LogFAQs > #879740774

ParanoidObsessive posted...

I've been reading a lot of Medieval European history lately (which might be part of what's inspiring this sort of question in my head), and at least a few different books like to emphasize that we know WAY more about the lifestyles and customs of nobility and clergy than we do peasants from most eras.

I should probably point out that that there's a distinction between "peasant" and "commoner" since peasant generally referred more to rural commoners whereas I *believe* you may be referring more to commoners with that comment. I clarify only because the living conditions for rural settings would be vastly different than urban settings, therefore presenting different health concerns when it comes to longevity.

Bearing in mind that your general statement about historical knowledge is true to both groups because they were unlikely to be literate and even less likely to keep records which could survive.

ParanoidObsessive posted...

I suppose I could frame the question as "If I told you that this character's sole caretaker died at age X, and they had to live on the streets and steal to survive, at which point would the value of X make the average person go "That's bullshit! No one as young as X could survive!" Or conversely, "If they were already X years old, why didn't they just get a job?""

In most medieval settings, I'm not sure such a gap exists. However, it's worth noting that employment could be hard to come by, especially if you were a complete unknown because people wouldn't necessarily trust you. Plus a lot of businesses tended to be run by family who would use family. Even today if you're just arriving in a city, you aren't necessarily going to find work. And if somebody started thieving or selling drugs and got good at it, why would they settle for normal work? Especially at a younger age when they don't think about long-term viability of that sort of a "profession"

And just keep in mind that we live in a world where adults opt to be professional thieves and hustlers (and no, I don't mean prostitutes; more alone the lines of people involved in any number of dubious activities including fencing stolen goods or selling stuff bought from a fence) rather than hold down steady jobs, so it's not like it's completely unheard of.
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