly, a job whose primary function is being a teacher requires some skill doing just that. Teaching is an entirely separate skill layered on top of whatever thing it is you actually want to teach about, and it doesn’t come naturally to everyone. There are many ways to teach: large classes, workshops, one on one mentoring, how-to videos, anything that allows you to pass your knowledge and skill along to others. It takes practice to get it right, and even a seasoned teacher will need a couple of test runs when they start teaching a new subject or aspect of one they’ve taught before. As a Laurel trying to judge a candidate’s teaching ability, it helps if at least some of that teaching is in a public setting.

Humility

Being able to put others before yourself is an important and often difficult thing. Teaching is about educating the students, not the brilliance of the teacher. Mentoring should focus on the person being lifted up, not the one doing the lifting. Willingness to re-examine what you think you know helps avoid perpetuating bad information. Admitting your mistakes helps you move past them. All of these things are important for someone who seeks to be in a position of respect and leadership.

Wordfame

A Laurel is a resource that should be available to anyone looking for knowledge and advice. Usually they are a “go-to” person in their field. However, people can only go to you if they know who you are and what you do. Humility is a virtue, but any virtue taken to an extreme is detrimental. Don’t hide your light under a bushel; make yourself and your work visible so people know that you’re willing and able to share. Both travel and a strong online presence are helpful tools for achieving this.

Engagement

The flip side of wordfame is knowing who else is out there. Laurels are inevitably asked questions about things they have no knowledge of, and at those times it is very useful to know other artisans you can redirect those questions to. You may also have an opportunity to promote someone else, or to put two people in touch who would benefit from the connection. Get out and meet people outside your group, outside your field, outside your kingdom. Know who the movers and shakers are, both artisans and otherwise.

Communication

While it is tempting to lock yourself away in your shop or studio and focus on your work, it is part of a Laurel’s job to be able to effectively communicate with others. As mentioned above, teaching, mentoring, and networking are all part of the job, and all of these require a proficient communicator. Knowing what to say, when, and how require as much practice as any other skill. Empathy and active listening will help you know when you need to change your tack. You will need to be able to encourage the timid, rebuke the unruly, and advise the unsure, all without causing more problems than you solve.

Leadership

All Peers are leaders in their field, and in the SCA as a whole. Look for opportunities to create, support, and promote communities. This might take the form of a group project, a guild, or an office. A good leader can make a community into something greater than the sum of its parts. A leader must inspire confidence and trust in those they want to lead. Build a track record of good stewardship and participation in communities that you value so that when a leader is needed you’ll be ready to step in.

Wisdom

“To speak and to be silent… to do and to let be.” Recognizing the right time and way to take action is a subtle but important trick. Sometimes the right thing to do is nothing, or to make space for someone else to act.

Franchise

I have written at length in the past about this subject, but my personal interpretation of Franchise is confidence in the fact that you are worthy of your station; essentially the opposite of impostor syndrome. It must be tempered with a healthy dose of Humility, but as a teacher and a leader it is important to have trust in yourself so that others can feel comfortable placing their trust in you as well.

In Conclusion…

All of the things I have mentioned are important, but it is not necessary to fill every cup to the brim to be a good Laurel. Some things that are easy for one person are difficult for another, or vice versa. Personal circumstances or the specifics of your art may make it hard to teach or display or travel. The “soft skills” of communication and leadership may be daunting for the introverted. It’s a lot for one person to take on, and it may take years to fill those cups. Take your time, ask for help and advice when you need it, examine why you may feel blocked in one or another aspect of growth. It’s also okay to look at the responsibilities that come with the wreath of the Laurel and decide it’s not something that you want to take on. When we look at candidates we not only consider value they would bring to the kingdom, but also the burden that they would have to bear and whether they would be able to bear it better with more time to hone all the varied skills that are required. If this is the path you want to take, know that we want you to get to the end of it as much as you do.

Virtues: Humility

Philosophy, Uncategorized

When discussing virtues in the past, I have tended to gloss over Humility because it’s one of those things that seems obvious. However, I recently heard an explanation of Humility that was simple and elegant, and yet made it vastly easier to actually put this virtue into practice. Essentially, the description was “thinking of others before yourself”. It’s arguable that Humility is the most important virtue, since the entire purpose of having virtues is to promote right action within society; if you don’t think about the other members of that society you can’t even begin.

