With the rise of campaigner adjuncts and some tactical events, I have heard too many people state their enthusiasm for attending an event primarily because someone charismatic or "cool" personality will be in attendance. "Hey did you here that ________ was going to be there? I need to sign up for that!"
Events should not be focused on "who's attending" and instead more focused on which events present history accurately, have the best organization, support preservation and promote the campaigner/LH movement.
Too often in the the adjunct announcements, a well known personality, usually someone with thousands of online posts and very little field time, will announce his attendance to some random mainstream event and then insist that his fraternity brothers follow him to the party and drive off the highway of historical truth and into a ravine of farbdom.
The adjunct pied piper will make a large and loud, multi-forum announcement that he has now deemed this event worthy of our attendance, then insists on a legion of followers and proceeds to make grandiose statements about seeking common ground, setting the example or he issues forth a Nostradamus like prophecy that the future of reenacting is doomed without your participation. It's total garbage. Designed to illicit a false, guilt ridden emotion, that you are against supporting "large" events or the future of the hobby.
Of course it's "his" event and real history becomes wallpaper. There is also too often NOTHING planned after everyone has arrived.
The personality game distracts from the true purpose of this hobby and that is to present history as accurately as possible and to support quality events. Anything sponsored by ONE dude, should not be on your calendar.
Each unit needs to create a good criteria for attending events, to include adjuncts. Ask critical questions like: "What are the scenarios and activities?" "Who is the support/sponsor?" "Will this experience add to my knowledge and skills?" "How will this event help my understanding of the historical event?" If the adjunct (or any event) has satisfied your selection criteria, then you have a very good reason to attend.
Basing your selection on a charismatic personality or because it's the "cool thing" to do, is a phony motivation for supporting any event. It's one reason that first person is rare and that many events turn into a giant social gathering. The primary purpose for attending ought to be the experience first and to recreate a historical atmosphere. Social needs and recognition would take a back seat.
If we prioritize the event standards over the "cult of personality" we can still have a good time, but we would have done something right and served the real needs of the living historian.
Events should not be focused on "who's attending" and instead more focused on which events present history accurately, have the best organization, support preservation and promote the campaigner/LH movement.
Too often in the the adjunct announcements, a well known personality, usually someone with thousands of online posts and very little field time, will announce his attendance to some random mainstream event and then insist that his fraternity brothers follow him to the party and drive off the highway of historical truth and into a ravine of farbdom.
The adjunct pied piper will make a large and loud, multi-forum announcement that he has now deemed this event worthy of our attendance, then insists on a legion of followers and proceeds to make grandiose statements about seeking common ground, setting the example or he issues forth a Nostradamus like prophecy that the future of reenacting is doomed without your participation. It's total garbage. Designed to illicit a false, guilt ridden emotion, that you are against supporting "large" events or the future of the hobby.
Of course it's "his" event and real history becomes wallpaper. There is also too often NOTHING planned after everyone has arrived.
The personality game distracts from the true purpose of this hobby and that is to present history as accurately as possible and to support quality events. Anything sponsored by ONE dude, should not be on your calendar.
Each unit needs to create a good criteria for attending events, to include adjuncts. Ask critical questions like: "What are the scenarios and activities?" "Who is the support/sponsor?" "Will this experience add to my knowledge and skills?" "How will this event help my understanding of the historical event?" If the adjunct (or any event) has satisfied your selection criteria, then you have a very good reason to attend.
Basing your selection on a charismatic personality or because it's the "cool thing" to do, is a phony motivation for supporting any event. It's one reason that first person is rare and that many events turn into a giant social gathering. The primary purpose for attending ought to be the experience first and to recreate a historical atmosphere. Social needs and recognition would take a back seat.
If we prioritize the event standards over the "cult of personality" we can still have a good time, but we would have done something right and served the real needs of the living historian.
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