Drum Corps in Our Lives

[nguyenbr]

On a personal blog or on Myspace I think it's fine for someone to declare their affiliation to their corps and also show their own personality that may or may not be acceptable within corps guidelines. The reason I say this is because the medium is a personal page. When you read it as an outsider, you should be taking it as a reflection of the person, and not of the corps that they happen to march/have marched with. Even though the words you are reading are posted by a corps member, it is wrong to believe that this person's entire online presence exists on behalf of his corps. If it was an official corps blog or myspace page or whatever, I guarantee you won't find anything that doesn't fly in a corps handbook.

Of course, I agree that there are also gray areas. For example, I wouldn't advocate publicly dissing another corps ever like someone above me mentioned. It's actually a good thought exercise to think of how someone else might think of your online content in the context of your corps affiliation. But I still think it's wayyy too idealistic to think that everyone should adhere to their 'drum corps' personality whenever they do anything online.

[Piper]

I think much of it has to do with people not realizing how they're percieved and identiified. Most people don't know "John Smith" or "Jane Doe", but they do know a (insert corps name) when they see or hear one, and that's how they're remembered. As one famous corps (they know who they are) has sung over the years...."We will bring no shame to our great name".

Edited October 2, 2006 by Piper

[Jared_mello]

i think hes also talking about things people say that discredit other corps and whatnot. this past season i wasnt happy to see blue knights beat crown but i respected them and said "hey, blue knights worked as hard and put out a good product" and i respected them. i found a blue knights myspace and he posted a video of the crowd reaction when they beat crown. he wrote underneath it "this is us when we kicked crowns ### at finals. they f###in sucked! go BK!"

bc of this 1 member i have lost much respect for this otherwise great organization

edit=typo

Doesn't surprise me too much....it's definitely not the first time I've seen someone from the Blue Knights present themselves or their image like that, in or not in their uniforms. ::shrug::

When you're with your corps, you don't need a "fake personality." You use a DIFFERENT one. It's very rare that you meet someone who acts exactly how they act outside of corps, within drum corps. When I'm marching I have a different concept of what can and can't be done at any given time, than when I'm at school.

I usually have a designated bed time in drum corps....should I live my life by those standards in the off-season? My corps has a hair-length policy during the season....you get the point.

There's a big difference between remaining classy towards other corps during the off-season (what the BK kid failed to do), and YOUR standards towards what is "classy" of a person when they're in drum corps.

[CourtOfHonorMember]

I like snow on mountains, makes me want to go sledding!

Seriously though, no, I don't go to bed like I do in the corps season, but I don't have two personalities. That's called being bipolar, and that's a sickness. And yes, when I read "Corps x suck we kicked their blank." I don't ever want to march in that corps that the person is from.

[tubamann]

Doesn't surprise me too much....it's definitely not the first time I've seen someone from the Blue Knights present themselves or their image like that, in or not in their uniforms. ::shrug::

When you're with your corps, you don't need a "fake personality." You use a DIFFERENT one. It's very rare that you meet someone who acts exactly how they act outside of corps, within drum corps. When I'm marching I have a different concept of what can and can't be done at any given time, than when I'm at school.

I usually have a designated bed time in drum corps....should I live my life by those standards in the off-season? My corps has a hair-length policy during the season....you get the point.

There's a big difference between remaining classy towards other corps during the off-season (what the BK kid failed to do), and YOUR standards towards what is "classy" of a person when they're in drum corps.

Good points, J.

You all know I am the epitome of a CC homer, but I won't be offended. I know Mark Arnold and the folks at BK, and they are good people, who I'm sure would cringe at their member's poor choice. Any hoo.. This is just a silly kid speaking out of his ###..

That being said, we shouldn't think that this is not competition. Trust me when I say that I want my corps to beat every other corps like a rag doll..but i wouln't hesitiate to help any corps in need or speak of them with respect. It is kind of like pro sports. On the field..we are out to beat you, but off, we are all in this together...fellow professionals, so to speak.

