[Noisebridge-discuss] Keeping associate members in their place

[Rubin Abdi]

Al Sweigart wrote, On 2013-12-18 16:11:
> Associate members can't block: they only have influence. Speaking for
> myself, having power is a much nicer privilege than having just 
> influence.

> The associate member role exists to placate new people from seeking 
> out full membership. Continuing with consensus makes Noisebridge 
> exclusive and unequal BY DESIGN, and my point is that any member who 
> pretends they aren't trying to maintain their privileged status is 
> being laughably disingenuous.

The membership role was created for people who feel invested in making
the space better. Part of that is the ability to say fuck no to certain
incarnations of consensus items. That is the only extra thing they got
back in the hay day for putting the effort into becoming a member.

However, consensus isn't about a small minority saying fuck no, it's
about a larger group saying yes. Thing is most members don't give two
fucks. And not everyone knows who's a member or who isn't.

A lot of the time when someone who isn't a member comes up and says "Yo
home fry, this shit is fucked, I would block it" and they have their
shit together, a member will speak up for them. It's rare when this
doesn't happen.

Al, you're really good at this trying to address problems that have yet
to manifest.

If someone feels like they want to be more invested in the space, they
should become a member. Money for Noisebridge doesn't grow on trees and
I'm doubtful there are any members around who want to keep membership as
an exclusive club and new potential members out because of such an idea.

And let's be honest, Noisebridge in the last two years (or even from the
beginning) hasn't been the best establishment to go flaunt around saying
you're a member of. It's sort of like telling all your friends you're a
paying member of the festering techno trash dump and care home for the
socially dongz, while mice and rats run around inside your sports blazer.

-- 
Rubin
rubin at starset.net

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