A. If I were you I would duck because someone is bound to unleash a volly or two
B. I agree with most of your points exept the first.
C. I am 15 and I feel that the hobby is dying.
D. this is for 3 reasons.
1. it is expensive---even the cheap stuff
2. Interest is dying due to other more modern hobbies(video games, paintball/airsoft). If a kid wanted to play war all he has to do is buy a $60 vid game or a $120 airsoft gun--no need for $500-$1000 kit. A kid will not usually be attracted to the history aspect as much as the war aspect(I am an exeption).
3. WE NEED TO DIE.
NOT JUST IN THE LAST 10MIN. BUT CONSISTANTLY DURRING THE WHOLE REENACTMENT! WE LOOK LIKE A BUCH OF FOOLS, TWO INCHES AWAY FROM EACH OTHER FIRNG VOLLEYS AND NO ONE DIES!
rant over have a nice day
Everyone has made some good points!
Let me address one thing, then i need to jump on my soap box, and then I will get to my answer.
Ole, you asked about getting younger people into the hobby with the high standards or someone answer but no offence but I found that answer kind of well...wrong and slightly patronizing. I am a "younger" reenactor. Although I have been involved with this hobby all of my life, I still am a "normal" 19 year old American. As far as getting young people involved WE ARE OUT HERE!!!!!! Mu unit just had a young lad, 15 years old and his family join. He is a smart young man and it was HIS idea for the family to get involved. All it takes is a wanting to know more about history and SOMEONE TO BLOODY TEACH THEM!!!!!
**Soap Box Time**
As far as the a fore mentioned people who reenact but do not mess with the public they need to get off of whatever high horse or ego trip they are on!!!
When I read that it ****** me off because that is RUDE...EVEN IN MODERN ETIQUETTE! I have been on the side of the ignored spectator before and it pisses the spectators who have paid money to LEARN about history and to LEARN about the W.B.T.S (granted the guys who ****** me off were us park rangers in farby attire). To me reenacting is about honoring my ancestors and TEACHING the public about the struggles of the life of the everyday foot private!!!!!!! How can one teach if they do not interact with the public??!!
**Topic at hand**
Now on to the topic at hand about farbs.
What makes a farb or better yet what makes a good Reenactor? Is it the clothes, is it drill, or is it a mind set? I think it is all three. If you are a terribly dressed soldier but have the means to better the clothing, who is poorly drilled who is not giving there best, and is just using this hobby as a way to do some "themed camping" then to me you are a farb. If you are not going to attempt to portray the soldier from the WBTS I think you should reexamine the reasons why you do this hobby. I am certain there is something else you could waste your time and money on and stop giving us all bad names. If you are proficient in one aspect whether it be the clothes, drill, or the mindset, but have let the remaining things be put onto the back burner then to me you are a farb. Does it help that your uniform is 99.9% accurate? Yes in the long run it does but that can come in good time. I would never suggest to someone to jump out and buy everything that is stitch counter approved because when I started I could not. However as you progress so should your impression. That being said though a good uniform and stitch counter approved gear does not make you a good soldier. That requires dedication, discipline, and drill. Someone made the statement that it is up to the regiment to teach drill. Yes, it is the units job to teach you but it is your RESPONSIBILITY as an individual to commit the lessons taught to memory. It is your job to practice it and make sure you are doing it right. Not only for you but for others! I have been to events where a poorly trained "veteran" had is musket in the wrong place and when he fired it hurt a pard of mine. To me a good reenactor or a non farby reenactor is someone who is trying to better their impression in all aspects of the hobby be it clothes, drill, or the mind set.
I want to close with this. We as humans are not perfect and this is a hobby. When it's time for us to strike our tents (and for some just fold the ground cloths) we all return to our different lives. There are many philosophies I live by one of them is "you do what you do and I'll do what I'll do and we will get along fine." So as long as someone is trying to do it right and improve on their impression then why cant we all just do our own things. I think if we did that then the hobby would grow, the reenacting would would come together.