Mocking Mundanes

[Ranna]

Reading along today I thought of something that happened around me on Labor Day weekend.

To put it into a situation for you - I was standing outside of Potomic Leather (MDRF) and a young man and lady in mundane clothing were sitting on the steps stuffing their faces.  A curvy lady in full leather (girl must have spent a fortune at that store!) walked past them and entered.  The young man snickered loudly and pointed it out to the girl at his side.  I had half a mind to walk over to him, bend over and put my ample bosom in his face and carefully remind him that he is in OUR world and a woman comfortable enough in her own skin should be applauded and not mocked.  Other thoughts came through my head (evil, evil thoughts) but I think what bugged me most was that he came to the Fest - what was he really expecting to see?

Now, I'm a curvy girl myself but I keep most of myself tucked and cinched in, I just happen to bubble out at the top :p  I'm even proud to say that my usual brown skirt is so big on me that I can pull it up without zipping (lost 30 pounds this year, still going).  Perhaps in the real world showing off so much skin would be unacceptable, but it's the faire!  Am I wrong for wanting to throttle the little brat?  How would you handle that situation?  BTW in the end before I could walk over and say something he and his girl walked off...I didn't want to play mommy on my day off.

[Messyn McCleavage]

I would have flirted with her in front of him, going so far as pressing my cleavage against hers to exchange glitter - then look over at him and turn my nose up. Actions speak louder than words.

[Cormac]

It is unfortunate that manners are in such short supply these days.  A fun way to handle said brat would be to make a scene of it and challenge him for not showing a lady the proper respect and ask his companion if she approves of his actions.  If done right you should have a brat that turns red with embarsament.  That may give him pause the next time.

[Scotsman]

I always try to keep in mind that without mundanes there would be no faire.

That said ... water off a ducks weed puller  butt. Seriously, I hear so much of that stuff I think I am mostly immune to it ... especially from the dane lassies and ALL the constant questions about the kilt. I am sure you have all heard them before.

Thank goodness I am blessed with a quick wit and 3 beer buzz that keeps the danes on their toes ... if they dish it out they better be prepared to take it.

[Amras Elfwine]

I have a picture of Scotsman's quick wit that I may just have to show...:-) Love ya, man!!

Chances are that any reaction to the rudeness of a "Dane" will go unoticed anyway by said "Dane", simply because someone like that lacks the basic intellect to even realize that they are in a battle of wits, much less the ammo to respond.  Choose polite civility...it drives the boorish crazy every time!!

Amras "When Coarseness Becomes a Substitute For Wit, You've Already Lost" Elfwine

[Hawkwind]

I have to second m/lady 'Cleavage and agree that it's a wonderful wonderful thing to be comfortable inn your own skin, no matter the size thereof. Not only does beauty come in all shapes and sizes, it resides mainly in the largest sex organ of all, the brain. Those that snicker need look inward at thier own lack of beauty.

[Joyce "Delfinia DuSwallow" Howard]

HUZZAH to the above! (the stinking Brat)

[LadyElizabeth]

By the title of this thread I thought it was going to be about Rennies mocking mundanes, not the other way around... But given that it is the other way around, I'd say do nothing and know that you are the bigger person.  He couldn't hold inside himself his opinions of others that happen to be hurtful and rude, you on the other hand were fully in charge of your words and your emotions and were able to let a very obnoxious and rude man just live with himself as is!

I personally feel sorry for others who aren't comfortable with their own scantly clad/nakedness or that of others.  HE was probably feeling out of place and needed to make himself look "cool" infront of his lady friend.  If I had been said "lady friend", believe me when I said I'd have put him in his place...

[Sir Ironhead]

I have a picture of Scotsman's quick wit that I may just have to show...:-)

I have the eye bleach ready 

[Carl Heinz]

Since it's unlikely that Sir Clueless will be back, the temptation would be there.

But, keep in mind that tickets and sales pay for our playpen.  So, unles you have to physically defend yourself, ignore.  Trying to educate would most likely be wasted.

Now, on the counter topic of rennies mocking mundanes.  That a GIANT no-no.  Repeat the mantra  "Those who buy tickets pay for our play."

[Lady Renee Buchanan]

Something that came to my mind -- first thing, actually.

People not familiar with faire think that everyone who is in garb is an employee of the faire.  They don't know any different.  Thus, if you insult him/her, how soon will the reputation spread to his/her other friends that the workers are snotty, obnoxious, etc. ?  Just what a faire needs -- bad publicity, and not even due to its own employees.

So I would say take the high road.  If the faire management get enough complaints over their "workers" being rude to the patrons, then might there come a day when garbing is restricted to cast and registered volunteers.  *shudder*

[Adriana Rose]

The sad thing is that the people that go to fair look at us who dress up for fair like they are in a zoo that the animals are allowed to walk around at.

I have turned the tables on those who choose to mock in my ear shot..

Why get all put out of shape for a idot who was just there for the boobs

[jcbanner]

Something that came to my mind -- first thing, actually.

People not familiar with faire think that everyone who is in garb is an employee of the faire.  They don't know any different.  Thus, if you insult him/her, how soon will the reputation spread to his/her other friends that the workers are snotty, obnoxious, etc. ?  Just what a faire needs -- bad publicity, and not even due to its own employees.

So I would say take the high road.  If the faire management get enough complaints over their "workers" being rude to the patrons, then might there come a day when garbing is restricted to cast and registered volunteers.  *shudder*

Theres a lot of truth in that, last year for example, there was a patron at the pub in garb similar to someone on cast. (or close enough to a mundane patron's point of view) Anyhow, the patron in garb likely had more then enough to drink and was very obnoxious and when someone reported it, the cast member was the one who was blamed. There was alot of bad drama over that.

That being said, don't let them hold you hostage thinking there's more to lose then correcting bad manors.  If you see someone being rude, or hurtful, that ruins everyones fun, and hurts the feelings of the target if they are in earshot.  You don't have to call attention to everyone in the area that the lout is a jerk, you can go over to him privately and tell him that what he's saying is rude and inappropriate.
I'm willing to bet that he didn't know anyone else was paying attention and once he realizes that others are able to hear him, that will be enough of a private embarrassment that he will knock it off.  And if he doesn't, or he pushes the case, just walk away.  It's not worth making a scene.

[Lady Nicolette]

I agree with taking the high road.  I've never been sorry for having done that.  Ever.  Save up the arch comments that you felt like saying (or actions you felt like taking) to tell your renfriends who understand them in the first place.  There are certainly times that clever repartee is appropriate when faced with something like this, but in general, if they're that clueless, they'll remain so. 

[Synikul]

At fair, I do take the high road for many of the reasons given, and because I'm an employee of a vendor.

As a private citizen out in public, I use extremely loud four letter words. Without the restraints of my position at fair, I feel that the first person to display rudeness doesn't deserve any courtesy at all. You should see me in a movie theater when there's a group of loud mouth teenagers, I've cussed the paint off the walls. Generally, the more you're outnumbered, the more you need to appear to be a psychotic on the verge of murder. It's crude, but effective. One time about half the audience in a theater clapped after I silenced the offenders. Rude patrons don't know what they're missing out on.