Have we gone soft?

[Johnny Lloyd]

Re: Have we gone soft?

Oh my gawd!!!!

Just do mainstream reenacting if you want to hang out around the camp fire and drink beer and talk about who knows what. I left the mainstream side of the hobby because that's all that it was. PERIOD! Guys wanted to play soldier from 2:00 - 3:00 in the afternoon to burn their powder. Other than that they wanted to talk and drink.

If that is what this is turning into, then I might as well camp out in my back yard because it's a hell of a lot cheaper!

Remember that we are doing this hobby to live the life of a ACW soldier for the weekend. If that isn't what you signed up for I hear that the Blue Grey Alliance guys are still needing more recruits.

There is a way to have period correct down time like Andy mentioned previously on this thread. Nothing wrong with that and nothing more to read into it. That does not automatically mean we slack off or go regressive and lurch the opposite direction.

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: Have we gone soft?

As a counterpoint to all this bellyaching, I'll give you two words:

LOST TRIBES!

Yeah, yeah... 8 years ago... but it was awesome! First person out the wazoo. I ran my butt off all weekend. I think Eric Fair still weeps softly into his pillow at night when he thinks of the Ubben pipe he lost that weekend.

Holler and the Hairy Nation Boys are the real deal.

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?131-The-Lost-Tribes-October-2-4-2009

[Johnny Lloyd]

Re: Have we gone soft?

"To Prevent the Effusion of Blood" Ft. Sumter immersion event- Jan 2011

I learned a LOT from this event how the historical events of Dec 1860 really went down and the emotions that went on with the original circumstances... sadness, excitement, fear... a country was melting apart, another country was being born, and tension ran high. That was Firper the whole way with few modern moments to disturb us from Th-Sun, IIRC.

"Want to keep people from leaving an event, surround them with water..." - Thomas Gingras

;)

[ohpkirk]

Re: Have we gone soft?

The pool we are drawing from for events are soft, no change in scenario will fix that....

This softness includes melting when it rains, an inability to comprehend drill, incorporating modernity into the event, and not wanting to interpret the common soldier any deeper than the clothes on their back.

[Johnny Lloyd]

Re: Have we gone soft?

The pool we are drawing from for events are soft, no change in scenario will fix that....

This softness includes melting when it rains, an inability to comprehend drill, incorporating modernity into the event, and not wanting to interpret the common soldier any deeper than the clothes on their back.

Could this be not just because of softer generations, but of the attrition of the hobby in the post-150ths? I mean, with less guys, there is usually less drill opportunity and less cohesion in units. Precisely what the hobby needs these days, according to this thread...

[PogueMahone]

Re: Have we gone soft?

Johnny,

You aren't advancing this discussion.

[Lucky]

Re: Have we gone soft?

Wauhatchie 17. Blakeley 19. Shut up and make it happen.

[Lucky]

Re: Have we gone soft?

Some people need to understand that there is a process with everything. You want it perfect? Help make it so.

[Silas]

Re: Have we gone soft?

Moderator voice says, "keep it constructive without the name calling, folks" or maybe just, "play nice."

[Johnny Lloyd]

Re: Have we gone soft?

Johnny,

You aren't advancing this discussion.

Why is that so Joe, because I won't necessarily see eye to eye with you on everything?

Pray tell... I'm all ears. Please direct this discussion in a constructive manner the way you see fit.

Honestly, you've had some good points so far but there's more than one perspective.

I agree with Silas... don't make it personal. I have not done so with you and do value your opinion.

Now... back to concrete and operative things we can do to police ourselves and make better events/better examples of ourselves for others in the hobby as leadership setting the standard.

[Dale Beasley]

Re: Have we gone soft?

Its not Farbs or Mainstream Events that damage The Campaign Community....its the internet.

[NMVolunteer]

Re: Have we gone soft?

Could this be not just because of softer generations, but of the attrition of the hobby in the post-150ths? I mean, with less guys, there is usually less drill opportunity and less cohesion in units. Precisely what the hobby needs these days, according to this thread...

