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Anyone else in a dying org? (hexbear.net)

submitted 2 years ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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I’m in a small-ish org. There are about 60 members total, but only 10 are actually active in any way. There are another 15-20 or so who are semi-regulars, or who will sometimes attend meetings, or sometimes attend demonstrations or actions etc with us.

It’s gotten really bad over the past few years as people have sort of started fading away. People are flaky, and it routinely takes several weeks to get an answer or an update from some members for even trivial things.

Several of us have tried doing social activities of all kinds, but they always end up the same.

This gets really embarrassing when we try to do things with other groups and can’t muster the numbers to be effective.

We’ve tried to do outreach to members to see what’s going on, and we just get the same explanation - I’m busy.

Has anyone here faced something similar? Any tips to get us out of this rut?

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[–] [email protected] 19 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Also probably the biggest thing was the fact that this person was one of the most consistently available and competent members we had. It's no wonder they became a leader because they were always involving themselves in everything and even doing a good job as well. They were knowledgeable, inclusive, got along well socially with everyone. They didn't act like an asshole at all honestly. But now I think that was suspicious in itself; organizing in this country is hard, its normal for people to get busy or get stressed. But they were always putting the org first and at all the events, almost like it was their job to be there.

It does not bode well that one sign of being a fed is the fact that you're noticeably more competent than everyone else.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 years ago

I don’t think so. A fed has the full backing of the US government for training and material conditions. They don’t have to worry about normal concerns (food, missing a day of work, rent, etc), the government takes care of that. They are an infiltrating fed. More than likely, their entire job is working this organization.

Compared to a leftist with a day job that’s disillusioned with the system (usually because they’ve been oppressed by it), who has a whole life outside of the org to worry about. For most, the org comes second by necessity. They don’t have the same privilege that the government confers upon the pigs. So, I think it’s no wonder at all they’re able to outperform the typical member.

It should be the expected outcome that the fed is able to be a more effective member, and that should be planned against. I don’t think that should diminish from the efforts of others in the org, and I don’t think it bodes one way or another, it’s another obstacle we can analyze and overcome.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 years ago

I suppose there's less attachment to the cause. If you see the org failing around you as a fed, it's because you're doing your job correctly