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If it's not "Mundane", then what?

By Thomas Buttesthorn

It has been recently suggested that, we, in the SCA change a much used term by which we describe those people who have not yet discovered and/or joined the SCA. Of course I mean the term "mundane". The reason for doing this has been because of the unfortunate negative connotations the word has.

In this regard, recalling my own feelings hearing the word used when I first started coming to event, my first thoughts were "It's about time". I felt uncomfortable with the term then for the reasons people feel uncomfortable now. I saw this as an elitist term that served not only to set us apart but also as somehow being superior.

There are three issues involved: First, is it true? Second, do we believe it's true; third, whether or not the above is true, is it in our best interests to appear as if we do believe it's true.

I believe that the game we play, when it's done right is better than most other games out there. But notice the emphasis is on right. The game is only as good as the people playing it. The fact that we are in the SCA does not automatically make us the highest pinnacle of mankind. That, if achievable, comes only with some luck and a lot of hard work. Just as it doesn’t make us all experts on history, weaponry, or anything else. It only means: Here we are, what are we going to do about it? I'm sure we all know people in the SCA who are fairly "mundane" and some people out of it who aren't.

I believe that most people in the SCA when they think about it will agree that this is true, that the biggest difference between us and them is that they haven't been exposed to us or they haven't decided that it's where they want to be.

But if we agree that this is the main difference between them and us we also have to admit that appearing that we feel otherwise is an untrue representation of what we do feel. But even more it's counterproductive in terms of making ourselves approachable so that they can learn what we are really all about.

All this you may have heard before but one question I have not heard raised yet and which is vitally important is simply: If we are not going to use this term, what are we going to use. It is easy and convenient to use the word. It automatically conveys a specific meaning to everyone. We will still need a meaningful, easy to use term to describe and identify those people who are not part of out group. It is not enough to merely say that we won't use the term anymore. We still need a term that we can universally apply for identification purposes without the unfortunate connotation of the word mundane. I suggest that we all give some thought to one or more viable alternatives.

I remain,
In service to the Dream
Baron Thomas Buttesthorn

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