I recently visited my elder brother who is a Free Masons Member. He lamented that membership is dwindling quickly these days, and that Lodges were closing or (sometimes) amalgamating.
I remarked that I am a member of the Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition (ANARE) Club, and that our younger membership was also dwindling significantly (just doesn't build the comraderie like it did in those days), to point where I was nearly the youngest (I wintered at Davis Base some 38 years back) at the traditional ANARE Mid Winter dinner (some 150 attendees in Melbourne, but held all around Australia and even internationally).
He then mentioned similar drop offs, including Lions, Rotary & RSL (not so much) etc etc. Then there are the churches and many others age old institutions.
I know that social media on FaceBook (and others) is replacing these age old establishments, but is this change for the better - particularly in Oz?
Where will this lead for our next generation(s) - loss of history, charitable groups, respect for long held traditions etc?
I would like to hear your thoughts as (I believe) it will impact younger generations immensely, as well as membership of PA.
I remarked that I am a member of the Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition (ANARE) Club, and that our younger membership was also dwindling significantly (just doesn't build the comraderie like it did in those days), to point where I was nearly the youngest (I wintered at Davis Base some 38 years back) at the traditional ANARE Mid Winter dinner (some 150 attendees in Melbourne, but held all around Australia and even internationally).
He then mentioned similar drop offs, including Lions, Rotary & RSL (not so much) etc etc. Then there are the churches and many others age old institutions.
I know that social media on FaceBook (and others) is replacing these age old establishments, but is this change for the better - particularly in Oz?
Where will this lead for our next generation(s) - loss of history, charitable groups, respect for long held traditions etc?
I would like to hear your thoughts as (I believe) it will impact younger generations immensely, as well as membership of PA.