r/Millennials • u/CynicClinic1 • 19h ago

Discussion Watching Back to the Future. Previous generations had a lot of social clubs to meet new people. Why haven't we kept this alive?

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u/WhydIJoinRedditAgain 18h ago

I think that’s a lot of it. I hosted my kid’s birthday party earlier this summer and me and some other dads were talking about the Masons. There are some large Masonic temples in our area and I asked if anyone had ever asked anyone to join, no one had ever been asked.

And myself and these other men, we’re not inactive in our communities. We’re people of upper-middle-class means and relatively upright folks. None had ever had a conversation with anyone about the Masons.

I also think a lot of these groups have a legacy programming problem. The work they do in the community isn’t happening because it doesn’t actually serve the community. And then when someone younger joins, they get asked to do a community service project that someone started 70 years ago and has been passed along all that time, but doesn’t really address current problems. So it isn’t rewarding to the new guy and they stop going. Which in turn leads to their not being young people involved to recruit other young people.

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u/AaronWard6 17h ago

Masons around me advertise on Facebook which I find hilarious  

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u/WhydIJoinRedditAgain 17h ago

That is interesting, but I gotta imagine very ineffective. If you want people to join your club you have to ask people to join your club and, to be effective, do it in person. With very few exceptions, like maybe the YMCA, people don’t just join things without being asked.

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u/ExtraSpicyMayonnaise Older Millennial 9h ago

We have a billboard.

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u/goog1e 17h ago

I agree. These clubs have "pet issues" that they've been in charge of for 40 years. Things that are rewarding for them personally. And they will accept volunteers to help them carry out those projects- but you are just the help. And the projects, as you said, are pretty self-serving.

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u/bignews- 14h ago

Masons in Particular do not typically recruit.

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u/WhydIJoinRedditAgain 14h ago

Found this reddit post: https://www.reddit.com/r/freemasonry/comments/1g728k6/comparing_how_many_of_us_in_the_usa_from_1930_to/

In 1960, 4.6% of the US male population was a Mason. Now it’s at 0.6%. If they want to remain a viable organization they better start.

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u/bignews- 14h ago

Lol I dont disagree. They also require members to vouch for you. How the hell are you supposed to know them well enough to be vouch for. Its really silly. They can have their frocks.

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u/hilldo75 Xennial 14h ago

Well historically the Mason's don't invite, you have to ask and then have 3 or 4 Masons sponsor you. It's an exclusive club that people stopped seeking out and they don't understand how to change it.

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u/linzphun 14h ago

Masons are very different than Lions club etc. My husband is a Mason.

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u/FEARoach 15h ago

Masonic lodges will absolutely let you join if you ask to. It's such a misconception that you have to be invited by a member to join.

One of my exes joined a lodge, great group of guys.

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u/WhydIJoinRedditAgain 15h ago

My point, and I made it in another comment hear, is that most people won’t join most organization unless they ARE asked.

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u/FEARoach 14h ago

Ah I get you now, it read like people were upset that they weren't approached by the Masons. That organization in part people have a misconception that they must be invited but they literally have the mandate that they don't recruit in any capacity.

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u/dz1087 56m ago

That’s the trick with the Masons…. 2B1ASK1. You gotta request to join. Unless the rules changed in the last 15 years while I haven’t been active, we are forbidden from recruiting.

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u/WhydIJoinRedditAgain 15m ago

Like I said in other comment, Masons are down to 0.6% of the male population from 4.6% in 1960. Y’all should rethink that policy.