As someone from that "softer generation", I certainly love to drill, and I was excited when it rained because it gave me an opportunity to finally wear my gum blanket/poncho. I cannot speak for authentic groups, as there are none that I am aware of in New Mexico. However, the two major mainstream groups here do not drill because their membership has not significantly changed since they formed. The members know and trust each other, and the rare new member gets thrown into a crash course of drill the morning of an event. If they look sloppy, only they (and the occasional observers) know.

The local NPS unit drills once or more per month, because they have an incentive to do so. The safety officer wants participants to be familiar with black powder, muskets, and artillery before participants do anything around visitors. The manual of arms is bilingual (for the Hispanos in the New Mexico volunteer regiments), so regular drill creates muscle memory reactions for those who do not understand Spanish. And the participants include seasonal rangers who are regularly rotated from one park to another, so drill is essential for preparing new people. Even if it is just three volunteers and a ranger running through the manual of arms for an hour on a Saturday morning, it is better than not drilling at all. I wonder if the authentic groups back East can find similar ways to create incentives for drill.

Michael Denisovich

[PvtHull48thovi]

Re: Have we gone soft?

It seems to me that once again, people are missing what this hobby is made up of. People. People who live in 2017. Yes. I'm all for some more authentic events. With that being said. Event organizers need to fully explain what an event entails before someone drives 8-9 hours with a certain set of expectations only to find out that HE gets chosen for picket post the entire night. Event organizers could also use some more common sense when it comes to really simple things. It's summer in the south, don't camp us in the middle of pine thickets. The real soldiers wouldn't have done that. They would have done absolutely whatever they could to make themselves comfortable. Yes. They were fighting a war. But they were also living. And in life, one does what ever he can to make himself a little more comfortable. Oh, it's a flat haversack event and the participant shouldn't bring rations as they will be provided? Well make sure that there is actually enough food to go around and that he isn't going to starve over the course of the weekend. You don't want people to leave Saturday night? Don't run them ragged and then expect them to just be able to pick up and go the following Monday at work.

When it comes to taking time off, let's face it, it's 2017, everyone's work load has increased. More is demanded of people. And people are going to make sure that they can still perform theor jobs when they get home. Because that "modern" job is what pays the bills. Not re enacting. It's a hobby. Yes. Strive for authenticity. Strive for great events. But realize that it's a hobby. No matter how hard you try and how bad you want it to be 1860-1865. It's not. Just my two cents. Sorry for any hurt feelings after reading this.

[PMFerringer]

Re: Have we gone soft?

Can we just kill this thread already?! Smotherman made the key point and it has since devolved into a discussion about the overblown impacts of the 150ths being over and other tangential finger pointing related to the current changes we are experiencing in the hobby.

The bottom line is the hobby is changing and will never be what it was 10-20 years ago when we all started, for better or worse. Rather than complaining about it we need to recognize it and adapt otherwise we are just going to drive the entire thing straight into the ground. Talk is cheap so rather than dissecting everything why don't we put that energy toward evolving with the changes in a way that will permit us to maintain the level of quality we are accustomed to and desire. There are plenty of guys with good ideas about how events need to change to be successful in today's hobby so let's buck up, put our heads down, and start working at it.

[Eric Tipton]

Re: Have we gone soft?

Can we just kill this thread already?! Smotherman made the key point and it has since devolved into a discussion about the overblown impacts of the 150ths being over and other tangential finger pointing related to the current changes we are experiencing in the hobby.

The bottom line is the hobby is changing and will never be what it was 10-20 years ago when we all started, for better or worse. Rather than complaining about it we need to recognize it and adapt otherwise we are just going to drive the entire thing straight into the ground. Talk is cheap so rather than dissecting everything why don't we put that energy toward evolving with the changes in a way that will permit us to maintain the level of quality we are accustomed to and desire. There are plenty of guys with good ideas about how events need to change to be successful in today's hobby so let's buck up, put our heads down, and start working at it.

Patrick, ask and ye shall receive. Agreed. This thread has had it's necessary impact. Time for people to get their 2018 and 2019 event announcements out there. There is plenty here to consider as that happens. Thanks to everyone who added their thoughts. This thread is closed.