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Thread: Social Inversion: Why?
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2011-08-25, 02:21 PM (ISO 8601)
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Social Inversion: Why?
I had a class today that briefly mentioned Social Inversion traditions in Europe. The question that gets me is, why? What could motivate such a strange ritual. Although some of the sources I found clarified that it reinforced the social chain instead of degrading it, but why?
Long Sig (now with nonsense riddles).
Squadron leader of =Knights of Wolf= in War Thunder
...you either learn to laugh, or you go insane. I prefer to laugh.
-Ee'char STDS9: Hard Time
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2011-08-25, 02:22 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Feb 2005
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Re: Social Inversion: Why?
What are they? Google told me nothing.
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2011-08-25, 02:26 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Social Inversion: Why?
Last edited by 101jir; 2011-08-25 at 09:58 PM.
Long Sig (now with nonsense riddles).
Squadron leader of =Knights of Wolf= in War Thunder
...you either learn to laugh, or you go insane. I prefer to laugh.
-Ee'char STDS9: Hard Time
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2011-08-25, 09:42 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Aug 2009
Re: Social Inversion: Why?
See also: Lord of Misrule
Short answer, I think: because they thought it was funny.
seriously, the sense of humour may have been a lot different,
but they didn't have many sources of entertainment did they?
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2011-08-25, 09:48 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Oct 2007
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2011-08-25, 09:49 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Oct 2008
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- Xin-Shalast
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2011-08-25, 09:52 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Feb 2005
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Re: Social Inversion: Why?
Well, if the inversion of the status quo is coupled with feasting, drinking, revelry, and debauchery until everyone is sick of it, I can see that reinforcing the status quo by means of 'see what life would be like if we didn't do it this way'?
NOW COMPLETE: Let's Play Starcraft II Trilogy:
Hell, It's About Time: Wings of Liberty
Does This Mutation Make Me Look Fat: Heart of the Swarm
My Life For Aiur? I Barely Know 'Er: Legacy of the Void
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2011-08-25, 09:52 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2006
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- Das Kapital
Re: Social Inversion: Why?
iirc, in monasteries, the choir-boys would elect one of their members to be "bishop" for a day, and everyone would have to do what they said.
Peter the Great, when he was a child, named one of his friends the Mock-Tsar, and another the Mock-Pope. He would continue to report to the Mock-Tsar, and celebrate festivals under the Mock-Pope for many many years.
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2011-08-25, 09:53 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Aug 2009
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2011-08-25, 09:55 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Oct 2010
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- The north
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Re: Social Inversion: Why?
I did not mean "degrading" in terms of the society, I mean that it did not weaken the status quo, but reinforced it.
EDIT: Also, I think I am getting the idea here. Thanks very much for the insight. If anyone has anything to add, though, please feel free. The more info. the better.Last edited by 101jir; 2011-08-25 at 10:01 PM.
Long Sig (now with nonsense riddles).
Squadron leader of =Knights of Wolf= in War Thunder
...you either learn to laugh, or you go insane. I prefer to laugh.
-Ee'char STDS9: Hard Time
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2011-08-25, 10:00 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Aug 2008
Re: Social Inversion: Why?
The short version: Ancient Rome. Basically, Ancient Rome didn't have weekends, which led to them having about a hundred holidays. With that many holidays and festivals floating around, something odd is guaranteed to show up, and an early Social Inversion tradition - where slave and master were inverted for a day - sprung up. For the slave owner, it was a change, and basically a game of experiencing a new thing. For the slave, it was a day where they didn't have to toil all day, which is always welcome.
I would really like to see a game made by Obryn, Kurald Galain, and Knaight from these forums.
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Current Design Project: Legacy, a game of masters and apprentices for two players and a GM.
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2011-08-25, 11:56 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Mar 2010
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Re: Social Inversion: Why?
Hmmm....sounds like a weird holiday.
needs improvement, change it to Economic Inversion, switch out the poor and the rich.
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2011-08-26, 06:10 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Mar 2011
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Re: Social Inversion: Why?
Awesome fremetar by wxdruid.
From the discomfort of truth there is only one refuge and that is ignorance. I do not need to be comfortable, and I will not take refuge. I demand to *know*.
So I guess I have an internets? | And a trophy. | And a music cookie (whatever that is).
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2011-08-26, 06:25 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Jan 2007
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- Switzerland
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Re: Social Inversion: Why?
They still do something like that, kinda, on carnival. The next town from here still has a "fool's guild". They basically spend all year building parade floats, then organizing a parade and a few other festivities for a week. Someone is usually collected fool king for a few days. He then gives out silly orders people have to obey.
Of course, since there's about 20'000 people in the city, and it's still mostly a work week, most people out side the guild (about 50, 60 people I think?) never meet him.
Edit: The reason, pretty much, is party. You leave off some steam for a week.
Traditionally, carneval would also be the end of forty days of fasting over winter, starting on St. Martin's day. Which also neatly coincides with the still semi-held pagan traditions for the end of winter (People in Demon Masks marching through the city, burning large papier-maché statues) So, everyone's feasting anyway.Last edited by Eldan; 2011-08-26 at 06:28 AM.
Resident Vancian Apologist
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2011-08-26, 11:17 AM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Social Inversion: Why?
A lot of very interesting perspectives and possibilities, I like. Maybe all of the above!
Long Sig (now with nonsense riddles).
Squadron leader of =Knights of Wolf= in War Thunder
...you either learn to laugh, or you go insane. I prefer to laugh.
-Ee'char STDS9: Hard Time
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2011-08-26, 02:50 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Jun 2006
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- South-west Germany
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Re: Social Inversion: Why?
Most german carnival traditions have something like it. A few cities have a prince/princess pair, in most other cities the "narren" just take over city hall for a few days.
One day is Weiberfastnacht on which women take over and attack unsuspecting men by cutting of their neckties.
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2011-08-26, 05:23 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Oct 2006
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- Ireland Endless
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Re: Social Inversion: Why?
From what I've read, most recently from Christopher Hill, the Feast of Fools and the like essentially served as a safety valve for society: a day in which the normal oppressive social conventions could be mocked without repercussion
The Omnians were a God-fearing people. They had a great deal to fear.
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2011-08-27, 11:23 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Mar 2009
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- Gothenburg, Sweden
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Re: Social Inversion: Why?
These days it's called reality TV.
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2011-08-27, 04:13 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Dec 2005
Re: Social Inversion: Why?
it would have been improper to have a real king preside over the drunken revelry of his subjects.
with a mock king, the peasants get their fun and the lord gets to stay the lofty and absolute power.a tiny space dedicated to a beloved grandpa now passed. may every lunch be peanut butter-banana sandwiches.
i has 2/4 an internets.
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