Do the other reenactment groups also appear at hospitals and funerals? Somehow I do not think so. So being part of this group has its ‘hero’ side and I don’t mean that disparagingly. But that can be a tremendous loss to a fragile ego if those heroic moments are taken away.
I think this is a
very good insight.
Your insight matches the Your Tube videos by group members where they repeatedly cite the hospital visits and other charitable appearances such as at an autistic child's birthday party as being extremely rewarding, both to the children and to themselves.
In addition, the group has marched in the Rose Bowl parade and even non hospital appearances at movie openings, comicon events etc. generate alot of appreciation from other fans. "
Bad Guys doing Good" is a motto of the group.
So..... based on the totality of contributions to the thread, cosplay in general in seems to have the first aspect and the 501 Legion in particular with following ones:
- A disproportionate number of "fragile egos" (neat term). A certain number of which come to derive their self esteem, social status, friends and even chosen family from the cosplay group.
- The 501 Legion can involves a significant amount of money and time investment.
- The 501 also provides a sense of self fulfillment via charitable and other appearances that is apart from just having membership in a group. This sense of self fulfillment may, or may not be readily duplicated from participation in other Star Wars groups.
So....
Though none of the above forces a cosplay motive, the totality seems to increase the chances of such a motive as a negative experience could involve a fragile ego and also have impacts in the area of self esteem, friends, money, time and self fulfillment.
The only other area that might have all the elements cosplay has, though expressed in different ways, could be "Family".