A quote from Cosimo I de Medici speaks to this:

amongst all the things relating to civil life and the good government of any prince or republic, modesty is most necessary and decorous, as it restrains human actions, and orders and moderates both the universal and public, as well as the domestic an private.

Often Humility is approached as a admonition against action: don’t talk about yourself, don’t show off. When deciding how to proceed in a given situation, however, what we need is guidance about how to act, as opposed to counsel toward inaction. If the expression of Humility is to act in a way that benefits others before oneself, it becomes a more useful guidepost.

Humility is an enabling virtue, providing a basis for Largesse, Compassion, Justice, Mercy, Loyalty, and others. It is by valuing others above the self that the value of these and the path toward them becomes clear. The root of “humility” is the Latin “humus”, meaning the earth or ground. To place oneself in the lowest place, eschewing concerns of one’s own position, enables the uplifting of others from a firm footing.

Likewise, Humility tempers — and is tempered in turn by — Franchise. As I have interpreted it in the past, Franchise is the acceptance of one’s station as being deserved, so that the power granted by that station can be effectively used. Humility is there to remind us that any power that comes from our position is to be used for the betterment of others, and not simply for further self-aggrandizement. Conversely, all of our energy must not be spent on others at the expense of ourselves, and Franchise is there to remind us of this. This seeming contradiction is yet another situation where two virtues must be held in dynamic equilibrium for greatest effectiveness.

Virtues: Loyalty and Justice

Philosophy

I recently posted about my realization that the word “loyal” comes from the same root as “legal”, growing through the feudal era where law and personal obligation were closely intertwined. This led me to contemplate how the virtue of Loyalty might be applied in balance with another virtue: Justice.

As usual, let us come up with some working definitions. Loyalty, in this case, is allying oneself with others in a organization defined by rules: a nation, a club, a family. Loyalty of this sort is key to the functioning of society, the binding force that makes “e pluribus unum” happen. Justice as a personal virtue is creating and maintaining fairness and equity when you encounter injustice in the world around you.

In an ideal world, these two precepts would not come into conflict. However, in an ideal world, guiding principles would not be necessary at all. In practice, the hierarchy of any organization is prone to corruption by Greed, Cowardice, Wrath, and other vices. The equity that should flow naturally from a well ordered society is lost, and it falls to the individual to right the wrongs that the system does not address.

Now in this non-ideal situation, the easy path is to choose one virtue over the other and stick to it. Loyalty dictates that the structure of society must be maintained, despite its flaws, to avoid falling into chaos. Justice leads one to do what is right in spite of — and sometimes in opposition to — the flawed system. The former path perpetuates injustice, while the latter is inefficient, uneven, and hard to sustain. Those who dig in and maintain Loyalty to an unjust status quo often end up on the wrong side of history despite their best efforts and good intentions. A rebellion in search of Justice that intends to secure its gains must inevitably create a new system to replace the old. This new system will face the same challenges, and the cycle will begin anew.

So what is the middle path between Loyalty and Justice? Those who truly seek to fix an unjust system must work within it, not simply against it. Those who seek to maintain order must work to root out corruption and create justice where it has been lost. This is the hard work of governance and leadership, unheroic and neverending. It is a place of small victories and uncomfortable compromises, but it is work that must be done if we want to live in a society that we can truly be proud of.

Virtues: Hope and Fear

Philosophy

Some time ago I wrote about the virtues of Faith and Reason and the dynamic tension between the two. Consider now another application of these concepts: Hope and Fear. Again, let us begin with a working definition, this time building upon the aforementioned Virtues. Hope and Fear may both be seen as expressions of Faith: Hope is Faith that things can get better, while Fear is Faith that things can get worse. Each of these may be tempered by application of Reason.

Both Hope and Fear serve a valuable purpose, each in their own way. Hope allows us to move forward in the face of adversity, while Fear guides us away from danger. However, each can lead us astray if not examined through the lens of Reason. Hope entices us to buy a lottery ticket, while Reason reminds us that the odds of winning are vanishingly small. Likewise, the Fear that cautions us against flying may be assuaged by applying Reason to the actual likelihood of being involved in a plane crash.

