[Noisebridge-discuss] unannounced groups of non-members at Noisebridge (esp. kids)

[Jason Dusek]

2009/06/01 aestetix aestetix <aestetix at gmail.com>:
> I think the real issue here is not that NB is "adult themed",
> but that it is NOT "kid themed". I can imagine a lot of people
> bringing their kids by with the illusion that NB is a public
> facing science fair exhibit, with all kinds of activities with
> a friendly nature geared towards children. After all, we were
> at the Maker Faire, right?
>
> Those same people could come to NB, expecting the same amount
> of extroversion and outgoingness that all the vendors at Maker
> Faire had, only to discover (1) there's a lot of discussion,
> conversation, swearing, etc that is not intended for
> children's ears (2) nobody is going to drop everything and
> gently explain what they're doing and get the kid involved.
>
> If such parents arrive with heightened expectations, they will
> be really disappointed, and even offended. I don't mind the
> occasional "can you tone it down a bit, my kid is here" from a
> member who brings their kid, but if the conversation and
> action turns into an expectation of targeting children, it
> will stifle a lot of what's going on. It's the same ethic that
> parents use when they mute their TV during a racy scene in a
> tv show because they don't want their kids exposed.
>
> Ultimately the fault of such conflicts is on the
> parents/teachers for being retarded. I would almost be in
> favor of a monthly "open house" for the public, but that puts
> pressure on people to create projects for kids to see, and
> also turns noisebridge into a museum of exhibits, which it
> isn't. I don't want to be completely xenophobic, but I also
> don't think we need to overextend ourselves to people who
> ultimately contribute nothing and are there to gawk.

+1