[tubamann]

I like snow on mountains, makes me want to go sledding!

Seriously though, no, I don't go to bed like I do in the corps season, but I don't have two personalities. That's called being bipolar, and that's a sickness. And yes, when I read "Corps x suck we kicked their blank." I don't ever want to march in that corps that the person is from.

Please don't go here. :(

The Bipolar disorder, or manic depression, is a serious mental illness that is very insidoius. it is caused by a lithium imbalance in the brain chemistry. It is treatable with medication. My brother suffers from it, and, belive me, it is not something to be lightly mentioned or joked about. Untreated, it can make the life of the sufferer or his loved ones a living ####. Let us not even mention this in a trite or passing manner. It is too serious matter to be taken lightly on DCP.

If you behave differently when you are in corps then when you are in your civillan life, that is simply adjusting to the difference in lifestyle. If some people speak out of their ##### when they are away from their corps, beleive me when I say they did the same thing when they were with their corps. It is jsut that the organized and regimented life of a corps member makes speaking out on the internet harder.

Keep in mind, most corps, if they find out if someone is embarresing them will take action..

[KeithHall]

I am just heart broken today. I was just browsing fellow drum corps members' blogs and websites and was totally disheartened by what I read. People write

about stuff you would never think would come from a respectful, dedicated, and honorable drum corps member. It's just appaling and outrageous to me. You

would think drum corps would teach these kids honor and respect not to post that kind of stuff! You might think no one will know you march drum corps and

you can post anything you want and not represent your corps, but people can easily find out you post on Drum Corps Planet, so therefore you represent your corps. What

are your thoughts on this? I just can't believe some people. Whether you know it or not, you represent your corps even while not with them for years to

come!

Yeah, that's right, the corps handbook isn't something the leaders just felt like putting together one day! Look back at it now and then to remind yourself who you represent in your daily life!

We are a corps, a family, and most of all, a team working together for the same goal!

It's the sign of the times! There is no loyalty anywhere. Look at pro athletes, it's all about money. If there was loyalty, maybe there would be more local corps out there.

[Morgoth Bauglir]

It didn't look like he was joking about anything. Relax.

Am I missing something? What is this thread even about? Did someone post something somewhere that caused someone else to wig out? It looks like the OP editied his post and took out some pertinant info. What are we even talking about?

As for me, if someone is not actually in uniform, I don't assume what they say or do has anything to do with their corps. That's just stupid. Everyone is their own person in their own life.

[tubamann]

It's the sign of the times! There is no loyalty anywhere. Look at pro athletes, it's all about money. If there was loyalty, maybe there would be more local corps out there.

Whatever..money?? Give me a break!

There is plenty of loyalty. Every year we age out 4, 5 6, 7 year members.

If a corps does it's job, most of the kids will stick around. You will have some ring chasers, but they are few and far between.

if a kid makes an ### out of himself on the net, it perhaps because he is showing his loyalty to his corps, albeit in a negative way.

[tubamann]

It didn't look like he was joking about anything. Relax.

Am I missing something? What is this thread even about? Did someone post something somewhere that caused someone else to wig out? It looks like the OP editied his post and took out some pertinant info. What are we even talking about?

As for me, if someone is not actually in uniform, I don't assume what they say or do has anything to do with their corps. That's just stupid. Everyone is their own person in their own life.

NO..as someone who has been touched by this insidous disease, it really pisses me off when people use the VERY real problem of mental illness as a joke or a euphimism.

Every day, you hear "are you crazy?" or "are you schitzo or something?" and similar phrases muttered non-chalantly by people who don't even think as to what they are saying. Language such as this just serve to cheapen what is a real problem that touches millions of people every day.

If i get ###### off when some kid comes on here and foolishly compares the drum corps experience to a VERY REAL and misunderstood mental illness, then you can feel free to crucify. If you ever have seen your only brother in the thros of severe depression, or have had to intervene to keep them from harming themselves when they were in a manic state, you might think differently.

If I seem overbearing about this, I am sorry. This touches me personally.