I don’t want to make fun of anyone because if you want to dress as a pirate, why shouldn’t you? There have always been a few folks dressed in an interesting manner at Kalamazoo and while I can’t recall ever giving it much thought I’ve pretty much figured they were doing so because what they were wearing added something to a paper or presentation they were giving. Heck, I happen to wear a giant belt buckle much of the time as a holdover from my days in rodeo and as a horse trainer, though my wearing it all the time at this year’s Congress was more a factor of my leaving in a hurry and forgetting to throw something less obtrusive in my bag.
However maybe there’s another explanation. Check out this article from a Detroit CBS affiliate titled Hobbit Alert: Michigan College Hosts Medieval Fair. I saw that and about spit up water all over my keyboard.
I was happy to see that they also referenced Game of Thrones.
There’s no real harm in this if it gets more people there, unless folks didn’t get what they were expecting. But I’d say the article fails to capture the flavor of Congress.
Steve Muhlberger
May 25, 2012 at 5:19 pm
This might unhinge the organizers. The Congress has only been around for half a century.
Jonathan Jarrett
June 1, 2012 at 6:21 pm
They also appear to be a bit unsure whether the Middle Ages actually happened outside of novels! But then, they’re not alone in that…
Curt Emanuel
June 2, 2012 at 8:53 am
I’d forgotten about that “missing years” story. At least this would mean we wouldn’t have to worry about the Mayan Calendar!
Though to be honest I don’t know enough about it; for all I know the Mayans may have based theirs on astronomy rather than chronology.