As in other cases of opposing Virtues, the best path lies in the middle ground between the two. A life without Hope is a life without ambition, while a life without Fear is liable to end in avoidable disaster. Both Hope and Fear are easy for the unscrupulous to stoke in others, creating believable possibilities that elicit emotional responses. It is therefore wise to be vigilant against being misled — whether by others or by own own imaginations — by presenting the shield of Reason against a Faith that may be misplaced.

Make More Friends

Philosophy

Today’s post is not aimed at people who are new to the SCA, but those of us who have been around a while, especially Peers. It’s good to make yourself available to new people, and obviously I am a big fan of that. But we also can’t put all the responsibility for making contact on their shoulders. We need to take the time and initiative to seek out new people and make them feel like they are part of the community.

This doesn’t only apply to new people. There are probably people in the SCA that you’ve seen for years and never talked to. Maybe they fight and you don’t, or they’re part of a big household. Talk to them anyway. The more our various social circles overlap, the more we become one big “us” with no “them”.

This also doesn’t apply only at events. Be active with your local group at meetings and practices, and talk to people you don’t know. The more connections we all have, the more we’re able to look out for each other and share our fun.

Virtues: Faith and Reason

Philosophy

While all Chivalric virtues are best expressed in balance with one or more others, the two that are most closely bound are Faith and Reason. First let us create working definitions for these: Faith is the belief in an idea without the need for evidence, while Reason is the examination of an idea through logic and facts. It is easy to see how these two concepts so easily come into conflict with each other.

Let us take as an example having an officer position to fill in your local SCA group. There is an energetic young candidate that you feel could be a good fit, but they have no experience. Listening to Reason alone may cause you to pass up someone with great potential, while Faith may lead you to overlook important flaws. Here the tension between the the Virtues is about the ability to take risks. Without Faith, one cannot take risk, while without Reason those risks will too often result in disaster.

I have faith in my knowledge of costuming and dance. I can make garments I have studied quickly and consistently, and I can teach the dances in my repertoire at the drop of a hat. However, I often go back and look at the sources again, and sometimes I find that my memory has shifted from what is really there, or there is new evidence that has been published or that I failed to see before. Faith allows me to be productive without second guessing myself at every turn, while Reason keeps me from unwittingly propagating bad information.

As a final exercise, let us consider our relationships with others. We make decisions about people, both friends and enemies, and it is easy to leave them in those categories once they are placed there. We have Faith in our ability to judge the character of others. However, a friend may change, or show previously hidden flaws, and that friendship may need to be re-evaluated. Likewise someone we decided not to place among our friends may also warrant another look, either because they have changed or because there we failed to see what was already there. Reason tells us to look for new information and update our assumptions regularly, though Faith keeps us from being exhausted by constant revision of our social groups.

Balance, as usual, is the place where we should strive to remain, even though it requires the most effort and mindfulness. Check in with yourself from time to time. Look at things with new eyes or let go of the reins for a bit and trust that you are going the right way.

A Heirarchy of Equals

Philosophy

I only realized it after putting it to use in a professional setting, but one of the most important things I learned from the SCA was how to operate in a “hierarchy of equals”. That is to say that there is a clear structure to the organization, and yet also an understanding that we are all really at the same level, working together toward a common goal. When done right, one can defer to those above them without demeaning themselves, and likewise operate from a position of authority without making those below feel lesser.

In a Society where one’s position in the structure of the group may have no bearing on one’s age or life experience, it is often the case that those below you in rank may have great wisdom if you keep yourself open to it. Likewise, those in positions of power may have less training or experience than they would like. If they ask for help or advice, view this as courage and not weakness.

If we celebrate those who go before us and encourage those who come after, we will all be lifted together. New people entering such an environment are easily drawn into the steadily rising current, buoying those who came before them. This mindset has served me well for the many years I have been in the SCA, and keeps me going even now.

Verbal Calibration

Philosophy

One of the unique things about the SCA is the way we conduct our combat: deciding whether a blow is struck true or not is primarily the job of the one receiving it. Furthermore, whether that blow is too light or too hard is also the decision of the fighter on the receiving end. Of these two extremes, let us concern ourselves with the latter, as a shot called light is a question of victory, while a shot too hard is a question of safety.

It is incumbent upon the one who strikes the blow to have good calibration, and to err on the side of caution. Perhaps your opponent is from another Kingdom, or inexperienced, or wears lighter armor than the people you are used to fighting. As Meridians, particularly, we take pride in hitting as light as we can, though as hard as we must. That said, it is always better to stop the fight and talk about the situation than to simply start cranking up the power. Maybe a piece of armor is new or out of place, or an old sword has lost its sting.

