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?

    • mkultrawide [any]
      ·
      1 year ago

      Those three bullet points are all really good advice.

      Setting goals for projects which are designed to be surpassed, rather than stretch goals which often end up feeling like failures

      I could go on and on about this for ages. It's such a problem with the Western left. I have to hold back my opinions because some of them are criticism of subjects that are important to a lot of people, but so often, goals and messaging of the Western left run so far ahead of our ability to actually accomplish them that we might as well be discussing what the replicator menu will be when we build the USS Enterprise. You end up not hitting your unrealistic goals, which burns out your members and makes your reputation a group of assholes that can deliver on your promises.

      I also agree that the left needs to start trying to pay more attention to generating social events/social spaces. I have been wondering if the Labour Hall concept, complete with alcohol and social activities, is a path that would be beneficial for American socialists to go down.

      The point about rituals and traditions is also very good. It seems a lot of leftists don't understand that part of why churches/religious groups still have a lot of popularity in the US, relatively speaking, is that people enjoy the sense of both individual and communal ritual. There is an extent to which we need to find a way to replicate what churches offer their members not only to attract new people, but also to eventually replace the churches.

      EDIT - Two more points I'm thinking of

      1. Trots have a point about entryism. It's often a good idea for members to get involved in a broader organization that isn't socialist but is maybe somewhere you could find other socialists. Don't try to take it over and turn it into a socialist group, though. Use it as a way to get your name out there, find fellow travelers, and show outsiders that you are reliable and can get shit done.

      2. True Anon Rule: Be Normal