A rant on ranting...

[budd4766]

I love this forum.

I log on every day, eager to read something new going on in our "kilt world". I love the pics people post of them proudly wearing their traditional kilts and all the bells and whistles that go with them. Or, pics of people in non-traditional kilts doing whatever makes them happy in their non-trad. kilt. I love it all.

I don't always post replies to discussions, unless I feel I have something beneficial to add to the topic. I'm only just learning about kilts and all that's involved in wearing one. But I do read as much as I can on here...every day...(just don't tell my boss!)

I've learned so much since I've found this forum. I learn history from Matt Newsome....if you haven't visited his site and read some of his articles, you really need too, they're great! I'm inspired by the dignity of Rex Tremende, (I don't know him personally, but from all the posts and pics I've seen on here, that guy looks just plain cool). I appreciate the time and effort the mods put in to keep everything peaceable and on-topic. No way I could name all of you, but, I hope you get the point.

That being said, I also see the bad side of this medium of communication. It happens in all the forums I've been keeping up with...here with kilts, another with leather work, another with motorcycles...they're all the same in one regard:

It's hard to convey meaning in what you write, and so very easy to misread some ones intent when reading what's written. No visual cues we rely on in face-to-face communication. So, we have someone post an opinion or statement...someone reads it and takes offense, and posts a reply. Then, we have pages and pages of debate...mostly being written just to "clear the air." It happens to all the forums I've ever been to at some point. As Mr. Smith says in The Matrix, "...it is inevitable..." In other, less than eloquent, terms, S*%# happens. So I guess asking everybody to read what they see here and not get too uptight about it would be pointless. Just realize that 8 times out of 10, you could be taking somebody wrong...so don't blow yer gasket too quickly. Take some time, take a drink, take a dump...whatever, before you rip into a guy who's only expressing an opinion among a group of people with, more often than not, a common cause. Be nice. (I do realize I'm opening myself up to just such a response here, but alas, this is the nature of the beast...the risk you take...the price you pay...etc...just BE NICE,...please!)

I read on here a lot of arguments about what to wear with a kilt, what not to wear. Is this or that ok with a traditional kilt? Is this historically accurate? Is this non-trad. a kilt, or just a skirt in kilt's clothing? yada, yada, yada. We get so caught up in what's right and what's wrong we forget the whole point of this forum sometimes.

On one hand, we have the traditionalist. These genteel folk wear nothing but the nicest PC or Argyle jackets, waistcoats, full-face sporrans made from some poor critter, and the shoes that lace up the calf. They have their work cut out for them...trying to maintain a tradition centuries old in these modern times. (Even though some traditions are more modern than others) And they look smashing in their "proper" dress. I love the pics posted on here of a good "traditional" kilt with the full PC set up...some of you guys really pull it off well!! I love it!

But, I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard the sins of white stockings regaled here on this forum. (I finally could afford to get that tank I've been drooling over!) Or flat hats, baseball caps, T-shirts...you name it. No combat boots for this crowd....and heaven help the poor sap that puts his cowboy hat on while kilted at a BBQ in Texas! (refers to a pic on one of the "what not to wear" posts)

Then, there's the rebels. You know who you are. You're not so much interested in wearing a kilt as you are about wearing it in someone else's face. You tend to side with the rough canvas or leather kilt group...and no matter how rough the backside of that leather is, you're going "regimental" whenever you want to, by golly, and secretly hope somebody really does want to find out if you are or not.

This is where most of the name calling comes from. "Kilt Police" or "fashion police" are popular, it seems. To heck with what anybody thinks about your choice of clothing! Nobody's going to tell you what you can or can't wear. They're all a bunch of conformists, anyway! Anybody offering advice on how to wear your fly plaid is immediately hit with a full-body tackle and a finger in the face. You're the guys that go out and actually make the "mock-u-mercials" on the Utilikilts website. I'm reminded of my punk rocker days, when, if you were seen wearing an Izod shirt, you could get strung up for being a conformist....regardless of the fact that every punker looks just as weird as the next punker and they all conform as much as possible to their weirdness.

What's the point of being rebellious, if you're going to insist that every one else conforms to your idea of what's rebellious? Isn't that a bit ironic?


See my point? Does it really matter in our "kilt world?" To some extent it does to some of us...can't deny that. To others, probably not so much. Just keep that in mind when you're sharing your thoughts on here, and read the posts you find with respect to everyone else's right to express a differing opinion.

I want a traditional kilt, hand sewn, 16oz wool in my family tartan. I want the sporran, the kilt pin, the sgian dubh, and some hose that at least won't clash with it. Why? Because it's my family tartan. I want to wear it to highland games. I want to wear it to formal dinners, and to take my wife out dancing...or to church.

I also want a black survival Utilikilt. I want some short combat boots, and a T-shirt to wear with it. I'm even considering buying some half-chaps like dressage riders wear to cover a bad scar on my left calf. I think that'd look kind of "road-warrior-y" tough. Why? Because I can. I want to wear it around the house doing yard work, or to Wal-Mart shopping, walking the dog, whatever I do that would be too hot, or would risk wrecking my nice heavy wool family tartan kilt.

Are either right? Wrong? Does it really matter? If I'm wearing my wool kilt and meet a guy in a non trad., I hope I have a chance to compliment him on his kilt wearing choice. If I'm in a non trad., and see a guy in his tank, I hope I can compliment him on his sense of style.

Personally, I boil it down to just a few simple things. If a guy has his pleats in the back, and he's within 4 to 6 inches either way of his kneecap, well, I guess that's ok. At least he's tryin'.

Let's not diminish the freedom of wearing a kilt by adding a lot of addendums and stipulations, or angry rebellion to the simple joy of fellowshipping with people who choose to wear a kilt.

Is it all about the freedom a kilt gives you anyway...which is why I love this forum.

Remember....Be Nice!

[Kilted in Maine]

Thank You!!

[Captain Karrot]

Amen!

Well said!

[Monkey@Arms]

That was one hell of a great post. Don't worry about not posting as frequently as some. You've got a great signal-to-noise ratio. Thank you.

Best regards,

Jake

[sathor]

I have yet to meet Rex, but it's bound to happen eventually.

[GMan]

Good rant.

[pdcorlis]

If we lack tolerance and understanding of our kilted brothers we are nothing. If we can not celebrate our differences as well as our similarities we are nothing.

Its a big kilted world out there - embrace it.

[BEEDEE]

I worked for many years as a Project Manager where my approach to get the job done on time/in budget was "my way or the highway". It worked well until the wrap up of one project where I was presented with a button that said "It's not whether you win or lose, it's whether I win!" Made me realize that sometimes you have to listen and respect the other persons ideas. You may not like them or adopt them, but you owe them the chance to voice their opinions. And if you don't like them, let them down gently, don't slam the idea and give a reason or an alternative.

As Phil put it

If we lack tolerance and understanding of our kilted brothers we are nothing

Brian

[Sheep In Wolf's Clothing]

Good post budd4766!
Sara

[RockyR]

Good post. Agree that we should celebrate things we have in common and not squable over the differences.