I've seen some of you talking about " mainstream " reenacting and "authentic" reenacting. What's the difference?
Whats the difference?
I've seen some of you talking about " mainstream " reenacting and "authentic" reenacting. What's the difference?
One is better than the other...according to some. Not sure which tho.
Last edited by Pennsylvania Reserves; 02-22-2007 at 12:58 PM.
NO no no no no no no no
no no no ..................
There are some question which should never be asked because they can not be answered (although some knowledgable windbag will try).
That's the real reason the CW was fought.
It wasn't over the Union, or slavery or states rights it was over who was a more authentic representation of a CW soldier, the USA or the CSA.
Remember, I'm still bringing those 'them' tags to the next event.
Bob Sandusky
Co C 125th NYSVI
Esperance, NY
"Out beyond the ideas of wrong doing and right doing there is a field. I'll meet you there." -
Mawlana Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Balkhi
"If you find yourself in a fair fight, someone screwed up." - A new variation of Murphy's Law based on current Military experience in Iraq:
“In war the first principle is to disobey orders. Any fool can obey orders!” - First Sea Lord Admiral Sir “Jackie” Fisher
If this isn't flame bait, or the next "us vs. them", then I've been in a cave for the last 10 years.Originally Posted by BigDuke634
Mark
Para ser o rei, você deve derrotar o rei
and....one of the "less smart masses"
I swear I'm not baiting anyone. I would just really like to know. The only stupid question is the one unasked.
It's like being in high school all over again...and trying to separate the preppy kids from the jocks, and the dorks from the popular...the only way to fit in with "that crowd" is to change the way you dress and the music you listen to.
thats how i look at it...
Last edited by Pennsylvania Reserves; 02-22-2007 at 12:58 PM.
OK, I'll close my eyes and bite.
"Mainstream" reenactors tend not to be as preoccupied with material culture of the WBTS, although they may be quite knowledgeable in other respects.
"Authentics" are more preoccupied with material culture, and may or may not be as well versed in other aspects of the War. Authentic reenacting seeks to remove as much modern intrusion as possible to replicate as closely as possible the actual day-to-day life of a Civil War soldier. That is the focus. Mainstream reenactors are less concerned about this aspect but often seem to enjoy educating the public about the war itself as well as soldier life, as well as experiencing the life of a soldier themselves, up to a point.
In many ways it is a "first person" versus "third person" approach to living history. That is probably the simplest way I can explain it.
Bob Muehleisen
Cin, O.
Well
Mainstream implies what the majority of participants are doing or how they are doing it.
It does not specify levels of farb.
Authentic is open to debate- what is authentic to one is farb to another.
IMHO- there are as many definations as reenactors, and none is more correct than the other.
So- in ending-
There are different events with different stated goals and regulations. Judge each on its own merit and resist the urge to try to slap a convient lable on every event. Not all pegs fit in the same hole.
Pards,
S. Chris Anders
Southern Division
www.southerndivision.org
www.rearrank.com
www.marylandmymaryland.org
There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things. - Niccoló Machiavelli, The Prince. 1537.
If you take 100 reenactors and ask them that question, you'll get at least 101 different answers.
My definition, in a nutshell, is that mainstream reenacting is willing to sacrifice some aspects of "authenticity" for the sake of comfort, economics, safety, etc, for at least part of the time during a weekend. This is especially true of, but not necessarily limited to, the time after the spectators have gone.
Authentic reenacting seeks to sacrifice "authenticity" only for safety reasons as needed, working to do things as close to the original as is believed possible to do, and to do it for the entire time of the reenactment.
Since the devil is in the details, everyone has their own standards and definitions of these, and other, terms and catch phrases in the hobby.
Bernard Biederman
30th OVI
Co. B
"Authentic" reenactors are far better than mainstream reenactors.
Problem is, I read somewhere that there are only twelve truly authentic reenactors in all of North America, and none of them agree on who the other eleven are.
However, they all agree that I am not one of them.
A "mainstream" reenactor, on the other hand, is the guy who just bought your old stuff on e-bay. Nice fellow, but really...
Clear now?
M. A. Schaffner
Midstream Regressive Complainer
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