Oh, I still get passionate about things, but not about *everything*. Is that maturity, or senescence?
For my money, it's "learning to pick your battles".
And, usually, they're *agreeing*. But the debate proceeds because it's vitally important to their personalities that they not only share the same *conclusion*, they must arrive at that conclusion by the exact same logical paths, the precisely identical analytical methods. That's silverwinging.
And in truest Silverwing fashion, I'll disagree -- I've generally considered Silverwinging to be less about the conclusion, and more about the exploration. That is, it doesn't really *matter* whether we wind up agreeing, or by what path; instead, I consider it most important to explore the problem thoroughly, so that everybody can come to an informed decision.
Ah, but this is deliciously "meta": we are silverwinging about silverwinging. I think that the process does indeed emphasize the journey more than (or at least "as much as") the destination, and it requires that each party fully understand each other party's argument, so that everyone can follow the logical pathway that everyone else took to get to their conclusions, whether the individual agrees or opposes a given conclusion. Refuting a position involves examining the other's argument, and picking apart the logic. *Agreeing* usually involves simply accepting the other's *conclusion*. *Silverwinging* takes the process usually used when one *opposes* a position, and applies a similar process to the arguments that lead to positions that you *hold*. Silverwinging wasn't consciously "invented" for any particular purpose, high or low. It was a product of personalities: mine and Taran's, primarily, I'd venture to say. But as it turns out, I think it does have benefits. For example, by debating a foregone conclusion, you can develop
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One of the nice things about being who Dreda is is that no one expects my fealty because my rank does not open the question. So when I give it, it is entirely personal - and I can give it to someone to whom I am already close enough to know that we are in agreement on what it means.
I have a lot of thoughts about peerage that center around what I believe the responsibilities are after you're elevated. This is an interesting addition to the stack.
The funny thing about SCA fealty is that far, far fewer folks are actually *required* to swear it than popular debate and perception would have it. Only knights, to the Crown. And only once, at their dubbing. That's it, from a strict Scadian-jurisprudence point of view. Everything else is tradition, and as you say, *expectation*. Certainly Great Officers of State are expected to do so, at least in the East and her daughter realms, and there are cautionary tales to back that up! But others, even the royal and civil peers? Not so much. Sometimes I reaffirm my fealty, sometimes I don't. Occasionally it's a statement when I do, occasionally it's a statement when I don't, occasionally it's just a matter of not getting around to it, occasionally it's a matter of "all the cool kids are doing it". And the thing is, no, I'm not going to say which occasion is/was/will be which! I don't swear fealty in any case: my fealty to the East is permanent and ongoing, and if I swear at all, it's a *re-affirmation*. It's *homage*. Those to whom I feel the
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"there's *part* of that secret that I *do* know. *Silliness*. Our capacity for *silliness* is a huge part of what holds us together. We make each other laugh, a lot, every day, all the time."
Speaking as another man whose younger self would never have expected the happy marriage he has now -- yes, this.
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For my money, it's "learning to pick your battles".
And, usually, they're *agreeing*. But the debate proceeds because it's vitally important to their personalities that they not only share the same *conclusion*, they must arrive at that conclusion by the exact same logical paths, the precisely identical analytical methods. That's silverwinging.
And in truest Silverwing fashion, I'll disagree -- I've generally considered Silverwinging to be less about the conclusion, and more about the exploration. That is, it doesn't really *matter* whether we wind up agreeing, or by what path; instead, I consider it most important to explore the problem thoroughly, so that everybody can come to an informed decision.
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I have a lot of thoughts about peerage that center around what I believe the responsibilities are after you're elevated. This is an interesting addition to the stack.
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I am content with my own understanding of and enactment of fealty; it is always fascinating to hear about others'.
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Speaking as another man whose younger self would never have expected the happy marriage he has now -- yes, this.
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