Zardoz's List

OK, for instuctional purposes, let's put together a list of stuff you guys find intolerable at a Highland games event.

Too many pipers.
Never actually had a problem with that--but it CAN be annoying never hearing the end of "Scotland The Brave"
"Modern" celtic music.
Yeah, it's not my cup of tea in the least--I prefer more traditional fare--I did hear this band that covered Johnny Cash's "Burning Ring of Fire" in a fake "Celtic" accent... that was just silly to me. I think the VOLUME is an issue too. It's a Games, not a bloomin' concert!
Fat athletes, or maybe fat people in general?
I don't even think this has anything to do with Scottishness, unless it's in reference to wrapping tablecloths around oneself instead of a real kilt--which can be acquired for men of great girth, just need more tartan is all.
Irish dancers.
Shouldn't be invited to Highland Games. If it were a Celtic festival, that's a different bird. I enjoy watching them, but it's not my culture.
The Irish in general it seems...Too bad the "Scotti' brought the games tradition with them from Ireland!
I get really annoyed when I'm seen in my kilt and someone calls me Irish. I'm not Irish. I don't want to be Irish. If you want to go back into the early middle ages and discuss the commonalities of people, let's remember that a lot has developed since then and Scottish culture is far different from Irish. Besides, if the Irish invented Highland Games, why don't they have Irish weight throwing games?
People who wear their Highland dress funny or wrong.
Well they're the ones looking dopey.
People who just dress funny.
When you wear a cultural garb, one does well to be respectful of it. Bravehearting it up--while often well-intentioned, gives a poor impression on the culture as being barbaric.
People who like to drink.
No, most of us enjoy a good beer or whisky--but using your ethnicity or heritage as an excuse to get wasted in public is immature at best.
Pirates. Disney ones in particular.
Um... yeah? Disney pirates have to do with Scotland how?
Mythological creatures like fairies or elves etc.. Guess that would go doublr for Leprechauns, since they're Irish.
Maaaaaybe if they were hired entertainment and had some part in helping out with the children. But just attending dressed like a fairy just as an excuse to dress up--unless you'd go out to the mall like that, why would this be the appropriate occasion?
Renfaire folk in garb of any kind.
See all the above comments about costume... It's not about disliking these things in general, it's about their appropriateness at a Highland Games. Would these people be deemed appropriately dressed out shopping or somewhere else in public? Probably not.
LARPers:
who DOESN'T pick on LARPers...? even my Dungeons and Dragons crew makes fun of LARPers!