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Our intrepid reporters on-scene at the Pennsic War went to Information Point to gather more info on this year’s Pennsic medallion.
According to the staff at Information point, the image on the medallion is a bowl of petunias, which along with the phrase, “Don’t Panic”, refer to the book, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, by Douglas Adams. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Universe series the book is part of repeatedly refers to 42 as being the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything.
As this is Pennsic 42, the reference fits.
I LOVE “Hitchhiker’s Guide”, and I accept the…inevitability…of HHG references coming to mind during Pennsic # 42. However, I didn’t think this reference was appropriate on something “official” that we all had to wear (per event rules) at all times.
Keep in mind that the SCA started as a graduation party for a Lit major; in the early years, there was as much fantasy as fact. It is only in recent years that there’s been a spreading group of pedants who insist on fantasy being divorced from the SCA.”
If the SCA wants to become officially what it seems to be turning into unofficially, that’s okay by me. But if that’s going to happen, change the bylaws of the SCA, and stop insisting on “an attempt”. Call it the Society for Creative Anachronism, and let the chips fall where they may.
I have actually read accounts of the founders’ First Tournament, which I suspect some who reflexively trot out the “Founders’ Intent” straw man, have not.
Putting two Hitchhiker’s Guide memes on the site medallions which people must wear or risk being ejected from site, is a deliberate push FURTHER into SF/ fantasy fandom than the founders were practicing, not a continuation of their activities. If it was, the Invocation (“Ecce Eduardus ursus scalis nunc tump-tump-tump occipite gradus pulsante post Christophorum Robinum descendens”) would have been in English. Some of the founders referenced were not merely lit majors but MEDIEVAL lit majors.
During a discussion elsewhere, one of my friends suggested “Vita, Universum, et Omnia” as a subtler alternative slogan. That would have been better, as well as doing something the founders actually did.