These considerations are nothing new to veterans of the field, or even to those who watch from the sidelines. Consider also, then, that words are no less weapons than rattan, and their weight can only truly be decided by those that hear them. Just as an honorable fighter cannot tell someone that a blow was not too hard, the one who speaks cannot judge whether offense taken is justified or not.

Verbal calibration is as important as what we do on the field, if not more so. Just as we may fight differently in a local practice versus a far away event, or change calibration for an inter-kingdom war, so it is with words. Your friends may enjoy innuendo, off-color jokes, or playful insults, but the same interactions are not appropriate with an acquaintance or a stranger, and will often cause offense even though no true ill intent was meant.

Words also have greater range than swords; it is much easier for them to strike an unintended target. A fighter who disregards the edge of the list field and stumbles into the crowd is a danger to all. Even when fighting pickups in your backyard it is important to maintain awareness of your surroundings, if only for your own safety.

Finally, the thing we learn early, that we teach to our youngest children, is that anyone can call HOLD. Knight or newcomer, King or commoner, when something is unsafe we all have a duty and responsibility to call it out. It is not something to be taken lightly by the one saying it, for all who hear will stop what they are doing and look around to find the problem. If we are close to the source of the issue, we help as we can. Otherwise, we watch and wait until things are resolved.

All of this is to say that we are, at our best, a Society built on the concept of Honor, which may only stand on a foundation of Compassion and Mercy, Forebearance and Prudence. Let us remember this in our conversations as much as in our combat.

Virtues: Mercy

Philosophy

The virtue that is on my mind today is Mercy. Mercy is the child of Temperance and Compassion; when the virtues of Chivalry are seen as a system of behavior for the powerful, it is one of the most important aspects.

Some opportunities to display Mercy are obvious, while others are harder to see. Mercy is pulling a shot when your opponent is defenseless. It is forgiving one who has wronged you. It is not taking all that you can so that there is enough for all.

At its heart, Mercy is not exploiting an advantage that you have over another, whether that advantage was earned or a product of circumstance. We all have opportunities every day to show Mercy. It is easy to know what words will hurt another, where their wounds and weaknesses lie. With our friends it is easy to ignore these, for Compassion toward our friends is second nature. With strangers there is greater temptation: a driver trying to merge, a shopper eyeing the same bolt of fabric, a poorly considered fashion choice. In these cases Mercy requires a conscious choice to take or keep what we see as ours, or to seek humor at the expense of others. Harder still to show Mercy to those who we actively dislike, or who we feel have done us harm. We feel superior, or filled with righteous indignation. But what value is there in superiority, what truth to our righteousness if we spend our moral coin on vengeance and insult?

It is easy to attack the weak, the other, the absent. But do our ideals not tell us to defend the weak, to offer hospitality to the stranger, to show Honor in our words and deeds when no one is there to see? Show your strength by showing Mercy.

The Passing of Legends

Philosophy

This is a sorrowful time, as we feel the loss of those who built the Society, who birthed Kingdoms, who can be said without hyperbole to be legendary. As I read the remembrances of others, I find some common threads among the tales of those giants who have walked among us.

For all that it seems that we lionize prowess, it is, in the end, the sacrifices of service that are remembered, and that have the greatest effect on the most people. They sacrifice time and energy to teach others, to lead and inspire, to be where they must be and do what they must do. They sacrifice the freedom to act as they will so that they can be examples to others.

It was said to me once by some wise people that there is a point in everyone’s journey in the Society where one transitions from experiencing the magic to making the magic happen. It can be a hard transition, and the more one sees behind the curtain the more opportunities there are for disillusionment. It is important, I think, to help others traverse this time by teaching them the love of service that makes it possible for all of us to stay and thrive.

For those who are only taking the first steps on this journey (and even those who have many steps behind them already), take note also that these legends were no different than you or I when they began. They all had faults and weaknesses, struggles and failures. There is no inherent gift that separates us, nothing that stands in the way of us following their footsteps and filling their shoes. Indeed, it falls to all of us to find the paths they blazed and become the legends that those who follow us can look up to.

I share the sadness caused by the losses of these great people, but I am heartened by the fact that we, as a Society, are a place where such people can be found, in a world where greatness is often hard to come by.